Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Feeding the ‘Soul’: Chef Alisa Reynolds hosts Hulu’s ‘Searching for Soul Food’
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “Searching for Soul Food”
Explore the wide and wonderful world of soul food in all its many forms with the new reality series “Searching for Soul Food,” when it premieres on Hulu Friday, June 2. The series follows celebrity chef Alisa Reynolds, the executive chef and founder of My Two Cents LA, a restaurant inspired by her parents’ Southern heritage. While she continues to reimagine the potential for soul food and Southern classics in her own restaurant, Reynolds discovers what soul food looks like to people around the globe in “Searching for Soul Food.” As she uncovers all the incredible foods the world has to offer, Reynolds explores “the stories, the people, and the traditions of each place she visits, bringing her own flavor right along with her” (per Hulu). Her journey takes her from her own backyard with stops in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Appalachia and Los Angeles, to the culinary worlds of South Africa, Italy, Jamaica and Peru. With showrunner/executive producer Traci Curry (“Attica,” 2021) at the helm of the project, “Searching for Soul Food” is directed by co-executive producer Rodney Lucas (“Melville,” 2015) and also executive produced by Reynolds, Melina Matsoukas (“Insecure”), Khaliah Neal (“The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” 2019), Ali Brown (“American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing”), Mike Rosen (“4th and Long”), April Smith (“Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics”) and Jacob CohenHolmes (“Betrayed”).
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME VIDEO “Deadloch” - Season 1
Get on the case with the eightpart Australian dark comedy series, “Deadloch,” when it makes its Prime Video premiere Friday, June 2. From the hilarious minds of “The Katering Show” and “Get Krack!n’s” Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, the series is set in the sleepy seaside hamlet of Deadloch, Tasmania. When a local man turns up dead on the beach and the town is left reeling, two detectives are thrown together to solve the case: fastidious local Senior Sgt. Dulcie Collins (Kate Box, “Rake”) and Senior Investigator Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami, “Super City”), a rough blow-in from Darwin. As the town gets ready for its annual arts, food and culture event — the Winter Feastival — the duo, along with their overeager junior constable, Abby (Nina Oyama, “Utopia”), put their differences aside as they work together to find the killer. Directed by Ben Chessell (“Offspring”), Beck Cole (“Black Comedy”) and Gracie Otto (“The Last Impresario,” 2013), “Deadloch” also stars Tom Ballard (“Fully Furnished”), Alicia Gardiner (“Offspring”), Susie Youssef (“Rosehaven”), Pamela Rabe (“Wentworth”), Kris McQuade (“Rosehaven”), Duncan Fellows (“The Letdown”), Harvey Zielinski (“Don’t Look Deeper”), Shaun Martindale (“The Tailings”), Katie Robertson (“Five Bedrooms”), Nick Simpson-Deeks (“The Circuit”), Mia Morrissey (“Home and Away”), Leonie Whyman (“New Gold Mountain”), Mick Davies (“Rosehaven”), Holly Austin (“Candy,” 2006), Kartanya Maynard (“The Messenger”) and Astrid Wells (“The Kettering Incident”).
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson” - Season 3
Back for more off-the-wall and hilariously cringe-worthy content, the Emmy-winning sketch comedy series “I Think You Should Leave With Time Robinson” premieres its third season on Netflix Tuesday, May 30. From co-creators Tim Robinson Zach Kanin, both of whom are “Saturday Night Live” alumni who also worked on the sitcom “Detroiters” together, “I Think You Should Leave” pokes fun at some of life’s most bizarre and mundane situations. Usually featuring Robinson as the one who should leave, the series sees Robinson and his guest stars navigating hilariously socially awkward predicaments, from choking on hot dogs and hosting an intervention in a Garfieldthemed house to uncomfortable job interviews and much more. Robinson and Kanin serve as executive producers alongside The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone (also all “Saturday Night Live” alumni and stars of “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” 2016), Ali Bell (“Digman!”), Alex Bach (“That Damn Michael Che”) and Dan Powell (“Inside Amy Schumer”).
“Manifest” - Season 4, Part 2
Buckle in for the exciting series conclusion of “Manifest” when Season 4, Part 2 premieres on Netflix Friday, June 2. Struggling in the aftermath of the devastating volcanic fissure Angelina (Holly Taylor, “The Americans”) released, the passengers face severe scrutiny in a world fueled by 828er hate. They are no longer free to solve their own Callings without constant supervision by the unscrupulous 828 Registry. Meanwhile, a mysterious accident delivers ominous warnings on a biblical scale that will further jeopardize the livelihood of all the passengers, Ben (Josh Dallas, “Once Upon a Time”) and Saanvi (Parveen Kaur, “The Strain”) attempt to collaborate with the Registry authorities, a mythological event reactivates Cal’s (Ty Doran, “American Crime”) sapphireladen dragon scar, and Angelina’s nefarious sapphire powers continue to wreak havoc, leading to an ultimate struggle between good and evil. Created for television by showrunner Jeff Rake (“The Tomorrow People”), Season 4 of “Manifest” is directed by leading man Dallas, Romeo Tirone (“Dexter”), Dean White (“The 100”), S.J. Main Muñoz (“American Horror Stories”), Erica Watson (“David Makes Man”) and Claire Fowler (“Salam,” 2018). The series also stars Melissa Roxburgh (“Valor”), J.R. Ramirez (“Power”), Luna Blaise (“Fresh Off the Boat”), Matt Long (“Mad Men”), Holly Taylor (“The Americans”), Daryl Edwards (“Daredevil”).
WHAT’S NEW ON PEACOCK “Shooting Stars” (2023)
The life of one of the NBA’s brightest stars comes to Peacock Friday, June 2, with the debut of the new biographical sports drama, “Shooting Stars.” Based on the book of the same name by LeBron James, one of the most decorated NBA players of all time, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Friday Night Lights,” Buzz Bissinger, the film is the inspiring story of James’ origins, as James (portrayed in the film by new talent Marquis Mookie Cook) and his childhood friends and teammates — Lil Dru (Caleb McLaughlin, “Stranger Things”), Willie McGee (Avery S. Wills, Jr., “Swagger”) and Sian Cotton (Khalil Everage, “Cobra Kai”) — become the No. 1 high school team in America. As the group faces a gauntlet of battles on and off the court, the story leads to LeBron’s explosive success, as he became a four-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, 19-time NBA all-star and the league’s all-time leading scorer. Directed by Chris Robinson (“Grown-ish”), “Shooting Stars” is written for the screen by Frank E. Flowers (“The Ropes”), Tony Rettenmaier (“The Light Thief,” 2015) and Juel Taylor (“Space Jam: A New Legacy,” 2021). The film also stars LeBron James himself, Wood Harris (“Remember the Titans,” 2000), Dermot Mulroney (“Hanna”) and newcomer Sterling “Scoot” Henderson.