Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Looking forward: Apple TV+ premieres ‘Hello Tomorrow!”
WHAT’S NEW ON APPLE TV+ “Hello Tomorrow!” - Season 1
Look towards the future with the new Apple TV+ Original series “Hello Tomorrow!” when it premieres on the streamer Friday, Feb. 17. Set in a retro-future world, the series centers around a group of traveling salesmen who are peddling lunar timeshares. At the center of it all is Jack (played by Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”), a talented salesman who is chock-full of ambition. He brings with him an unshakeable faith in a brighter future that inspires his co-workers and gives some much-needed life to his desperate customers. However, Jack’s boundless optimism threatens to leave him dangerously lost in his own dreams. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle (“I Am Not Okay With This”), “Hello Tomorrow!” is penned by Lucas Jansen (“The Take Off,” 2018), Amit Bhalla (“Iago,” 2019), Stephen Falk (“You’re The Worst”), Jiehae Park (“Runaways”), Wes Brown (“Fear the Walking Dead”) and Olivia Milch (“Ocean’s Eight,” 2018). The cast is rounded out by Haneefah Wood (“Truth Be Told”), Alison Pill (“Star Trek: Picard”), Nicholas Podany (“Summertime Dropouts,” 2021) and Will Fitz (“Streets & Avenues”).
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “The Upshaws” - Season 3
The comedic saga of one average American family continues on Netflix when Season 3 of “The Upshaws,” premieres Thursday, Feb. 16. Set in Indianapolis, the series follows The Upshaws, a working-class, blended family, through their daily lives as family patriarch Bennie (Mike Epps, “Dolemite Is My Name,” 2019) tries to find peace while raising his four kids — Bernard Jr. (Jermelle Simon, “Sojourn,” 2018), Kelvin (Diamond Lyons, “Colin in Black & White”), Aaliyah (Khali Spraggins, “Empire”) and Maya (Journey Christine, “Let it Snow,” 2019) — and balancing his relationships with his wife, Regina (Kim Fields, “The Facts of Life”), and ex Tasha (Gabrielle Dennis, “A Black Lady Sketch Show”). Meanwhile, Bennie’s perpetually unimpressed sister-in-law, Lucretia (Wanda Sykes, “Monster-in-Law,” 2005), keeps an eye on them all. Heading into Season 3, “the Upshaws continue to ride life’s ups and downs, including new jobs, bigger dreams, health struggles and some major life surprises but still hanging on with the love that comes with family” (per Netflix). Created by Regina Y. Hicks (“Girlfriends”) and series star Wanda Sykes, “The Upshaws” also stars Page Kennedy (“S.W.A.T.,” 2003), Michel Estime (“Last Holiday,” 2006), Daria Johns (“Animator,” 2018) and Leonard Ear Howze (“Kevin Can Wait”).
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME “Carnival Row” - Season 2
More than three years since its first season debuted, the Amazon Original fantasy drama “Carnival Row” is getting ready to wrap up its story when its second and final season premieres Friday, Feb. 17, on Prime. Set in a Victorian fantasy world where humans and creatures clash, the series’ first season saw the uneasy peace between man and mythological being crumble when a string of murders unleashed an unimaginable monster. Now, the show is returning to the slum of Carnival Row with former inspector Rycroft Philostrate, aka Philo (Orlando Bloom, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” 2001), investigating a series of gruesome murders stoking social tension. Meanwhile, Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne, “Paper Towns,” 2015) and the Black Raven (Anna Skladchikova, “Munich Games”) plot payback for the unjust oppression inflicted by The Burgue’s human leaders, Jonah Breakspear (Arty Froushan, “House of the Dragon”) and Sophie Longerbane (Caroline Ford, “Free Rein”). With humans and fae folk divided and freedom on the line, each hero faces challenges like they’ve never seen before. Created by Travis Beacham (“Impact Winter”) and René Echevarria (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), this season is directed by Andy Goddard (“Downton Abbey”), Julian Holmes (“The Boys”) and Wendey Stanzler (“Clarice”). Jamie Harris (“Kingdom”), Simon McBurney (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” 2011), Tamzin Merchant (“Salem”), David Gyasi (“Interstellar,” 2014), Andrew Gower (“Outlander”), Karla Crome (“Misfits”) and Sinead Phelps (“Miracle Workers”) also star.
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU
“Wu-Tang: An American Saga” - Season 3
Formed in 1992, the Wu-Tang Clan has been highly influential in the rap/ hip-hop scene for decades. Now, fans get to see how the story wraps up when the third and final season of the biographical drama “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” premieres its first three episodes Wednesday, Feb. 15, on Hulu. The series picks back up six months after the fallout within the group, with RZA (Ashton Sanders, “Moonlight,” 2016) and the Wu-Tang Clan having moved out of Staten Island, New York, to a mansion in the woods of New Jersey. Throughout the season, the group grapples with an impending album deadline, an East Coast tour and rebuilding relationships as they keep their careers on an upward trajectory. Throughout the series, three “allegorical movies” filmed in various styles tell the deeper stories behind the inspiration of some of the group’s best works. Bobby Diggs, aka RZA, serves as series creator, executive producer and writer, with the Clan’s Method Man also on board the project as an executive producer. Shameik Moore (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” 2018), Siddiq Saunderson (“Messiah”), Julian Elijah Martinez (“Elementary”), Marcus Callender (“Power”), Erika Alexander (“Get Out,” 2017), Zolee Griggs (“Bride Wars,” 2009), T.J. Atoms (“You”), Justus Davis Graham (“Passing,” 2021) and Dave East (“Beats,” 2019) star.