From standup to standout: Comedian Segura gets dark in ‘Bad Thoughts’
BY DANA SIMPSON
Despite our many differences as humans around the globe, one thing we can all count on at least once in our lives is that we are all susceptible to some bad thoughts from time to time. These thoughts come in as many forms as there are people, but from the smallest curse to the largest crime, each of us faces our own darkness at one point or another.
As luck and a healthy dose of Hollywood magic would have it, comedian Tom Segura (“Countdown,” 2019) has decided to let the world in on some of his own most twisted reveries. Compiled into a six-episode season, the aptly named series “Bad Thoughts” premieres Tuesday, May 13, on Netflix.
Best known for his Netflix specials, including the most recent 2023 addition “Sledgehammer,” Segura became an instant hit with comedy lovers across America following the success of his first Netflix special, “Completely Normal,” in 2014. Immediately praised for his unassuming joke delivery, natural comedic timing, penchant for sarcasm and natural talent for storytelling, Segura collected fans based primarily on his relatability and nonchalance.
In 2022, however, Segura fans began to notice that the comedian’s special brand of humor began to change, darkening significantly following the death of his father, Vietnam vet and
former Merrill Lynch vice president Tom “Top Dog” Nadeau Segura, at the age of 74.
“He [Segura Sr.] loved being the center of attention,” Segura shared with his wife and fellow comedian Christina Pazsitzky (“Mother Inferior,” 2017), aka Christina P., on a Jan. 30, 2022, episode of the “Your Mom’s House” podcast. “He was a great guy, he really was. You guys who listened or watched got to see the parts of him that were really genuine. He really was a sweet dad and a sweet guy, and I’ll miss him a lot.”
Over the years, Segura’s father had featured prominently in many of his jokes, and in that respect, matters have remained unchanged since the elder Segura’s passing.
The trailer for “Bad Thoughts,” for instance, shows a segment from the series in which Segura’s character and his onscreen wife attend a theatrical event at their child’s elementary school. When their son, a performer in the school’s show, tastelessly chooses to reenact a battle from the Vietnam War, shouting, “There’s no better feeling than killing the enemy,” Segura’s character leans over to his partner, casually remarking, “You know we have to transfer schools, right?”
While this exchange may seem absurd (or cringe-worthy) to some, Segura’s longtime followers are likely to recognize the
scene as a reworking of one of the elder Segura’s jokes regarding his time serving as a lieutenant for the American military in Vietnam. While the Seguras’ brand of humor may not be for everyone, the comedian’s foray into dark comedy vignettes may suit this grimmer phase of his career.
As for “Bad Thoughts,” Netflix says the series “centers on Segura, who also serves as the show’s narrator, as he takes us through each episode in a series of vignettes. The twisted comedic sensibility of Tom’s standup is the core DNA of this series, where every story will unfold in a hilariously disturbing way only he could imagine.”
Joining Segura in front of the camera in various roles across the series’ six episodes are Dani Hurtado (“His Stretch of Texas Ground,” 2021), Kira Spencer Cook (“Matilda,” 1996), Alexis Abrams (“Desolate Soul & the Lingering Ghost,” 2019), Norma Jean (“Killers of the Flower Moon,” 2023), Bob Pack (“Twisters,” 2024), Lucas McCutchen (“Love & Death”), Hannah Bittick (“Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields”), Sean Middleton (“Look Both Ways,” 2022), Billie D. Merritt (“The Glorias,” 2020), Liz Mikel (“Friday Night Lights”) and rising talents Brett Baggerly and J. Julian Vega.
Where all the top choices can be found in one place!
“Untold: The Liver King” (May 13)
Brian Johnson, aka the “Liver King,” built an online fitness empire by devouring raw meat and promoting an all-natural ancestral lifestyle, with the muscles to back it up. Featuring interviews with the man himself, his family and business partners, this documentary unravels the wild story of The Liver King’s rapid rise to internet fame and the controversy and backlash once a steroid scandal came to light.
BY JAY BOBBIN
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Available Now)
In this animated film sequel, Brooklyn’s fulltime, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Oscar Isaac, Daniel Kaluuya and Issa Rae also voice star.
Q: Q: I know a lot of wrestlers end up becoming actors. Has Roman Reigns ever acted? Does he plan to?
A: Joe Anoa’i, the hulking man better known as pro wrestling champion Roman Reigns, has dabbled a little in acting already and plans to do a lot more.
Most notably, he had a small-ish part in 2019’s “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” the action smash that featured another wrestler-turned-actor, and Anoa’i’s cousin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (“Black Adam,” 2022). Anoa’i also appeared as a character known only as “Tatted Meathead” in the 2020 comedy “The Wrong Missy” and he has another small role in the upcoming heist comedy “The Pickup,” due out later this year.
But, Anoa’i has his eyes set on more. In a sprawling Vanity Fair interview published just last month, he said that, at 40 years of age, he knows his wrestling career will come to a close soon, and acting is a big part of his retirement plan.
Dead-end job: ‘Murderbot’ reluctantly joins Apple TV+’s workforce
BY JOSHUA AMY
At one point or another, pretty much everyone has wished they could be doing anything other than the job at hand, like tuning out a co-worker’s chatter to binge the latest series, for instance. Escapism is a hallmark of being stuck in a mundane workplace, an experience that should resonate with viewers of Apple TV+’s newest series, “Murderbot.” Based on the Hugo and Nebula award-winning series by author Martha Wells, “Murderbot” adapts the events of the first novella, “All Systems Red,” the series premieres Friday, May 16, on the streamer.
With a title like “Murderbot,” you’d be inclined to think this is an action-packed sci-fi thriller about a robot specifically designed for violence — and you’d be right, at least in part. While the titular character may be a purpose-built killing machine, it’s not just a robot: it’s a part-android, part-cloned human security construct. The SecUnit, played by Alexander Skarsgard (“True Blood”), is a walking insurance policy created by the megacorporations that control much of humanity’s spacefaring domain. SecUnits are required on any planetary expedition to protect the human team members and, more importantly, the company’s investment. Therefore, “Murderbot” is not just an
action-packed sci-fi thriller, it’s also a twisted work place comedy.
“Murderbot’s” SecUnit is unique, as it’s managed to hack its governor module, giving itself free will. Upon breaking its shackles, it does as any indentured killing machine would, names itself Murderbot and downloads thousands of hours of soap operas from the company media feeds. Although Murderbot is confused and annoyed by the messy “human-ness” of those in its charge, it’s good at its job — and needs to keep up appearances for survival. Behind the faceplate, however, it just wants to be left alone with its stories, though it inevitably must do its job.
Roasting Rivers: Joan Rivers celebrated during hour-long comedy special
The humans that Murderbot is assigned to protect are a planetary survey team led by Dr. Mensah (Noma Dumezweni, “Black Earth Rising”). Hailing from a system outside of the Corporation Rim, Mensah and her team struggle with the cutthroat profit motives of their employer, reluctantly agreeing to the terms of their contract — including the need for a SecUnit. The survey team — played by David Dastmalchian (“Late Night with the Devil,” 2023), Sabrina Wu (“Joy Ride,” 2023), Tattiawna Jones (“Orphan Black: Echoes”), Akshay Khanna (“The Doll Factory”) and Tamara Podemski (“Coroner”) — would rather forgo all corporate meddling but opt to simply ignore the SecUnit instead.
The indifference to its presence suits Murderbot just fine, since the humans’ interpersonal relationship drama is irrational, emotional and unpredictable. Hiding behind its mask, Murderbot would much rather engage emotionally through the safety of its obsessive binge of “The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.” The pulpy, over-the-top sci-fi soap opera exists as a show-within-a-show that stars John Cho (“Star Trek,” 2009), Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”), DeWanda Wise (“Three Women”) and Clark Gregg (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”).
“Sanctuary Moon” serves as both escapism between saving the team from hostile threats and a sort of road map for Murderbot as it navigates how to interact with the humans post-rescue.
Despite Murderbot’s desire to be left alone, its evolving relationship with Mensah’s team is central to the story. In an interview with Vanity Fair, showrunner Chris Weitz describes this reluctant dynamic: “They’re not really cut out for this. Murderbot feels it has to keep them from dying. It’s not really because it necessarily cares about them at first. It has this thing of being good at its job in spite of everything.”
BY JAY BOBBIN
also are featured. As usual, there are some treats for devoted fans of the franchise, meant to be surprises (which we’ll keep here, though they’re already known to the many moviegoers who ensured the film’s financial success). DVD extras: two “making-of” documentaries; audio commentary by director Julius Onah and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau; deleted scenes; outtakes. *** (PG-13: P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital)
“BLACK BAG”
Director Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic”) and writer David Koepp’s (“Carlito’s Way”) involving espionage tale casts Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as married spies facing a crisis that pits their professional obligations against their personal concerns. When the husband suspects the wife of leaking a software program, he invites several other possible culprits to dinner – where their food is drugged intentionally, to make them less prone to hide the truth. Some big surprises are in store as the evening proceeds, and the results are somewhat akin to those in the plays and movies “Sleuth” and “Deathtrap.” Marisa Abela (“Industry”), RegeJean Page (“Bridgerton”), Ton Burke (“C.B. Strike”) and Naomi Harris play the guest diners; Pierce Brosnan also stars. Soderbergh did the picture’s cinematography and editing as well, under his aliases Peter Andrews and Mary Ann Bernard. DVD extras: deleted scenes; two “making-of” documentaries. *** (R: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital)
“LANDMAN: SEASON ONE”
One of the latest offerings from prolific series-maker Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone,” “Tulsa King’), this Paramount+ drama – already renewed for a second season – revolves around the inner workings of the Texas oil business. Billy Bob Thornton is among the stars as an executive of one such firm who uses his professional skills to bargain for his life as the show opens, with his children (Michelle Randolph, Jacob Lofland) also involved in his dealings. A drug cartel also factors into the saga, for which Sheridan wrote all of the first-season scripts. Jon Hamm plays the owner of the company Thornton’s character works for, with Demi Moore as Hamm’s wife; Ali Larter and Hallmark Channel-movie veteran Kayla Wallace also are among prominent cast members, with Colm Feore, Michael Pena, Maxwell Caulfield and Andy Garcia also appearing. DVD extras: eight “making-of” documentaries. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray)
“DUNE: PROPHECY — THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON”
Serving as a prequel to the two “Dune” feature films of recent years, this HBO and Max series depicts an ancient world in which two siblings (played by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams) try to keep a faction appropriately known as The Sisterhood thriving. While this is largely their story, those who know the original Frank Herbert “Dune” novel – and there have been many of those followers over many years – will recognize aspects that flourished in the book and movies,
BY CAROLINE COLLACUTT
Celebrate the life of an Emmy-winning talk show host, Grammy-winning performer, Tony-nominated actress and bestselling author during the once-in-a-lifetime “Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute,” airing Tuesday, May 13, on NBC — and on Peacock the following day, Wednesday, May 14, with an extended, uncensored version of the special feature.
In 1960, Joan Rivers (“Fashion Police”) rose to fame following her television debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Her unique sense of humor propelled her forward, landing her nearly 200 appearances on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and later earning her a role as E! Network’s feisty fashion consultant, where she coined the still-used phrase “Who are you wearing?” that is now uttered at every red carpet event Hollywood has to offer.
In a letter to her daughter, Rivers wrote: “Given that I’m dead, I assume someone will finally decide to honor me. Well, it’s about time.”
That time is now. Over the course of an hour, this special will see today’s biggest comedians paying homage to Rivers’ impressive career and razor-sharp humor, as it has been a decade since her 2015 death. Together, a group of stellar comedians revisit Rivers’ longlaughed-at jokes, adding their own personal spin as they reflect on the current cultural landscape.
though the “Great Schools of Dune” book trilogy by Brian Herbert (Frank’s son) and Kevin J. Anderson preceded the events shown here. Travis Fimmel, Jodhi May, Chloe Lea, Chris Mason and Mark Strong also are members of the principal cast; the show (which underwent a number of creative changes over several years along the way to premiering) has been renewed for a second season. *** (Not rated: AS, N, V) (Also on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD)
“MICKEY 17”
Robert Pattinson has the central role, multiple times, in writer-producer-director Bong Joon Ho’s (“Parasite”) fantasy-comedy about a spaceship crew member who’s made for cloning in the mid-21st century. Each time he dies during a dangerous assignment, a copy of him is made, containing the memories of the past version – which makes things that much more complicated when two of the clones end up existing in the same space. The situation has definite effects on those surrounding the dual Mickeys, particularly the love interest played by Naomi Ackie. Mark Ruffalo plays the villain of the piece, with Toni Collette as his wife, who has her own agenda. The film, based on an Edward Ashton novel, also features Holliday Grainger (“C.B. Strike”) and Steven Yeun (“The Walking Dead”). *** (R: AS, N, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital)
“BETTER MAN” Long an enormously popular music star in his native England,
Guests for the night include Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Margaret Cho (“All-American Girl”), Nikki Glaser (“Trainwreck,” 2015), Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip,” 2017), Chelsea Handler (“Chelsea Lately”), Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”), Bill Maher (“Politically Incorrect”), Howie Mandel (“Deal or No Deal”), Joel McHale (“Community”), Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Patton Oswalt (“A.P. Bio”), Aubrey Plaza (“Parks and Recreation”), Sarah Silverman (“The Sarah Silverman Program”), Jean Smart (“Hacks”), Rita Wilson (“Sleepless in Seattle,” 1993) and Rivers’ own daughter, Melissa Rivers (“Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?”).
“This tribute is everything my mother would have wanted,” promises Melissa. “[Hilarious], unfiltered and filled with people she respected (and roasted). And as usual, she was still the funniest person in the room. It’s incredibly moving to see so many iconic comedians come together to celebrate her legacy, especially the women whose careers she helped make possible by breaking down so many doors. I know she’d be thrilled to see how far things have come, and she’d still have notes.”
“Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny AllStar Tribute,” airs Tuesday, May 13, on NBC, with more to come on Peacock the following day.
Robbie Williams narrates his own story – in which he takes the form of a computer-animated chimpanzee (really) — in this dramatization from director and co-writer Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”), tracing Williams’s career from his success with the group Take That through his solo stardom. Along the way, though, he dealt with personal challenges ranging from self-doubt to addiction; even after he made a professional comeback, demons that he thought he had conquered continue to plague him. Specific songs, many of them made popular by Williams, are used to underscore certain chapters of his saga; co-stars include Steve Pemberton, Kate Mulvany and Alison Steadman. *** (R: AS, N, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Digital)
Coming Home Soon
“A KNIGHT’S TALE” (4K ULTRA HD STEELBOOK) (MAY 20)
“PRESENCE” (MAY 20)
“THE ALTO KNIGHTS” (MAY 27)
“MASTERPIECE: MISS AUSTEN” (MAY
