Texarkana Gazette

Disney+ helps families ‘reboot’ quality time

- By Leo Pusztai

Booting out busy: In the hustle and bustle of the modern world, “family time” can sometimes feel like a distant memory. Disney is offering families the opportunit­y to go back to simpler times and separate themselves from the distractio­ns of their daily lives as they reconnect with their loved ones in “Family Reboot.”the new series begins streaming Wednesday, June 15, on Disney+.

Produced by married couple Kelly Ripa (“Live with Kelly and Ryan”) and Mark Consuelos (“Riverdale”), the streaming platform will release six episodes in its debut season, each following an overwhelme­d family paired with a mentor to help them participat­e in games and activities to provoke important conversati­ons and restore bonds between family members.

Each of the families takes a full week away from home, puts away all their devices and hits the road toward their chosen destinatio­n with nothing but a paper map and good, old-fashioned teamwork. Upon arrival, each family member chooses their room, meets with their guide and jumps into a week full of enriching bonding activities and thoughtful conversati­on.

Each of the families faces a unique challenge, such as the Strong family, who join the show after navigating a family member’s epilepsy diagnosis, a change that has altered everyone’s daily life as well as their ability to unwind as a unit.they are matched with “Family Reboot” guide and renowned psychother­apist Dr. Mike Dow, who focuses their week on finding moments of reprieve and laughter while learning how to appreciate them better – this time at Disney World.

Get inspired to spend some time with your own family and tune in to “Family Reboot,” premiering Wednesday, June 15, on Disney+.

Giving back greatness: Audiences everywhere appreciate the altruistic narratives offered by series such as “Celebrity IOU” or “Queer Eye.” Melissa Mccarthy (“Ghostbuste­rs,” 2016) now picks up the torch, joining her cousin and fellow actress Jenna Perusich (“Thunder Force,” 2021) to present “The Great Giveback with Melissa Mccarthy and Jenna Perusich,” premiering Monday, June 13, on HGTV.

Outstandin­g community members are nominated by loved ones for the opportunit­y to have Mccarthy and Perusich revamp a space in their homes. With their team of home renovation and decorating profession­als in tow, the pair of actresses give their subjects’ homes a little tender loving care.as the stars listen to the stories of the nominees and how they came to be nominated, they use their skills to figure out how best to give back.

“Goodness matters and it’s contagious,” Mccarthy said. “Jenna and I are so fortunate and grateful to have met such people.”

A combat veteran named Katie begins the first season. Nominated by her fiancée, Lily, and pregnant with their first child, Katie is a hero to her country and her family who needs a little more wiggle room in her life at home. Mccarthy and Perusich transform her kitchen and living room and surprise her with a full nursery fit for the new baby.

Other heroes to be featured in the unscripted series’ first season include Kate, an ICU pediatric nurse; Lucia, a mother of eight children and a dance instructor for students with special needs and senior citizens; Mynor, a non-profit director who helps inner-city youth and families and more.

TV viewers craving some wholesome human goodness need look no further — “The Great Giveback with Melissa Mccarthy and Jenna Perusich” premieres Monday, June 13, on HGTV.

MLB history ‘After’ 42: Seventyfiv­e years ago, Jackie Robinson stepped up to plate for the Brooklyn Dodgers, making him the first Black man to play Major League Baseball. “After Jackie,” premiering Saturday, June 18, on History, tells the story of the wave of athletes to follow in his groundbrea­king footsteps.

Directed by Andre Gaines (“The One and Only Dick Gregory,” 2021) and produced by Stanley Nelson (“Attica,” 2021), Maverick Carter (“What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali,” 2019) and NBA legend Lebron James (“Space Jam: A New Legacy,” 2021), “After Jackie” takes a closer look at how No. 42 Jackie Robinson influenced the future of baseball and the sport’s most iconic future players.

Pioneers such as St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson, Cincinnati Reds center fielder Curt Flood and New York/ San Francisco Giants first baseman Bill White will have their stories presented in shining lights. Private letters from Jackie Robinson serve as a primary source for these stories while giving a personaliz­ed look at how the racial barriers in profession­al baseball were broken by the persistenc­e, dedication and talent of these players.

“After Jackie” also features exclusive archival footage and interviews from highlighte­d players, along with appearance­s from contempora­ry major leaguers discussing how the ripples of this second wave are still felt in the sport today.

In an effort to make these names more widespread and appeal to greater audiences, History is also distributi­ng study guides chroniclin­g Jackie Robinson’s lasting legacy to public schools across the United States.

Tune in to see James and Canadian platform Uninterrup­ted join forced to shine a spotlight on athletes who shifted views within their sport and the world at large. “After Jackie” premieres Saturday, June 18, on History.

 ?? ?? The Strong family in “Family Reboot”
The Strong family in “Family Reboot”

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