Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Home on the ‘Range’: The mystery continues in ‘Outer Range’ Season 2
WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME VIDEO “Outer Range” - Season 2
The mystery deepens in Season 2 of “Outer Range,” when the dramatic thriller series returns Thursday, May 16, to Prime Video. Josh Brolin (“No Country for Old Men,” 2007) stars in the series as family patriarch Royal Abbott, a Wyoming rancher who uncovers an unbelievable supernatural mystery on the edge of his property in the form of a dark void. As Royal and his wife, Cecelia (Lili Taylor, “American Crime”), try their best to hold their family together in the aftermath of their granddaughter’s disappearance, new threats emerge from all sides. Meanwhile, this new season “propels its characters deeper into the void with profound and unforeseen circumstances that could shake the very foundations of time itself ” (per Prime Video). Created and written by new talent Brian Watkins, “Outer Range” Season 2 features episodes directed by Brolin, Blackhorse Lowe (“Reservation Dogs”) and Catriona McKenzie (“Shining Vale”). The series’ ensemble cast includes Imogen Poots (“Vivarium,” 2019), Tamara Podemski (“Reservation Dogs”), Lewis Pullman (“Lessons in Chemistry”), Tom Pelphrey (“Ozark”), Noah Reid (“Schitt’s Creek”), Shaun Sipos (“Reacher”), Isabel Arraiza (“The Oath”), Olive Abercrombie (“The Haunting of Hill House”) and Will Patton (“Yellowstone”). Executive producers are Brolin, Charles Murray (“Day Break”), Brad Pitt (“Bullet Train,” 2022), Dede Gardner (“Feud”), Jeremy Kleiner (“3 Body Problem”), Tony Krantz (“24”), Heather Rae (“Frozen River,” 2008), Jon Paré (“Charmed”) and first-time producer Ernest McNealey.
WHAT’S NEW ON APPLE TV+ “The Big Cigar”
Based on the magazine article by executive producer Joshuah Bearman (“Argo,” 2012), the new six-episode series, “The Big Cigar,” debuts its first two episodes Friday, May 17, on Apple TV+. The remaining four episodes air weekly on Fridays thereafter. Based on real-life events, the series follows Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton (André Holland, “Moonlight,” 2016) through his escape to Cuba in the 1970s. As described by Apple TV+, the series chronicles “the incredible true story of Hollywood revolution meeting social revolution: it’s a wild caper of Black Panther founder Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider [Alessandro Nivola, “The Many Saints of Newark,” 2021] in an impossibly elaborate plan — involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can. And somehow, it’s all true. Mostly.” With an ensemble cast that also includes Tiffany Boone (“Hunters”), P.J. Byrne (“The Boys”), Marc Menchaca (“Ozark”), Moses Ingram (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Rebecca Dalton (“Spun Out”), Olli Haaskivi (“Oppenheimer,” 2023), Jordane Christie (“Why Women Kill”) and Glynn Turman (“Women of the Movement”), “The Big Cigar” comes from creator Janine Sherman Barrois (“Criminal Minds”).
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “Thelma the Unicorn” (2024)
Go beyond the glitz and glamour of the spotlight with the new animated family film “Thelma the Unicorn,” taking center stage on Netflix Friday, May 17. An ordinary pony with big dreams, Thelma, voiced by Alabama Shakes singer Brittany Howard (“Hold On”), wants nothing more than to be a world-famous singer. When a “pink and glitter-filled moment of fate” comes her way, “Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom” (per Netflix). However, Thelma will have to decide if her new reality is really what she wants. Based on the popular children’s books by Aaron Blabey, this musical comedy adventure is directed by Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite,” 2004) and Lynn Wang (“Unikitty!”), with a screenplay by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess (both of “Napoleon Dynamite,” 2004). The film’s voice cast is rounded out by Will Forte (“The Lego Movie,” 2014), Jemaine Clement (“Flight of the Conchords”), Edi Patterson (“The Righteous Gemstones”), Ally Dixon (“The Croods: Family Tree”), Fred Armisen (“Portlandia”), Zach Galifianakis (“The Beanie Bubble,” 2023), Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite,” 2004) and new talent Maliaka Mitchell.
WHAT’S NEW ON MAX “Home Sweet Rome!” - Season 1
When in Rome... Hop on board for the family-friendly, musical comedy series “Home Sweet Rome!” when it makes its debut on Max Thursday, May 16. After growing up in California, 13-year-old Lucy’s (Kensington Tallman, “Drama Club”) life is about to become anything but ordinary. Moving to Rome to start a new chapter with her dad (Darrin Rose, “Mr. D”) and her Italian pop sensation stepmom, Francesca (Eleonora Facchini, “Alessandra - Un grande amore e niente più,” 2020), the series follows Lucy’s story as she explores all the new friends, food, fashion and sights that Italy has to offer. However, she’ll also need to adjust to a new school, the growing pains of being a teenager and the difficulty of having her best friend, Kyla (Ava Ro, “Big Top Academy”), being 6,000 miles away, all at the same time. Developed and written by showrunners Matt Huether and Courtney Jane Walker (both of whom worked as producers and writers for the Degrassi franchise), “Rome Sweet Rome” also stars Frederico Ielapi (“Pinocchio,” 2019), Gloria Colston (“Two Is a Family,” 2016), Lucia Modugno (“Operation White Shark,” 1966), Christian Monaldi (“Che Dio ci aiuti”), Claudia A. Marsicano (“Wonder When You’ll Miss Me,” 2019), Amy Stewart (“Ice Princess,” 2005) and new talent Mia Isabel Amari.
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “Royal Rules of Ohio” - Season 1
Sink into a brand-new reality series when Freeform’s newest offering, “Royal Rules of Ohio,” premieres on Hulu Thursday, May 16. Living “a lavish life as the daughters of royal descendants of two of the most wealthy and powerful Ghanaian kingdoms,” the Agyekum sisters — Thelma, Brenda and Nana — are doing their best to navigate their 20s while living in Columbus, Ohio (per Freeform). However, with their parents, Akili Bobo and Delali, along with their close-knit community, keeping a watchful eye on their every move, cameras get an up-close-and-personal look at the intense pressure and responsibility that they carry with their royal privilege. But will the sisters be able to maintain their clean reputations once cameras take a peek behind closed doors? Produced by Lionsgate Alternative Television’s eOne, “Royal Rules of Ohio” is executive produced by Amy Callahan (“Growing Up Hip Hop”), Jayson Elmore (“Restaurant: Impossible”), Tara Long (“Encounter Party”), Kim McKoy (“Clean House”), Ben Megargel (“Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta”), Madison Merritt (“Flip or Flop Nashville”) and co-executive producer Vivian D. Payton (“Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta”).