Food for thought: Oyelowo, Apple bring ‘Government Cheese’ to the table
BY DANA SIMPSON
It comes as no surprise that television — like movies, books, music and visual arts — is often a reflection of our own reality, whether current, past or (perhaps most frighteningly) future. Whether these art forms choose to tackle political tensions, social developments, financial stressors or pop-culture sensations, the artists behind the project often have a message to deliver.
With respect to the newest Apple TV+ dramedy series, “Government Cheese,” it’s clear that its creators’ message is, at its roots, a comment on society as an institution and the endemic problems therein. From the minds behind “Yellowjackets,” “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Reservation Dogs” and “Rel,” “Government Cheese” premieres Wednesday, April 16, on Apple TV+.
“Selma” (2014) and “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” star David Oyelowo leads “Government Cheese” as formerly incarcerated ideas man Hampton Chambers, who has vowed to change his ways after being released from prison for a series of “smash and grabs.” Now enjoying the perks of his relative freedom in late-1960s California, Hampton is pleased to be able to spend time with his wife, Astoria (played by “Luke Cage” and “All Rise” actress Simone Missick), and their two sons, Einstein (Evan Ellison, “Devil in Ohio”) and Harrison (Jahi Di’Allo Winston, “Queen & Slim,” 2019) — but something is missing. Powered by his desire to succeed, provide for his family and
make a name for himself as he turns his life around, Hampton invents a new household tool — named the “Bit Magician” by his son — while “[grappling] with frequent inexplicable moments of divine intervention” along the way, according to Apple.
Comprised of 10 episodes in its first season, “Government Cheese” explores the racial tension associated with being Black in a predominantly white neighborhood. The series also explores the family tension associated with the return of a long-since-departed family member and the difficulties of navigating success in a world that sets up certain demographics for failure.
As for the title, many Americans may already be familiar with the term, but the series’ British leading man, Oyelowo, was among those who required an explanation, Variety reports.
“It’s a very intriguing title,” Oyelowo told Variety during a series preview. “A good title is a very hard thing to find — especially a title that has layered meanings and is analogous to what the show is about.”
The phrase “government cheese” refers to, as Ripley.com wrote as recently as January 2024, “a salty, pale-orange substance that came in five-pound blocks,” which some might
describe “as the unfortunate (and moldy) offspring of American cheese and Velveeta.” It was, Ripley’s continues, most often “meted out to low-income families and the elderly” to help “people muscle through difficult economic times.”
Once a comment on America’s past economic strife and the continued systems of oppression operating within the country today, this series has a lot to say. To add to the show’s many draws, “Government Cheese” is steeped in a very unique and colorful style.
“I describe it as a parabolic, surrealist, absurdist family comedy, because it’s the only way I can quantify it,” Oyelowo said, as reported by Variety. “I hadn’t seen that before, and it’s very rare — certainly at the stage of my career that I’m at — to genuinely find and be part of something that you haven’t seen before.”
The series’ ensemble cast also includes Bokeem Woodbine (“Fargo”), Jeremy Bobb (“The Continental”), Louis Cancelmi (“The Irishman,” 2019), Julien Heron (“Baskets”), Djilali RezKallah (“My Hero,” 2024), Louis Ferreira (“Stargate Universe”), Thomas Beaudoin (“Hubert & Fanny”), Kyle Mac (“The Boys”), John Ortiz (“Bad Monkey”) and Adam Beach (“Smoke Signals,” 1998).
Horoscopes
The luckiest signs this week:
CAPRICORN, AQUARIUS AND PISCES
ARIES
This week, your generosity will shine brightly, even in the eyes of those who might take advantage of it. Fortunately, your ability to speak your mind will put everything into perspective, and you’ll earn the respect you deserve.
TAURUS
You must thoroughly prepare before entering into any negotiations, whether for a business deal or a personal purchase. You must gather all the necessary information, a task will require a lot of patience.
GEMINI
This week is the perfect opportunity to resolve conflicts and correct past mistakes. You’ll be pleased with the outcome. You must consider many elements to restore balance and harmony within your social circle.
CANCER
Buying a home requires significant financial resources and time. You’ll take great pride in this impressive achievement— it’s a milestone that’s not within everyone’s reach.
LEO Enjoy quality time with your family this week. A major project involving your loved ones, such as a move or organizational change at work, awaits you. You may also receive news about an upcoming birth.
VIRGO Summer is almost here!
You’ll want to treat yourself by buying new clothes. Your social calendar is set to blossom. Many exciting outings await!
LIBRA
Look at home improvements as a valuable investment. You must have deep conversations with those close to you to nurture your relationships. To keep your relationship friendly, avoid lending money to a friend.
SCORPIO
You’re filled with energy this week! Even though you’re bound by time constraints or financial limitations, you’ll dive into a series of initiatives, each more exciting than the last.
SAGITTARIUS
If you don’t take time to unwind and relax, you could be overwhelmed by stress. Consider adopting a lifestyle that nourishes your spirit and aligns with your core values to cultivate a lasting sense of well-being.
CAPRICORN
Despite your reserved and shy nature, you’ll enjoy some fun experiences in good company. You may even organize a work or family gathering.
AQUARIUS
Expect a big promotion at work this week. If you’re looking for a job, a new position offering excellent career opportunities with rapid advancement will come your way.
PISCES
This week, you’ll feel the urge to travel or escape to a scenic destination. If you’re planning an adventure with a group, stay alert—some individuals may complicate things.
New Streaming Movies & Shows
“Godfather of Harlem” — Season 4 (April 14)
This season, the story’s origin begins to unfold as infamous crime boss Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson (Forest Whitaker), still embroiled in his battle for control of Harlem, must grapple with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn). Meanwhile, Bumpy’s daughter Elise (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) has become involved with the Black Panthers in the wake of Malcolm X’s (Jason Alan Carvell) assassination. Available via MGM+.
Word Search
“No Man’s Land” - Season 2 (April 16)
Delving deep into the complexities of the Syrian war, Season 2 of this dramatic thriller focuses on the experiences of women in various roles: as victims, survivors, fighters, and even a villain. Central to the narrative is a young Syrian girl on a quest to find her kidnapped mother.
Where all the top choices can be found in one place!
“The Glass Dome” (April 15)
In a village in Sweden, Lejla (Léonie Vincent) returns to her childhood home, a place caught between tradition and modernization, causing tension among its citizens. For Lejla, however, her return is overshadowed by something far more dark and intimidating than she ever anticipated. As a child, she was held captive in the area by an unknown perpetrator, trapped in a glass dome. Now, another young girl has disappeared without a trace. As Lejla investigates the disappearance, she must also confront her own inner darkness—a part of her past she’s tried to avoid.
BY JAY BOBBIN
“Superkitties” - Season 2,
New Episodes (April
16)
Adorable and packed with adventure, this animated series follows four fierce and furry superhero kittens — Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy — who are on a mission to make their town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place. Geared to kids ages 2-7 and their families, each episode features two 11-minute stories that highlight the SuperKitties as they receive a “SuperKitty Call” from one of their animal friends with a problem that only the SuperKitties can help with.
Q: Was Jennifer Love Hewitt actually pregnant while playing her character Maddie’s condition on “9-1-1” this season?
A:No, but Jennifer Love Hewitt certainly knows how to portray the situation, since she and her fellow-actor husband Brian Hallisay are the parents of a daughter and two sons. Hallisay has also been seen on “9-1-1” — now on ABC, which picked up the show after its Fox run, and Hulu — as Maddie’s abusive ex, and he also worked with Hewitt earlier on the Lifetime series “The Client List” (2012-13).
The spouses know how to involve their children in their work, since the three youngsters joined their parents in the Lifetime m ovie
“The Holiday Junkie” last December. Hewitt was in a great position to call the shots on the casting, since in addition to starring in the film, she was its director, co-writer and one of its executive producers. (Kristin Chenoweth was heard in the picture as the late mother of Hewitt’s character.)
Survival drama leaves Tom Hanks ‘Cast Away’
BY JAY BOBBIN
It’s no small feat for one performer to carry a movie on his or her shoulders for the bulk of the picture’s duration, and Tom Hanks surely did that with “Cast Away.”
Freeform shows the 2000 drama Monday, April 14 ... and for all the challenges that double Oscar winner Hanks has tackled over the course of his career, one of the greatest surely is the saga of a FedEx supervisor whose life is suddenly altered in every way when he becomes the only survivor of the crash of a company plane. He ends up stranded on an island where he quickly has to learn how to stay alive by hunting food and making a fire.
The fact that Hanks is such an interesting performer to watch goes a long way here, since it isn’t a chore to witness him having a dialogue with himself as his character, Chuck, tries to adjust to his circumstances. He has a strong memory of the life he left behind, thanks to a photo of his Memphis-based love, Kelly (Helen Hunt), that’s inside a stopwatch she gave him for Christmas just before he left on his fateful journey. Eventually, Chuck finds some other company in the form of a volleyball inside one of the packages that washed up on the island with him. He names it Wilson and uses whatever he has on hand to create a face — painting eyes and a mouth to give it a personality Chuck can connect with.
The story eventually comes full circle in a very poignant way, and it’s interesting that director Robert Zemeckis shut the production down for a year so Hanks could work on meeting the physical requirements for Chuck’s transformation during his time on the island. (Zemeckis kept the crew together during that period, using the same team to make the 2000 Harrison Ford-Michelle Pfeiffer thriller “What Lies Beneath” in the interim.)
“Cast Away” also affirms what a master Zemeckis is at filming airplane-crisis sequences. Seen largely from the cockpit point of view, the sequence of the transport plunging into the ocean is thoroughly harrowing, fortified by Chuck’s emergence into a raging storm on the surface. Zemeckis revisited the notion of an airborne plane in trouble in 2012’s “Flight,” which featured Hanks’s fellow “Philadelphia” star Denzel Washington as a pilot who resorted to flying a passenger jet upside down to try to minimize the impending disaster.
Nick Searcy, Chris Noth and the late country music star Lari White also have memorable moments in “Cast Away,” but there’s no question the film was designed for the talents of Tom Hanks. In many scenes in which he’s the only actor, he gives it what it deserves — and then some.
Best SEAN CONNERY MOVIES
BY JAY BOBBIN
“Darby O’Gill and the Little People” (1959): This Walt Disneyproduced feature is notable since Connery’s appearance in it reportedly caught the attention of then-future James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli’s wife, who suggested Connery play the secret agent.
“Marnie” (1964): Connery made an intriguing departure from his legendary work as Bond in Alfred Hitchcock’s melodrama about a troubled woman (Tippi Hedren) and her involvement with her new boss (Connery).
“Goldfinger” (1964): Arguably the most representative of all James Bond adventures, this great film pits Connery’s incarnation of Agent 007 against a tycoon (Gert Frobe), whose lust for gold leads to a plot against Fort Knox.
“The Hill” (1965): This gritty World War II drama about prisoners of war in North Africa started Connery’s association with director Sidney Lumet.
“Murder on the Orient Express” (1974): Lumet was in charge yet again as Connery played one of the many murder suspects probed by detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) aboard the title train in this fabulous adaptation of the Agatha Christie tale.
“The Man Who Would Be King” (1975): Connery and longtime friend Michael Caine make a superb team in director John Huston’s take on the Rudyard Kipling story about 19thcentury fortune seekers.
“Robin and Marian” (1976): Connery and Audrey Hepburn are wonderfully poignant as an older Robin Hood and Maid Marian in this smart and affecting drama, being shown by Turner Classic Movies on Saturday, April 19.
“Outland” (1981): Connery plays a lawman fighting corruption on a moon of Jupiter in writer-director Peter Hyams’s adventure, widely labelled as a futuristic take on “High Noon.”
“The Untouchables” (1987): An Oscar-winning performance by Connery as a Chicago cop, who helps Treasury agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) against Mob titan Al Capone (Robert De Niro), is a major highlight of director Brian De Palma’s film.
“The Hunt for Red October” (1990): This film adaptation of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novels features Connery as a Russian submarine captain whose alleged defection is met with skepticism by CIA analyst Ryan (Alec Baldwin).
“The Rock” (1996): Connery is in fine form as an ex-spy sprung from prison and teamed with an eager FBI agent (Nicolas Cage) to help dismantle a rogue military general’s (Ed Harris) plot based at Alcatraz Island.
“Entrapment” (1999): This caper film casts Connery as a master thief supposedly recruited by an insurance investigator (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who actually intends to trap him.
“Finding Forrester” (2000): Featuring one of Connery’s last major roles, this drama features him as a reclusive writer who reluctantly inspires a literary-gifted teenager (Rob Brown).
At a crossroads: Past choices lead down new paths in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2
BY DANA SIMPSON
Eventually, we all make choices that come to define us. When that happens, we must decide which path forward we will take and be willing to face the consequences for that action — no matter what they may be. Faced with the question of survival for those you love, would you hang on to your morals or do everything you can to protect them? Would they forgive you? These are questions at the heart of “The Last of Us” Season 2, which premieres Sunday, April 13, on HBO and Max.
The return of HBO’s acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama reunites audiences with Joel (Pedro Pascal, “The Mandalorian”) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey, “Game of Thrones”) five years after the events of Season 1’s pulse-pounding finale. Now, the hardened smuggler and smart-mouthed teen have settled down into a life nearly resembling a time before the fungal plague turned billions into horrifying creatures. The surrogate father-daughter duo has found community in Jackson, Wyoming with Joel’s brother, Tommy (Gabriel Luna, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), and his partner, Maria (Rutina Wesley, “Queen Sugar”), as well as new friends Dina (Isabela Merced, “Alien: Romulus,” 2024) and Jesse (Young Mazino, “Beef”). But behind the
fortified walls of their safe haven, all is not well.
Decisions made in Season 1 — those spoiler-heavy, life-changing decisions made in order to protect loved ones — have forged a major rift between Joel and Ellie. The second season’s tagline, “Every path has a price,” acts as an ominous reminder that Joel’s earlier actions will have consequences that could drive away the very person he fights hardest to protect. And as paths tend to do, our duo’s paths have branched apart, leading Ellie on a new journey west.
Ellie won’t be flying solo, however, as she’ll be accompanied by her friend-recently-turned-girlfriend Dina. The character is more than just a romantic lead, as Dina is a very capable survivor in her own right. Speaking to Empire, Merced touched on how her character brings important levity to an otherwise dark story: “In the middle of an apocalypse, I would be the first one cracking jokes in the most inappropriate times.”
Backing up their co-star, Ramsey says, “She brought such a light and energy and silliness to the show in such a brilliant way.”
View from the Couch
In Seattle, now 25 years post-outbreak and ruled by an iron-fisted paramilitary organization, this season introduces viewers to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick”). As a skilled member of the Washington Liberation Front, Abby faces her own tough choices to make as the WLF fights for control of the city — but her own deeply ingrained sense of right and wrong fuel her own expedition. With Ellie headed her way, their paths are certain to meet, for better or worse.
The wedge between Joel and Ellie at the heart of this season is sure to get fans talking given their journey so far. The first season sees Joel, closed off after losing his daughter (Nico Parker, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy,” 2025) in the outbreak, charged with smuggling Ellie cross-country to a resistance group hoping to use her immunity to develop a cure for the infection. Over this journey, the two develop a strong emotional bond as they face both the horrors of the infected and the desperate lengths people take to survive.
In an interview with Variety, Pascal and Ramsey both note that they, too, felt the pain of Season 2’s estrangement. “This season was much more of an isolated one for Ellie. It was a lonelier experience, but I don’t say that in a negative way,” Ramsey states. Pascal mirrors this sentiment, noting that “to not have them near me for every part of Season 2 felt like a cruel separation.”
BY JAY BOBBIN
also return to the voice cast, with Jim Carrey, James Marsden and Tika Sumpter back among the inthe-flesh actors. Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell (“The White Lotus”), Shemar Moore and Adam Pally also climb aboard here. **** (PG: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital)
“HEART EYES”
“SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3”
The popular video game franchise yielded another feature film that had a successful box-office performance, ensuring a fourth movie (planned for a 2017 release) will be forthcoming. This combination of animation and live action finds the ever-speedy Sonic (voice by returnee Ben Schwartz) on the trail of the more sinister hedgehog Shadow (voice of series newcomer Keanu Reeves), who escapes after a half-century in suspended animation to seek revenge. His plan involves so-called Chaos Emeralds that allow whoever possesses them to gain incredible powers. Colleen O’Shaughnessey and Idris Elba
Valentine’s Day isn’t exactly a cuddly occasion for many of the characters in this merging of humor and horror, following the trail of a serial killer who strikes on the annual occasion of hearts, flowers and chocolates. A jewelry company employee (played by Olivia Holt) and an advertising consultant (Mason Gooding) become two of the felon’s latest targets as they try to save others while attempting to not become victims themselves. The cast also includes Devon Sawa (who has a history with the genre, thanks to the original “Final Destination”), Gigi Zumbado (“Bridge and Tunnel”), Michaela Watkins and Jordana Brewster. Christopher Landon— a son of the late actor-producer-director Michael Landon who has specialized in horror franchises such as “Paranormal Activity” and “Happy Death Day”— was a producer and writer of the movie. DVD extras: making-of documentary; audio commentary by filmmakers. **** (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and Digital)
Smackdown Sundays: A&E keeps wrestling front and center with three back-to-back shows
BY CAROLINE COLLACUTT
Keep up with the then, now and forever of professional wrestling as brand-new episodes of “WWE LFG,” “WWE Rivals” and “WWE’s Greatest Moments” air back-to-back Sundays on A&E.
First in the ring is “WWE LFG,” which made its debut earlier this year as a replacement for “WWE NXT: Level Up.” In this high-octane series, legendary wrestlers from WWE’s past are sent to mentor the next generation of professional wrestlers, each eager to become WWE’s next big superstar. While WWE Hall of Famers and veterans alike — including Bubba Ray Dudley, the Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Mickie James, CM Punk and Booker T — share their expertise, only one wrestler can earn the ultimate “LFG” prize: a contract for pro wrestling TV program “WWE NXT.”
Afterward, the fun continues with a brand-new episode from Season 5 of “WWE Rivals” — a steadfast in A&E’s wrestling lineup. During this latest episode, airing Sunday, April 13, “Rivals” delves into the ongoing feud between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, a duo who once stood as friends, jointly part of The Shield faction alongside former WWE superstar Dean Ambrose. Their friendship came to a shocking end when
“BABY IT’S YOU”
Getting a home-video relaunch on Blu-ray, director–screenwriter John Sayles’s wistfully nostalgic and much-acclaimed 1983 comedy-drama explores the 1960s romance between two very dissimilar young people, played by Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano. Their relationship takes many twists and turns, with complications fueled by Jill’s (Arquette) ambition vs. Sheik’s (Spano) relative aimlessness. The picture— with a story by producer Amy Robinson, who based it on some of her own experiences — also provided significant roles for Matthew Modine (in his movie debut), Tracy Pollan and Robert Downey Jr. The soundtrack is informed by a number of hits of the era by artists such as The Supremes and Frank Sinatra in a nod to the tale’s New Jersey roots; Bruce Springsteen also contributed several songs. **** (R: AS, P) (Also on DVD)
“SANDS OF IWO JIMA”
One of the ultimate John Wayne classics makes its 4K Ultra HD debut, as the 1949 war drama casts him in an Oscar-nominated performance as a sergeant who’s tough on the soldiers he supervises ... earning him their resentment initially, but ultimately their respect. A particular target of his methods is the son (John Agar) of a colonel whom the sergeant once served under. Eventually, the rigorous training is put into meaningful practice when the troops are sent to partici-
pate in the legendary Battle of Iwo Jima. Also in the cast are Forrest Tucker and — in early supporting roles — Richard Jaeckel (who would work with Wayne again in 1970’s “Chisum”) and Martin Milner. Adele Mara plays a love interest for the Agar character. Arthur Franz narrates the saga. Also new on 4K Ultra HD is the John Ford-directed 1963 Wayne comedy “Donovan’s Reef.” **** (Not rated: AS, V) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)
“LIONESS: SEASON TWO”
The action is bountiful in the second round of this Taylor Sheridan-produced Paramount+ adventure-drama, with a cast that’s now headed by three Oscar winners— recent recipient Zoe Saldana, Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. A senior officer of the CIA’s female-centric Lioness program, Joe (Saldana) struggles to balance her life at home with her dangerous missions in the field, which begin here with the attempted recovery of an American congresswoman abducted by a cartel during an attack on her entire family. Kidman plays Joe’s supervisor, and Freeman portrays the U.S. secretary of state. Jill Wagner (who co-created the show), Michael Kelly, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, LaMonica Garrett, Genesis Rodriguez and Thad Luckinbill also are among series regulars. **** (Not rated: AS, P, V)
“THE COMEBACK TRAIL”
Three Oscar winners— Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and
Rollins turned on his teammates in 2014 with a single chair shot that changed the course of WWE history. Since then, Rollins and Reigns have fought each other 10 times in televised matches — three of which took place in 2014 alone. Most recently, the duo clashed at 2024’s WrestleMania XL, an event sure to be discussed within the episode.
Finally, wrestling fans can end their weekend with the latest installment of “WWE’s Greatest Moments.” Still in its first season, this fledgling series travels through time as it showcases iconic moments from WWE history, speaking with those involved as they review unforgettable moments from their wrestling careers. So far, episodes have featured the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Kevin Owens and Michael Cole, who discuss everything from the founding of “WWE Monday Night Raw” in 1993, to the emergence of the New World Order, to Mr. T’s iconic leap from television to the ring.
Celebrate impressive newcomers, mourn fallen friendships and travel through time with brand-new episodes of “WWE LFG,” “WWE Rivals” and “WWE’S Greatest Moments,” airing back-to-back this Sunday, April 13, on A&E.
Morgan Freeman— are teamed in this 2020 remake of a 1982 comedy. Directed and co-adapted by George Gallo, who wrote De Niro’s 1988 hit “Midnight Run,” the tale satirizes the movie business by casting De Niro as a producer who decides to cash in by casting a film with a star (Jones) whose fate he can guarantee ... collecting the insurance money afterward. Things don’t go quite as planned, though, especially when it becomes evident the film won’t be the box-office flop that was anticipated. Freeman plays a mobster to whom De Niro’s character owes quite a bit of money. Zach Braff, Eddie Griffin, Emile Hirsch and Sheryl Lee Ralph also appear. *** (R: AS, P, V)
“TOMBSTONE” (4K ULTRA HD) (APRIL 22)
“FOUL PLAY”
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