Sumter Scene: September 09, 2023

September 09 – September 15, 2023

Something to sea: ‘The Swarm’ turns oceans into humanity’s enemies on The CW

BY JAY BOBBIN

Not to be mistaken for disaster-movie master Irwin Allen’s 1978 saga of a killer-bee invasion, “The Swarm” still sends up an environmental alarm.

Already shown in many other countries, the series based on Frank Schatzing’s novel about a worldwide string of ocean-related crises has its North American premiere Tuesday, Sept. 12, on The CW. Whales and crabs are among the creatures of the deep that suddenly begin a rampage against mankind, prompting a global team of scientists to head to the Arctic Ocean to combat the life force that is causing the emergency.

In line with the nature of the story, production entities around the world were involved in making “The Swarm,” and the ensemble cast has a global view as well. Stars of the eight-episode drama include Belgium’s Cecile de France (“High Tension”), Sweden’s Alexander Karim, Germany’s Leonie Benesch (“The Crown”), Canada’s Joshua Odjick, Japan’s Takuya Kimura, Finland’s Krista Kosonen and arguably the

best-known cast member internationally, Germany’s Barbara Sukowa (“Two of Us”).

Executive producer Frank Doelger is a veteran of many HBO projects, including “Game of Thrones,” and he applied something from that hugely popular series to “The Swarm.” He says, “We really worked hard to get the balance of reality and the fantasy elements correct. We felt that would be essential to bringing in an audience and also to giving the show the weight it had. We were very lucky to find, as consultants, some scientists who were used to informing the public about things in the most straightforward way.”

The multinational approach of “The Swarm” as a literary work was a perfect fit, Doelger maintains, for what he wanted to do in filmic terms. “When I was approached to create this new company to make high-budget, high-quality, international dramas in English,” he explains, “one of the caveats was that ‘international’ must be defined by the nature of the

story. It couldn’t be something where you simply changed the nationalities of the characters.

“Also, if this had been made as a film, it would have been a disaster movie … but I didn’t want to simply make a disaster movie. I wanted to make a classic monster story where the characters know something is out there, and they don’t know what it is, so they have to find out and then figure out a way to defeat it. And we wanted it to dawn on these scientists that the monster they’re dealing with is one that they’ve created.”

Though “The Swarm” had what Doelger calls a “generous” budget, he wanted to be judicious in using visual effects, so that those didn’t overwhelm other aspects of the tale. He reflects, “The challenge was how to keep the presence of the monster alive. We wanted to create a sense that the ocean is the monster, and we wanted to use it as much as we could, so it was for both financial and creative reasons to limit the visual effects.”

“The Devil Wears Prada” still wears its humor well

7 Football frenzy: McElhenney and Reynolds return to Wales for a new A.F.C. season

7 Dixon days: Daryl dominates new ‘Walking Dead’ series

Horoscopes

The luckiest signs this week:

VIRGO, LIBRA AND SCORPIO

ARIES

You’ll be glued to social media because you don’t want to miss anything. You should include your significant other in more shared activities to build a closer bond. At work, your entire team needs your expertise.

TAURUS

Calls, texts, messages and more — your phone won’t stop ringing. Your clients may need your services, or your relatives may be looking for you. You’re sought after because of your efficiency. If you’re single, you’ll fall in love once you stop looking for it.

GEMINI

You consider upgrading your car to impress a new crush. Be patient, and the salesperson will end up making you an even better offer. At work, your team will support you when you’re overwhelmed with tasks.

CANCER

As you calculate your budget, you’ll realize you can afford a bit more luxury, including a wonderful couple’s getaway. At work, changes will be very beneficial if you overcome your fear of the unknown.

LEO Changes are needed in your relationship, in the home and at work. Let your emotions settle before acting. Some decisions take time; impulsiveness isn’t always the best approach.

VIRGO

Your loved ones will encourage you to spoil yourself more. You may consider giving yourself a makeover and engaging in self-care with the advice of a specialist. By easing anxiety, you’ll have better vitality.

LIBRA

You’ll be the focus of attention in one way or another. You’ll deal with a group that may pay you tribute or applaud you warmly. A promotion awaits you at work.

SCORPIO

You may consider a move if your family situation changes. One of your relatives may announce a birth, which will make you happy. Take care around some highly sensitive people, and you’ll be better able to help them.

SAGITTARIUS

A lot of conversation ahead! Even at work, you’ll find yourself constantly in the midst of important discussions, allowing you to expand your social circle and network of contacts. New friendships will make for great activities.

CAPRICORN

You’ll be able to get out of a complicated financial situation. You’ll choose your words carefully and should be able to convince some people to follow you. The emotional aspect of your relationship unfolds better with communication.

AQUARIUS

You’ll be forced to make a decision without knowing all the information. Trust your judgment and intuition. To minimize financial stress, avoid making purchases that involve long-term payments.

PISCES

At work, you’ll be offered a position you can’t refuse. Take the time to discuss it with those closest to you before accepting, even if it’s your dream job. Affection will magically manifest itself as soon as you’re in the right frame of mind to receive it.

New Streaming Movies & Shows

“Movie: Kelce” (Sept. 12)

This intimate and emotional feature-length documentary chronicles Philadelphia Eagles team captain and All-Pro center Jason Kelce’s 2022-23 season, which began with him confronting one of the most challenging decisions any professional athlete will ever face — is now the time to hang it up? After deciding to return for his 12th NFL season, Kelce embarks on a remarkable journey, highlighted by the arrival of his third daughter; the debut of his podcast “New Heights,” co-hosted with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis; and a history-making Super Bowl appearance.

“Movie: Corsage” (Sept. 10)

Faced with a future of strict ceremony and royal duties, Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Vicky Krieps) rebels against her public image and comes up with a plan to protect her legacy.

Word Search

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

“Wrestlers” - Season 1 (Sept. 13)

Ohio Valley Wrestling of Louisville, Kentucky is a regional wrestling gym whose alumni include Brock Lesnar, The Miz, John Cena, Dave Bautista and Randy Orton. Once a proud finishing school for aspiring pro wrestlers, the gym has since hit hard times. With new partners helping to revitalize the business, acclaimed wrestler Al Snow has the summer to turn things around. The series chronicles the efforts Al and his band of aspiring wrestlers make as they struggle with their personal ambitions and each other while they attempt to come together to save this historic gym.

“Animals Up Close With Bertie

Gregory” (Sept. 13)

Bertie Gregory is back, and this time, the adventures are even more epic! Bertie takes viewers to the most spectacular corners of our planet — from Antarctica to Africa and South America to Asia – tracking down extraordinary animals to capture their daily lives like never before. Armed with drones, state-of-the-art cameras, and underwater tech, he and his team brave subzero seas, climb snow-capped mountains, and sleep suspended 120 feet in the air to reveal the challenges these animals endure, their fierce rivalries, and the threats they face on our changing planet.

“Sex Education” - Season 4 (Netflix — Sept. 21, Season

Premiere)

Following the closure of Moordale Secondary, Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) now face a new frontier - their first day at Cavendish Sixth Form College. Otis is nervous about setting up his new clinic, whilst Eric is praying they won’t be losers again. But Cavendish is a culture shock for all the Moordale stu-dents — they thought they were progressive, but this new college is another level. With daily yoga, a strong sustainability vibe and kindness reigning king, the new year and new school is an adjustment for all. Gillian Anderson, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells and Chinenye Ezeudu also star.

Q&A with Lea Thompson

Q: I see that Lea Thompson is returning in a new series. What was the last one she did?

A: As a series regular, that would have been “Switched at Birth,” on which she played one of the mothers whose daughters were … well, check the title of the show again. She also had recurring roles on “Scorpion” (as the Katharine McPhee character’s mom) and “The Goldbergs,” and she had a guest part last year on “Star Trek: Picard.”It’s worth noting that Thompson also was a director on the latter two programs, and she’s been spending a lot of time in that job – which she shares with her husband, Howard Deutch (“Pretty in Pink”) – in recent times. She also has guided episodes of “Will Trent” (on which Deutch is an executive producer and occasional director), “Resident Alien” and “Young Sheldon” among other shows. Earlier, Thompson directed four “Switched at Birth” stories as well as two of the “Jane Doe” mystery movies in which she starred.

Thompson’s other major series credit as a star is the 1990s sitcom “Caroline in the City,” which ran almost as long as “Switched at Birth,” ending just short of 100 episodes.She’ll have another shot at longevity on weekly TV when she returns in “The Spencer Sisters,” a Canadian import premiering Oct. 4 on The CW. She and Stacey Farber play a mystery-writer mother and police-of cer daughter (despite the “Sisters” in the title) who decide to open a private-detective agency. Thompson isn’t credited with directing any of that show yet, but that’s likely to change if it continues for additional seasons.

Antique Jewelry

10 Karat $32 Per Penny Weight Per Penny

Coming Soon

6. Pamplona runners

7. Speedy “Top Chef” technique

8. ___ Na Na

9. Prescription notation

10. Gullible one

12. Causes to fall 16. Aid in crime 19. Salon supply 22. Word-of-mouth 23. Jude Law role in a 2016 miniseries 24. Fast fliers 25. Swashbuckling film star Johnny 26. Olive genus

Consumer 32. Cold war abbr. 33. 1960’s civil rights org. 35. “Holy moly!”

36. Take ___ (travel)

38. Bring on board

39. Part of the eye

40. Gym set

41. Road ___

42. T-shirt size: Abbr.

43. Fleming who created 007

44. TV’s Science Guy Bill

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“The Devil Wears Prada” still wears its humor well

BY JAY BOBBIN

Much like many of the outfits it features, “The Devil Wears Prada” remains fashionable.

The hit 2006 comedy – which Freeform shows Wednesday, Sept. 13, and Thursday, Sept. 14 – is one of the most popular mentor-employee tales yet told on the screen. Adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s best seller by “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” writer-producer Aline Brosh McKenna, the film boasts two of the most memorable performances to date in the careers of Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, who get very strong backing from an expert supporting cast.

Hathaway plays Andy, an aspiring journalist who manages (despite her lack of knowledge of haute couture) to land a position as an assistant to New York-based fashion-magazine titan Miranda Priestly (Streep), who redefines “no-nonsense” as she displays zero patience with anyone she feels is wasting her time or attention. Still, she’s somewhat amused by Andy, who displays plenty of ambition while being on turf that others would be better-suited to.

Not entertained at all by the situation is highstrung Emily (Emily Blunt), Miranda’s main deputy, who is obsessed with keeping things running smoothly for the demanding boss. She can’t quite get over that Andy has been brought on board, and her determination to keep a tight rein on everything that happens in the office eventually suffers a

Best Sydney Pollack Movies

BY JAY BOBBIN

“The Slender Thread” (1965): In his feature directing debut, episodic television veteran Pollack keeps tension high as a crisis-line volunteer (Sidney Poitier) counsels a suicidal woman (Anne Bancroft) via telephone.

“Jeremiah Johnson” (1972): Frequent Pollack colleague Robert Redford is a believable mountain man under the lmmaker’s direction. Turner Classic Movies shows the lm Saturday, Sept. 16.

“Three Days of the Condor” (1975): For all the governmentparanoia thrillers of the mid-1970s, this Redford-starring CIA saga stands out. The excellent cast also includes Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow and John Houseman.

“Bobby Deer eld” (1977): This moody, underrated drama draws ne work from Al Pacino as a troubled race-car driver.

“The Electric Horseman” (1979): A fun reunion of Redford and Jane Fonda revolves around a reporter who sees a story in a washed-up rodeo star.

“Absence of Malice” (1981): In a superb journalism drama, Pollack directs Sally Field as a reporter who bends rules to get the goods on a businessman and supposed criminal (Paul Newman).

big setback that puts Andy in even more of a position to show what she can do.

That opportunity comes to involve a trip to Paris for a prestigious fashion show, where behind-thescenes intrigue about staffing gives Andy considerable insight to the darker side of the business she’s gotten into. Her main counsel through it is Nigel (a superb Stanley Tucci), Miranda’s right-hand man who has hopes of being recognized for his loyalty with a big promotion. Also playing a role in the proceedings is Christian (Simon Baker), another fashion-industry figure who has designs on Andy, despite her relationship with boyfriend Nate (“Entourage’s” Adrian Grenier) that starts to erode over her devotion to her job.

Smoothly directed by David Frankel, “The Devil Wears Prada” is as glossy as one would expect a story about its subject to be, and it makes points about love vs. career effectively without being too heavy-handed. The actors certainly help with that, and Streep’s marvelously icy work is a particular asset, offsetting Hathaway’s vulnerable warmth in a way that’s virtually demanded for the movie to work as well as it does.

“The Devil Wears Prada” continues to stand the test of time, and it’s likely to keep doing so, as long as the adage “Be careful what you wish for” stays valid.

Henson’s horrors: ‘Halloween Baking Championship’ returns for spooky season

BY GEORGE DICKIE

Kids are in school, “PSLs” are back, and that can only mean one thing: “Spooky Season” is right around the corner. Pumpkin-flavored everything, apple pies galore, cinnamon practically hanging in the air — no one does Autumn like Food Network, delighting with more tricks and treats in a new season of “Halloween Baking Championship,” premiering Monday, Sept. 11.

Season 9 of the competition sees the return of John Henson (“Wipeout”) as host, alongside the allstar panel of celebrity judges who reigned supreme in Sea-son 8: chef Carla Hall (“The Chew”) and patissiers Stephanie Boswell (“Bake Or Break”) and Zac Young (“Top Chef: Just Desserts”).

Food Network has released descriptions for the series’ first two episodes. According to the network, the season begins as “host John Henson welcomes a dozen bakers to the Henson & Sons Carnival, where they’re ready for the ride of their lives. First, they must layer a ‘tarot-misu’ depicting the carnival’s untimely demise. Then, the bakers scare up a new carnival mascot by designing creepy clown cakes.”

Those lucky enough to make it to the second episode will face a frightfully gory night, with the Food Network promising a particularly “bloody” competition. “Do-nut try to steal John Henson’s dream job,” they say, “or things might get bloody.

The remaining bakers make bloody filled doughnuts to commemorate an unfortunate accident. Then it’s a joyful bake for some and doomed one for others as the competitors take judges [Hall, Boswell and Young] round and round on the creepiest carousel ever.” Each episode will see two rounds of spine-chilling competition. The bakers begin with the “Preliminary Heat,” where they receive a bitesized, Halloween-themed challenge that must be completed within a tight time frame. The patissier who presents the spookiest (and most delicious) treat will gain a mystery advantage — a trick to play against their fellow bakers, perhaps — heading into the “Main Heat.”

This second round sees some intense frights and delights, as competitors are given a new theme and a longer time period to create whatever creepycrawly confection they’d like. The bakers must present something larger than life, as the winner of the “Main Heat” immediately advances to the next round while one baker is eliminated from the game.

The final three (or four) then compete in a winnertake-all finale, with one monstrous baker winning $25,000.

Sharpen your teeth and prepare to dine. Season 9 of “Halloween Baking Championship” begins Monday, Sept. 11, on Food Network.

“Tootsie” (1982): Leave it to someone steeped in directing dramas to come up with one of the best comedies ever. Pollack doubles as a co-star here, as the ummoxed agent of an actor (Dustin Hoffman) who dresses as a woman to get work.

“The Firm” (1993): Pollack con dently directs Tom Cruise and a sterling supporting cast — ranging from Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter and Paul Sorvino to Hal Holbrook, Wilford Brimley and Steven Hill — through the long but compelling John Grisham law drama.

“Sabrina” (1995): While this remake doesn’t stand up to the original romantic comedy overall, it’s still notable for the excellent performance Pollack draws from Greg Kinnear in his rst major acting role.

“Random Hearts” (1999): Critics were lukewarm about the movie overall, but Pollack (also the director here) gives a terri c performance as a political-campaign adviser who has his hands full with a candidate (Kristin Scott Thomas) whose plane-crashvictim husband was caught cheating on her.

“Michael Clayton” (2007): As an actor, Pollack hit one of his career highs as the head of the law rm for which Clayton (George Clooney) xes troublesome situations.

Football frenzy: McElhenney and Reynolds return to Wales for a new A.F.C. season

Dixon days: Daryl dominates new ‘Walking Dead’ series

BY JAY BOBBIN

Premiering Sunday, Sept. 10, on AMC and AMC+, “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” sees the return of Norman Reedus (“The Boondock Saints,” 1999) as on-screen antihero Daryl Dixon.

Created by David Zabel (“ER”), “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” is the fifth spinoff from the flag-ship series, hereafter referred to as TWD, and takes place after TWD’s 11 seasons of horror. And while viewers have already gathered their fair share of Daryl details since his first appearance in TWD’s Season 1 episode “Tell It to the Frogs,” audiences have never seen the troubled “walker”-fighting hero quite like this.

“Daryl Dixon” follows the titular character as he “washes ashore in France and struggles to piece together how he got there and why” (per AMC). According to the official synopsis, “[T]he series tracks his journey across a broken but resilient France as he hopes to find a way back home,” noting that as “he makes the journey ... the connections he forms along the way complicate his ultimate plan.”

The title of this latest TWD spinoff was announced in October 2022, which is also when filming began in Paris. Despite AMC’s initial desire to produce a series that followed another TWD character, Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride, “The Mist,” 2007), the network eventually landed on “Daryl Dixon” as a result of scheduling conflicts with McBride. That said, McBride is expected to reprise her role as Carol in at least one of the premiere season’s six episodes.

In fact, as mentioned by Vanity Fair writer Derek Lawrence in his November 2022 article titled “Norman Reedus Unpacks the Walking Dead Finale and His ‘F—-ing Great’ SpinOff,” Daryl himself made a nod toward his own future series in the final episodes of the flagship series’ finale.

“It’s not like we’re never gonna see each other again,” Daryl tells Carol in an intimate scene toward the end of ‘Rest in Peace,’” Lawrence writes, noting Carol’s response: “I’m allowed to be a little sad. You’re my best friend.”

And while we have no idea what may be in store for Carol, fans can certainly expect more “Daryl Dixon” beyond the first six episodes. Just last month, AMC announced that the series had already been renewed for a second season.

Also joining the cast for Season 1 is French actress Clémence Poésy, known for her roles in films such as the Harry Potter franchise (beginning in 2005), “In Bruges” (2008) and “Tenet” (2020), among others. Poésy plays Isabelle, a French woman with a dark Parisian past and a connection to a “progressive religious group.” She joins forces with Daryl on his journey.

Scored by an ethereal rendition of Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” the trailer juxtaposes the violence TWD fans have come to expect with the peace and serenity that accompanies a French monastery garden. It just so happens that in this very monastery is where Daryl learns of his next adventure. And without giving anything away, suffice it to say that “The Last of Us” fans may wish to tune in.

View from the Couch

BY GEORGE DICKIE

The boys are back in town — and this time, they might even know what they’re doing. Season 2 of “Welcome to Wrexham” premieres Tuesday, Sept. 12, on FX, and will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.

When actors Rob McElhenney (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and Ryan Reynolds (“Dead-pool,” 2016) announced their intentions to buy the Wrexham football club — a Welsh professional association club located in Wrexham, North East Wales, operating as the third-oldest club in the world — in 2020, the North American duo was met with many curious glances from football fans across the U.K. and soccer fans back home.

At the time, Wrexham AFC was operating in the National League (the fifth tier of English football, ranked below the Premier League and all three tiers of the English football system), previously described as a mismanaged team barrelling towards the brink

of col-lapse. McElhenney and Reynolds, however, saw nothing but opportunity. With no prior experience, the duo packed their bags and, joined by a crew of cameras, made off to help the team succeed. Throughout the course of the first season, viewers watched as McElhenney and Reynolds took over the team (the Red Dragons), first attempting to qualify for the playoffs before playing towards promotion and eventually taking on Wembley Stadium. The team — and the duo’s knowledge of the game — improved throughout the year, eventually landing them in second place. Despite a successful season, the Red Dragons failed to advance to the fourth tier of the EFL League Two after being knocked out in the semifinals of the promotion playoffs.

Details have been kept tightlipped, but it is assumed that Sea-son 2 will feature the club’s eventual promotion to League Two, with pressure mounting as the club gains notoriety and attention – even from royalty.

”SUCCESSION: THE COMPLETE FOURTH AND FINAL SEASON”

Creator and executive producer Jesse Armstrong’s HBO series goes out in a very big way, and though plot twists can be anticipated, one in particular is of the enormous kind that had many people talking for days after its original debut. Members of the Roy family continue to take diverse views and

BY JAY BOBBIN

actions regarding the future of their media empire, with patriarch Logan (Brian Cox) ultimately having to reconsider his plans as other relatives also deal with respective personal crises. For its concluding round, the series currently leads Primetime Emmy Award nominations with a total of 27 bids; prominent cast members also include Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun and Peter Friedman. A complete-series set also is available. **** (Not rated: AS, P) “AIR”

Directed by Ben Affleck – who’s also among the stars here – this drama, which Amazon sent to theaters though it originally was intended to go directly to the Prime Video service, traces the background of Nike’s origination of the Air Jordan basketball shoe line. Affleck, his longtime pal and collaborator Matt Damon and Jason Bateman play Nike executives who initially

don’t think they have a chance of landing Michael Jordan (portrayed by Damian Young) as their new spokesperson. They later find that’s not the case, but they face strong competition from rival Adidas in enlisting Jordan, which will be quite an expensive proposition for the company that wins the sports icon’s services. Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker and Jay Mohr also appear. *** (R: P) (Also on Blu-ray)

“POKER FACE: SEASON ONE”

Peacock earned solid reviews for creator and executive producer Rian Johnson’s (“Knives Out”) seriocomic series about a casino cocktail waitress – played by Natasha Lyonne, a Television Critics Awards winner and current Primetime Emmy nominee for her work here – whose ability to tell whether someone is lying gets her into a string of mysteries and considerable personal danger. On the run after learning incriminating information

about her employers, she encounters a number of people who make things even more perilous for her. While Lyonne clearly is front and center, the show boasts an impressive guest cast that includes Adrien Brody, Nick Nolte, Chloe Sevigny, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judith Light, Ellen Barkin, Cherry Jones, Tim Blake Nelson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Simon Helberg and John Ratzenberger. The show has been renewed for a second season. ***

(Not rated: AS, P, V)

“THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY – SEASON ONE”

AMC’s popular horror-drama franchise expanded again with this first direct sequel to the original “The Walking Dead” series, spinning off the characters Maggie and Negan – still played by Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan – as uneasy traveling companions who enter a nightmarish Manhattan, post-apocalypse. Their immediate

mission is to find Maggie’s abducted son Hershel (played here by Logan Kim), but they end up caught in another battle between opposing factions … and Negan is in the crosshairs of one particular pursuer (Gaius Charles). Zeljko Ivanek (as the sinister Croat, one of the former Saviors of the first series) and Jonathan Higginbotham also are among stars of the show, which has gotten a second-season renewal. *** (Not rated: AS, P, GV) (Also on Blu-ray)

Coming Home Soon

“THE LITTLE MERMAID” (4K ULTRA HD) (SEPT. 19)

“FIRE COUNTRY: SEASON ONE” (SEPT. 19)

“ELEMENTAL” (SEPT. 26)

“STAR TREK: PRODIGY –SEASON 1, EPISODES 11-20” (SEPT. 26)

“TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN: SEASON THREE” (SEPT. 26)