Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Q: What has Hugh Laurie been up to? I feel like I haven’t seen him in a while.
A: The short answer to your question seems to be that he’s having a ball.
I don’t mean to imply that an actor’s job isn’t difficult, but a highly respected, A-list comedy star seems to have it easier than most, and Hugh Laurie (best known on these shores as the star of Fox’s “House”) seems to be using his stature to only take gigs that look like fun.
For starters, he’s continuing work on his own sitcom, HBO’s “Avenue 5,” which was created by industry darling Armando Iannucci (“Veep”). Its second season is due out later this year.
Laurie also recently wrapped work on two feature-length animated comedies: “The Amazing Maurice,” based on a novel by beloved children’s author Terry Pratchett, and “The Canterville Ghost,” based on a short story by Oscar Wilde. The latter film reunites him with longtime comedy partner Stephen Fry (“Gosford Park,” 2001).
Laurie was also recently booked for a leading role in “All the Light We Cannot See,” a miniseries adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name — a series that’s sure to attract awards-season attention.
And in case you missed it, he also worked behind the scenes as director and screenwriter of “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?,” a miniseries adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel. (What patriotic Englishman wouldn’t do that if he had the chance?) That series was released last month on the streaming service BritBox.
These roles cover the full range from goofy to prestigious, and so they’re just the kinds of things we should expect from Laurie at a time in his career when he can more or less do whatever he likes.
Q: I am curious. Is “Good Witch” ever coming back again? It has been quite a while since it went off the air.
A: She’s through casting spells on Hallmark’s “Good Witch,” but star Catherine Bell is up to something almost as unbelievable for Lifetime.
Sadly, “Good Witch” has officially been canceled after seven seasons and multiple telefilms and Halloween specials. The show ended with its many characters all poised to embark on new adventures together, which naturally raised hopes of a spinoff or follow-up movie. But nine months after the final episode aired, nothing like that has been announced.
That’s not to say that Bell is out of the made-for-TV movie business, however. She recently wrapped filming on a rippedfrom-the-headlines drama called “Jailbreak Lovers,” playing (get ready for this) a dog-rescue owner who breaks her illicit lover, a convicted murderer, out of jail by sneaking him out in a dog crate.
The movie will air in July on Lifetime, the network that made her a star with “Army Wives” back in the late ‘00s, but if that doesn’t fill the “Good Witch”shaped hole in your life, you have a couple of other options.
“Good Witch” producer and co-creator Sue Tenney also does a similarly romantic series (minus the supernatural elements) for Netflix called “Virgin River.” It’s released three seasons so far, and Netflix has already ponied up for two more, with the fourth expected later this year.
There are also always reruns: The entire “Good Witch” series, including the specials and movies, is available on Hallmark Movies Now, Hallmark’s own streaming service.
Q: I love “Forged in Fire.” When Doug finishes his testing on the blade, sometimes he now says “your blade will cut,” but I’m pretty sure he used to say “your blade will kill.” When and why did it change?
A: Actually, “Forged in Fire” judge Doug Marcaida never said “your blade will kill,” as it would basically go against everything he stands for. Indeed, the actual phrase he coined for the show is pretty much the opposite.
What he actually says in his catchphrase is “It will K.E.Al.,” which is an acronym he made up himself. It stands for “Keep Everyone Alive.”
Marcaida is a military veteran, martial-arts master and edgedweapon specialist. According to his personal website (DougMarcaida.com), in a life spent professing in violence, he forged his own personal philosophy of care.
“All of this life experience has led Doug to his core belief: It’s not about how many you hurt, it’s about how many you protect. This motto eventually evolved into Doug’s popular catchphrase.”
If you’re not familiar with History Channel’s “Forged in Fire” (and haven’t guessed from the context), it’s a standard competition-style series à la cooking shows like “MasterChef” or “Chopped,” but instead of meals, the contestants are quite literally cooking up blades. The budding blacksmiths forge knives and have them judged by Marcaida and his panel of fellow metalworking experts.
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