‘Downton Abbey’ star talks film reunion
PASADENA, Calif. — Some viewers may disdain reboots as evidence of Hollywood’s creative bankruptcy — except when it’s one of their favorites that gets revisited, of course.
This year likely will be a watershed year for pop culture reboots and reunions, including “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” “Pet Sematary,” “Shaft” and “Downton Abbey” at the movies and “Veronica Mars,” “Twilight Zone,” “Party of Five” and “Deadwood” on TV.
‘Downton Abbey’ movie
Actress Laura Carmichael, set to appear this summer in the Starz spy drama “The Rook,” returned to her role as Edith Crawley in 2018 to film the “Downton Abbey” movie, in theaters Sept. 20.
“We had a really good time,” she said after a Starz panel last week at the Television Critics Association winter 2019 press tour. “It was like getting the gang back together for a lush couple of months.”
Ms. Carmichael said the new story will introduce some new characters while bringing back many familiar faces.
“It was really magic to see each other and see each other become those characters again, like seeing Jim [Carter] become Carson and see Phyllis [Logan] become Mrs. Hughes. It gave us all a thrill.”
Ms. Carmichael didn’t share any of the film’s plot but said, “I think everyone will be pleased that we’ve upped the ante, turned the volume up.”
Will this film mark the end of “Downton”?
“I have no idea,” Ms. Carmichael said. “That is certainly a question for [series and movie writer] Lord [Julian] Fellowes.”
‘Deadwood’ movie
Actor Ian McShane, now starring in another cult series, Starz’s “American Gods” (8 p.m. March 10), revisited his previous show with a cult following when he filmed HBO’s “Deadwood” follow-up film late last year.
“It’s fantastic but surreal, out-of-body,” Mr. McShane said following a Starz press conference at the Television Critics Association winter 2019 press tour. “It was like going back 15 years with the people you’ve loved and worked with. … The first day I walked onto the set and everybody was there.”
HBO televised “Deadwood” to great critical acclaim for three seasons before canceling the drama in 2006. Rumors swirled for years about a possible wrapup movie, which finally went into production in 2018.
Mr. McShane, who plays “Deadwood’s” colorful entrepreneur Al Swearengen, said he didn’t think the movie would ever come to fruition. “They tried before and finally they got the outline, and I think they got it right ‘cause it’s not an episode, it’s a finite, two-hour movie [and] the characters and the people are just the same,” he said.
The “Deadwood” movie picks up 10 years after the events of the show’s third season finale with South Dakota’s statehood day with Alma Garret (Molly Parker) returning to town as George Hearst (Gerald McRaney) is about to become a U.S. senator. “He’s out there … greasing his wheels,” Mr. McShane said. “And Bullock now has a grown-up kid. It was kind of a really weird experience.”
As for the rascally, profanity loving Swearengen, he’s somewhat diminished compared to when viewers last saw Al. “He’s not the force that he was in the same kind of way,” said Mr. McShane, who acknowledged some tears flowing on set. “There were a lot of set pieces, which were quite moving and emotional. … It was a genuinely good show to be on, and everybody brought their A-game.”
HBO has not scheduled the “Deadwood” movie, but it seems likely to air sometime this year.
Mr. McShane said he expects the last scene he filmed alongside co-stars Paula Malcomson and Geri Jewell will be the last scene of the movie and that will likely be the end of “Deadwood.”
“Of course, if it probably gets 115 million viewers they’ll stretch it out again. They’ll find some way of bringing something back out,” he said, laughing. “It was a kick to do, and it was a pleasure.”
‘Boomerang’ on BET
The 1992 Eddie Murphy comedy “Boomerang” gets a next generation reboot on BET with a series (10 p.m. Tuesdays) focused on Simone Graham (Tetona Jackson), adult daughter of the Mr. Murphy and Halle Berry characters, and Bryson Broyer (Tequan Richmond), the adult son of the Robin Givens character in the film.
Ms. Berry is an executive producer on BET’s “Boomerang” with Lena Waithe (“The Chi”). Ms. Berry said, “You might see me at some point,” but otherwise the movie’s stars make no appearances in the first season of this half-hour, single-camera comedy-drama.
“The original cast all have jobs and kids; they’re kind of busy,” Ms. Waithe said. “If you wanna see Grace Jones and Eartha Kitt, God rest her soul, and Halle Berry and Eddie Murphy and Robin Givens, go watch the movie. If you want to see some fresh faces and a new take on the movie, come watch our show.”
“Boomerang” is set in Atlanta and focuses on young people working as marketing executives, hanging out, sleeping together, etc. One male character, Ari (Leland Martin), is bisexual
“This character is not really portrayed or seen too much on television, a fluid individual, a bisexual individual who emanates a masculine energy,” Mr. Martin said, “and we see Ari being unapologetic about who he is.”
Ms. Waithe, who is openly lesbian, said the inclusion of a male bisexual character was intentional in updating “Boomerang” for millennial viewers.
“There is queerness and fluidity in the black community as there is everywhere,” she said. “Some episodes he’s talking to a girl. Some episodes he’s talking to a guy. What I love about my audience is they trust me, and they want to roll with me. This is part of the art I want to make. I’m not gonna shun my community. If you show up to ‘Boomerang’ — this is very intersectional — this is part of what you get.”
‘Other Two’ renewed
The best new comedy of 2019 (so far), Comedy Central’s “The Other Two” (10:30 p.m. Thursday), was deservedly renewed for a second season.
Comedy Central also announced David Spade will host a new 11:30 p.m. weeknight series that skewers pop culture news of the day but no politics (”It won’t be political,” said Comedy Central president Kent Alterman. “We’re feeling a fatigue of Trump jokes in late night, so this will go in a different direction.”)
Comedy Central also ordered a reboot of “Crank Yankers,” executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla and again featuring profane puppets making crank phone calls.
Post-Gazette TV writer Rob Owen attended the Television Critics Association winter press tour. Follow RobOwenTV at Twitter or Facebook. You can reach him at 412-263-2582 or rowen@post-gazette.com.