Stars on Screen
Far from drifting: “Sometimes you can’t see something until you’re looking for it. ”These words, spoken by the character played by David Pasquesi (“Veep”) in “Lodge 49,” could easily describe how the AMC series has attracted its audience.
It’s one of those shows that you stumble upon and then wonder why you didn’t tune in earlier. It’s sweet, funny and serious, with eccentric characters that are oddly relatable.And it’s coming back for a second season next month — Monday, Aug. 12, on AMC.
“Lodge 49” wasn’t a huge ratings winner in its freshman year, but the character-driven show really resonated with TV critics. Reviewers had nothing but praise for Wyatt Russell’s performance as the lovable drifter Dud — a fact that might finally allow the actor to have his name mentioned without a “son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn” add-on.
No big cast changes have been announced, so we can count on the return of regular cast members, including Russell, Brent Jennings (“All American”) and Sonya Cassidy (“Humans”), whose portrayal of cynical and put-upon Liz served as the perfect foil to her laid-back brother.
There will be at least one new face this season: Pollyanna McIntosh, a.k.a. Jadis in “The Walking Dead. ”The Scottish actress has landed a recurring role as Clara, who befriends Connie (Linda Emond, “The Knick”) at Lodge 1 in England. McIntosh’s most recent project showed that she’s a triple threat — she wrote, directed and starred in the indie horror film “Darlin’” (2019).
As for guest stars, series creator/ writer Jim Gavin
suggested in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly that we haven’t seen the last of El Confidente, played by Cheech Marin (“Nash Bridges”). Just how much screen time Marin will get this season isn’t clear, but it does give viewers one more reason to tune in.
A new ‘Unicorn’: This fall, Walton Goggins (“Justified”) is “The Unicorn.” Before anyone else gets the wrong idea, the upcoming CBS comedy has nothing to do with the fabled one-horned horse.
Instead, the title alludes to the second definition of the word, meaning something that is rare or unusual.And based on this, Goggins — or rather, his character — falls neatly into that category.
The series is inspired by a true story. Goggins stars as a recent widower named Wade, who is slowly moving on with his life after the loss of his wife. Wade is a big-hearted, devoted dad who struggles with the idea of being a single parent, but he’s wholly unprepared to re-enter the dating world. Encouraged by his family and friends, Wade dips his toe into the dating scene and is shocked to discover he’s a hot commodity since he’s attractive, employed and, more importantly, he has a proven history of being able to commit.To prospective dates, that makes him “The Unicorn.”
This is the second year in a row that Goggins is starring in a CBS pilot after last year’s adaptation of the James Ellroy novel, “L.A. Confidential” (the pilot was passed over). The actor, whose work on “Justified” earned him an Emmy nomination, is also the star and executive producer of “Deep State,” a political thriller that streams on EPIX.
What’s interesting is that “The Unicorn” was originally pitched as a single-camera comedy. It was picked up to pilot as a multi-camera sitcom before reverting back to the single-cam format and moving ahead.
And with a time-slot sandwiched between top-rated “Young Sheldon” and “Mom,” the pilot couldn’t get a better shot at finding its audience right from the start.
The cast of “The Unicorn” also includes Rob Corddry (“Childrens Hospital”), Maya Lynne Robinson (“The Conners”), Michaela Watkins (“Casual”) and Omar Benson Miller (“Ballers”), and the series is set to premiere this fall.