Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
STARS ON SCREEN
On the case: TV’s most prolific criminal defense lawyer is back this Sunday, June 21, in a new limited series airing on HBO. But cast aside all expectations of cross-examinations and witness-stand confessions, because this “Perry Mason” is more focused on the detective work than the court case.
It’s a reboot of sorts, considering this origin story is set in 1932 Los Angeles. It stars Golden Globe winner Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”) as a down-on-his-luck gumshoe version of the embattled attorney made famous by Raymond Burr. The Welsh actor also serves as series producer.
The story seems well suited to an actor of Rhys’ caliber, not to mention his penchant for playing complex characters. His fedora-wearing Mason is a man haunted by wartime experiences and a broken marriage. He’s living paycheck-to-paycheck in a city that seems to have escaped the worst of the Great Depression. But the case of a kidnapping gone wrong quickly exposes the cracks and corruption that have been hiding beneath Tinseltown’s shiny veneer.
If you’re hoping for more star power, Rhys’ co-star is fellow Emmy winner John Lithgow (“The Crown”), who plays Mason’s mentor and semi-regular employer. The cast also includes Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”) as a powerful evangelical leader with a nationwide radio audience; Chris Chalk (“Gotham”) as a beat cop who gets caught up in the politically loaded case; Shea Whigham (“Modern Love”) as Mason’s smooth-talking assistant; and Juliet Rylance (“American Gothic”) as Lithgow’s legal secretary who has all the skills and drive of a modern-day CEO.
Mason and company will have eight episodes to uncover the truth before this stylishly shot whodunnit wraps in August.
Zoo lockdown: Remote working has suddenly become the norm for a lot of people in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. But imagine working from home when “home” is a world-famous zoo, and it (mostly) falls to you to take care of all the animals.
That was the situation for the Irwin family — Terri, Robert and newlyweds Bindi and Chandler — when the pandemic forced the temporary closure of the Australia Zoo. It certainly sounds chaotic, and if so, that might come across on screen when “Crikey! It’s the Irwins: Life in Lockdown” airs Saturday, June 27, on Animal Planet.
The one-hour quarantine special will offer a glimpse of the unique challenges that come with managing a 1,000acre zoo, not to mention one of the world’s busiest wildlife hospitals. The footage captured the family’s response to the mandatory shutdown as they create emergency management plans to ensure the proper care and well-being of the zoo’s 1,200 animals.
If you can’t tune in to “Life in Lockdown,” you can still follow along on social media, where fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #CrikeyItsTheIrwins.
Mind you, the pandemic also played a big role in the last special, “Crikey! It’s the Irwins: Bindi’s Wedding,” which aired on April 18. What was supposed to be a big, splashy event on April 4 became more of a low-key affair when, just weeks before their big day, Bindi Irwin and fiancé Chandler Powell were forced to change their plans. Instead, the pair wed in a private ceremony on March 25 with only family (and animals) in attendance, though paparazzi flyovers reportedly forced a lastminute venue change.
‘Step Up’ to Starz: It seems more common these days to hear about projects moving from cable to streaming services, and that’s certainly the case with the Gal Gadot-led Hedy Lamarr series (it’s moving from Showtime to AppleTV+). However, Starz has opted to reverse that trend, at least temporarily, by picking up the YouTube series “Step Up: High Water.”
The series was based on the “Step Up” franchise that sprung from the 2006 dance film, starring Channing Tatum (“Magic Mike,” 2012) and Jenna Dewan (“Supergirl”). The use of the word “was” is key here, because YouTube canceled the series in 2019 after two seasons. The cancellation can be chalked up to the online service’s transition away from scripted programming. But “Step Up’s” resurrection was probably helped by the fact that the series was inspired by the Lionsgate film and produced by Lionsgate Television, and Lionsgate also owns Starz.
Recording artist Ne-Yo, who is currently serving as a judge on NBC’s “World of Dance,” will be back in the lead role of Sage Odom, the founder of Atlanta’s High Water Performing Arts School. Naya Rivera (“Glee”) also returns to the role of Collette, Sage’s life and business partner. And it seems the two characters are going to have plenty to deal with in the new season as they face criminal charges and financial ruin while squaring off against powerful enemies.
In a statement from the network, Lionsgate Television Group chairman Kevin Beggs explained: “The latest installment of ‘Step Up’ not only reimagines the entire franchise but is filled with high energy, lots of heart and electrifying dance moves, and we’re very excited to reunite the talented cast and creative teams for another great season. This collaboration underscores our ability to work successfully across our businesses to supply premium content to Starz.”