Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Friends to the end: ‘Grace and Frankie’ wraps up on Netflix
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “Grace and Frankie” - Season 7, Part 2
Fans got a taste of the seventh and final season of “Grace and Frankie” when the first four episodes aired last August. Now, on Friday, April 29, the remaining 12 episodes in the series arrive on Netflix. Starring Oscar winner Jane Fonda (“Klute,” 1971) and Emmy winner Lily Tomlin (“Nashville,” 1975) as the titular Grace and Frankie, the series has followed them over seven years, since their lives as they knew them were sent spinning out of control when both of their longtime husbands left them for each other. Beginning as rivals and evolving into partners in crime and friends with an unbreakable bond, Grace and Frankie have taken audiences along for the ride as they learn to live their lives to the fullest together. As the series winds down, these incomparable friends have more than a few adventures left. Part 1 of the seventh season saw them deal with the FBI, their dirty money, and as always, their families. Created and written by Marta Kauffman (“Friends”) and Howard J. Morris (“Home Improvement”), Season 7 is directed by Kauffman, Ken Whittingham (“Parks and Recreation”), Alex Hardcastle (“You’re the Worst”), Molly McGlynn (“Mary Goes Round,” 2017) and
Kelly Park (“Call Me Kat”). “Grace and Frankie’s” all-star cast is rounded out by Sam Waterston (“Law & Order”), Martin Sheen (“The Departed,” 2006), June Diane Raphael (“Black Monday”), Brooklyn Decker (“Just Go With It,” 2011), Ethan Embry (“Sneaky Pete”), Baron Vaughn (“Mystery Science Theater 3000”), Lindsey Kraft (“Getting On”), Peter Cambor (“NCIS: Los Angeles”) and Michael Charles Roman (“That’s Life”).
WHAT’S NEW ON DISNEY+ “Sketchbook” - Season 1
Disney brings the world of professional animation to drawing enthusiasts everywhere with the new docuseries “Sketchbook,” available to stream as of Wednesday, April 27, on Disney+. An intimate and instructional series, “Sketchbook” takes viewers to the Disney drawing desks and into the lives of some of the studio’s most talented artists and animators. Each of the season’s six episodes focuses on a single artist as they teach audiences how to draw one of the iconic characters from Disney’s extensive archive of films, including Kuzko from “The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000), led by Gabby Capili; Olaf from “Frozen” (2013), led by Hyun Min Lee; Genie from “Aladdin” (1992), with artist Eric Goldberg; Captain Hook from “Peter Pan” (1953), with Jin Kim; “Encanto’s” (2021) Mirabel, with Samatha Vilfort; and Simba from “The Lion King” (1994), led by artist Mark Henn. As the drawing is built up step by step, the featured artist also tells their unique story, how they came to work at Disney, and all about their chosen character. Learn how these beloved characters first came to life, while getting to meet some of the incredible artists behind the magical creative process. From “Chef’s Table” creators David Gelb and Brian McGinn with Jason Sterman (“Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film),” 2022), “Sketchbook” is directed by Sterman, Leanne Dare (“A Spark Story,” 2021) and Andrew McAllister (“Quincy,” 2018).
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “Crush” (2022)
Experience the thrill of young love in the new LGBTQ+ romcom “Crush,” premiering Friday, April 29, on Hulu. For aspiring artist Paige (Rowan Blanchard, “Snowpiercer”), joining her high school track team was never a part of the plan. That said, the situation doesn’t turn out to be all bad as it affords her the opportunity to get closer to the girl on whom she’s had a longtime crush. In the process of trying to win her crush over, the situation becomes all the more complicated and Paige finds herself falling for a different teammate altogether. As she gets to know her teammate A.J. (Auli’i Cravalho, “Moana,” 2016), Paige finds herself learning more about the true meaning of love. Directed by Sammi Cohen (“Hollywood Darlings”) “Crush” features a script penned by Kirsten King and Casey Rackham in their screenwriting debuts. The film also stars Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”), Michelle Buteau (“Always Be My Maybe,” 2019), Aasif Mandvi (“Evil”), Teala Dunn (“Guilty Party”), Tyler Alvarez (“American Vandal”) and Isabella Ferreira (“Love, Victor”).
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME “Undone” - Season 2
Now nearly two and a half years since the show first premiered, the genre-bending adult animated series “Undone” finally returns Friday, April 29, to Prime with its second season. For those who may have missed it, Season 1 of the series found Alma’s (Rosa Salazar, “Alita: Battle Angel,” 2019) relationship with time changed in strange new ways after she survived a potentially deadly car crash. As the series explored the flexible, disorienting and unpredictable nature of time in its premiere season, Anna used her unique new abilities to learn about the death of her father. Moving into the new season, Alma has come to realize there are more secrets in her family’s past that are buried even deeper, though no one except her sister, Becca (Angelique Cabral (“Life in Pieces”), can be convinced to investigate with her. As they unravel a complex series of memories and events that shaped who they have become, Alma and Becca hope to better the lives of their family with their newfound insight. The first Amazon animated series to use rotoscoping, this critically acclaimed series stems from creators Raphael Bob-Waksberg and Kate Purdy (both of “BoJack Horseman”) and is directed by Hisko Hulsing (“Junkyard,” 2012). Constance Marie (“Switched at Birth”), Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”), Siddharth Dhananjay (“Bloodshot,” 2020), Luna-Marie Katich (“Amber Brown”), Kevin Bigley (“Upload”), Sheila Vand (“Snowpiercer”), Holley Fain (“Dirty John”) and new talent Giorgie Luck Vasquez also star in the series.