The Americans returns in two weeks (March 28) and a new trailer is dishing out end of Cold War anxiety. Philip all but quit the spy biz at the end of season five, but his wig wearing game is still strong.
There is a strong sense that things are not going to be okay for our fave spy couple because even Elizabeth looks rattled. In some movies and TV shows, smoking means a character is a bad guy, in The Americans it is a sign that Elizabeth is stressed. There are flickers of scenes shown in earlier trailers such as the aforementioned pensive smoking and a bloody Elizabeth, but here she looks panicked when in full disguise. Plus a chat with Claudia reveals what they are up against. It finally looks like things are swinging Stan’s way.
Matthew Rhys continues to be the king of expressing the erosion of Philip’s soul with a look of the eye. From sitting alone, enduring another awkward group dinner with Stan (this time with Aderholt) and explaining to Elizabeth that they are complicit in all of this. But with the appearance of Philip in a wig it is clear he is willing to do anything; maybe not for country, but for his family. Also his plaid shirt game has never been stronger.
And Paige has a decision to make about her future career; to spy or not to spy?
Plus new cute wigs including a look that made me think of Diane Keaton and a brief appearance from Max Medina.
The Americans returns for its sixth and final season Wednesday, March 28.
Everything looks set to fall apart for Philip and Elizabeth in the final season of The Americans,if these two new teasers are anything to go by. Philip quit the spy biz at the end of season five, but that doesn’t mean wigs and fake mustaches are no longer in his life.
A time jump means we’re also missing out on that transition period and ramping up toward the end of the Cold War. It also means seeing just how much the solo spy mission life has taken its toll on Elizabeth. Teaching Paige the ways of the spy world is one thing, frantically scrubbing blood off her hands a la Lady Macbeth is another.
Oh yeah it also looks like Philip is now meeting up with a beardy Oleg to discuss Elizabeth’s work.
All is probably not quite as the teaser makes it seem, but this is not going to go down well with our now officially married spy couple if Philip is indeed reporting on his wife. Just like riding a bike, Philip still those casually eating, when actually spying skills ready to utilize when needed.
Both teasers are incredibly ominous, but it wouldn’t be the show I love if there wasn’t a feeling of dread in my stomach.
Season 6 Key Art Update!
The Americans artwork is always a visual treat (the season two all red affair is still my iPad lock screen all these years later) and this year is no different. But unlike last year’s disarming stare toward camera, this is all suspicious side eye. Hinting at the dischord between the pair (and the factions within the Soviet Union) that is featured in the teasers.
The dominating use of blue in the background suggests the peace that is about to come (kinda) between these two countries. But it all feels very ominous to me.
The Americans returns for its sixth and final season Wednesday, March 28.
The Post was released today and will likely be a fixture come awards season (which has already tentatively begun).
Staring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, The Post is based on the true story of the Washington Post’s legal battles with the government relating to classified information about the Vietnam War. It might be set 40 plus years ago, but the premise about fighting for freedom of the press is all too timely.
This alone is enough to have me clamoring to see it and then factor in the 1970s setting—fave style decade ahoy—and Ann Roth’s newsroom heavy costume design. SO much beige. But it is the supporting players that have me really excited and it pretty much feels like Spielberg has pulled up a list of TV shows that he/you/I love and picked cast members based off this. Which is a pretty solid idea if you have this many speaking parts. The list is long and most of them don’t make the trailer cut (looking for you Alison Brie, Matthew Rhys and Jesse Plemons).
You will spy Bradley Whitford sporting clear rimmed specs and bow tie looking pensive, a beehived Carrie Coon also looking pensive, a supportive Sarah Paulson and a jittery Bob Odenkirk.
The Post will be released in the US on 22 December and in the UK on 19 January.
There’s a lot of new TV coming, but my anticipation levels are not high for a lot of the freshman shows. One exception is David Simon’s new HBO drama, The Deuce and a lot of that has to do with its star. Obviously the creative team is an exceptional one, but I am very excited to have Maggie Gyllenhaal back on TV after her amazing turn on The Honourable Woman back in 2014. In The Deuce, Gyllenhaal plays Candy; a Times Square sex worker who sees an opportunity in the legalization of porn.
I’ve stanned long for both Gyllenhaals, going back to Donnie Darko — I am not unique in where I first took notice of these siblings — and she is always one of my fave interviews, as she comes across as incredibly thoughtful and this week has been awash with Deuce promo appearance.
Maggie’s getting her own separate post outside of “Look of the Week” because that is already going to be very long and there has been a lot of A+ Maggie content. At the Deuce premiere Maggie wore a ladysuit and while you know I am obsessed with this kind of ensemble, I am not in love with the matching crop top element. The floral print is fabulous, but maybe if top was more in line with Balfe’s black bralette at the Outlander premiere — which I also have reservations about.
Velvet pumps are something I didn’t know I needed in my life and that’s a great lipstick color too.
From Maggie’s appearance on Stephen Colbert and this Bottega Veneta is a 1940s inspired sparkly delight.
There is something incredibly soothing about Maggie Gyllenhaal’s voice — The Bell Jar audiobook as narrated by her is my dream pairing — and on The Late Show she talks about what it was like shooting a show about misogyny during the election and how this political shift has changed her perspective on things.
There’s also a lot of very Brooklyn chat and Maggie is the most Brooklyn.
There’s more and an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers delves deeper into Maggie’s research into playing Candy on The Deuce and the importance of telling the real stories of these women beyond the Pretty Woman version of sex workers.
There is also a discussion about picking out her Candy and that is something I am always down for.
And this James Franco conversation turns into what it would be like to actually live in 1970s New York, beyond those images that come from really great movies from this time. Now this is an incredible ladysuit and Gyllenhaal looks stunning in Stella McCartney as part of the Backstage cover story. In the piece she mentions what draws her to a role like Candy and the kind of women she wants to play:
“I am interested in representing my experience, as opposed to the fantasy experience that I have been fed. And in terms of sex, I think it’s an amazing opportunity to express something more like the real experience than the fantasy.”
And an answer like this is exactly why I am drawn to both Gyllenhaal as a performer and IRL.
Also, from Backstage under the topic of actresses I love listening to and here’s a link to a podcast episode with Carrie Coon that I wholeheartedly recommend.
I’m loathe to use #SquadGoals, but the Cannes photocall for Top of the Lake: China Girl is exactly that. The above photo looks so relaxing.And I am fully in love with Gwendoline Christie’s choice of heels that look like a red version of the Black Lodge floor (Twin Peaksis penetrating all). Just because she’s already tall doesn’t mean she can’t indulge in another few inches.
All three women are enjoying success with multiple projects including other TV hits such as Nicole Kidman’s Big Little Lies and Elisbeth Moss in The Handmaid’s Tale. Plus Christie has season 7 of Game of Thrones premiering in July. Oh and this amazing new Vanity Faircover for The Last Jedi.
Here is the first trailer for Top of the Lake: China Girl.
It is safe to say that this is one of my most anticipated shows of 2017.
Existential dread and fear about what it means to be left behind turns into a fight against another potential big event happening on season 3 of The Leftovers. Or so I can gather from the teasers and trailers the HBO promo department has released from the forthcoming (and final) season of this incredible show.
Kevin went to some interesting places last season including singing for survival and experiencing several near death moments. Now they are headed to Australia and maybe the other side again for Kevin; this time his father is at his side rather than talking through the TV. The seventh anniversary of the sudden departure is quick approaching and it looks like there are fears it could happen again.
Religious iconography is strong and unlike the season 2 promo poster where Kevin is reaching, but not quite grabbing Nora’s hand she has his back here. This can also be linked back to the season 1 key art with the cracks on the wall from Kevin’s punch and yet there is something far more hopeful at play here. And yes, Justin Theroux and his beard look very good. At a quick first glance it appears as if Nora is naked, but in actual fact Carrie Coon is wearing a dress; you can see both a crease in the skirt and a strap. The hand of his heart is an important reminder of how season 2 ended with Kevin returning home and the family being one.
Harmony comes at a price and as you will see in the full trailer, Nora is far from calm as she smokes alone and talks to Erika about feeling crazy. There’s also an interesting moment as she sits in a car with Kevin’s ex Laurie and a clip of her lying down in a coffin of sorts. Oh and while I’m on the subject of Nora; the final moment in this promo is eerie as hell.
As you might expect from The Leftovers there is a lot to unpack from this trailer and I will definitely be singing ABBA all day now.
The Leftovers returns Sunday, April 16 for its third and final season.
Much like Abbi from Broad City whether she is high after dental surgery or looking for the perfect suitcase recommendation I love Drew Barrymore and finding out she was joining the ever growing Netflix series list of actors was a thrill.
Then came the name – Santa Clarita Diet – and it sounded like some kind of Eat, Pray, Love setup. I have never been happier in my first assumptions being wrong and really I should’ve known better as it is from the Better off Ted creator. I have only seen a handful of episodes of Better off Ted several years ago on a plane to New Zealand and always intended on watching the rest of. But I digress.
First the zombie angle was revealed and during the Golden Globes this teaser was released:
And now we have the full trailer and boy does it look full on delightful. Timothy Olyphant is great in these slightly off kilter parts and I’m so glad to see him doing comedy again (plus his hair looks amazing). Also it is makes me want to rewatch Go. The comedy zombie bracket is a crowded one that includes some brilliant takes such as iZombie, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland and the fun Life After Beth and Warm Bodies, but there is still room for more when it looks this fun.
We maybe said goodbye to Alicia Florrick in 2016, but it isn’t over for Diane Lockhart with The Good Fight coming to CBS All Access in February.
Now we have a look at the key art for the series which features Christine Baranski wearing her most Diane Lockhart chain necklace, season 7 fave (and former Alicia Florrick get-a-grip friend) and former wildling Rose Leslie. Leslie will be playing Maia, Diane’s goddaughter and she’s looking just as stylish as the rest of ladies from this universe. Plus these details about her character give us hope they have learned from the Kalinda missteps. The key art delivers on the intrigue and the red costuming that was an Alicia Florrick signature. Plus there’s that tagline that has me using a whole lot of flame emojis.
The Good Wife’s ending was as painful as a slap to the face and hopefully this new season will remove the bitter taste and let these ladies shine in the way The Good Wife was so good at (until that finale).
Watch the trailer below for all the Diane Lockhart jacket treats.
Masters of Sex returns for its fourth season next month (Sunday, September 11) and they’re entering another decade. Last year the 60s were a blur with time jumps aplenty and as a whole the season was more miss than hit; Virginia’s daughter succumbed to the teens in drama curse (and I had such high hopes), the Masters and Johnson relationship had so many back and forths that it felt like constant whiplash and at one point Josh Charles wore a gorilla suit.
There were some flashes of greatness including this speech by Bill and the costuming as we moved through the 1960s was top notch for the entire season.
Now we are heading for the 70s and key parties might be on the menu (or some other swinging variation) if the promo is anything to go by. The usual relationship turmoil between Masters and Johnson is on the cards and in terms of styling there is both a beardy and clean shaven Bill and David Walton appears to be sporting an incredible amount of hair while propositioning Libby. The volume is impressive and terrifying in equal measure. Betty is also back and for this I am very grateful. Please give her more to do this year; the fact that she is on the poster is encouraging. Pattern dominates the costuming and the poster, which is fun but is also a reminder of Garden State (a movie I loved when it was released – a thing I put down to being in my early 20s). I am tentatively looking forward to Masters of Sex as I really like watching these actors do their thing and really hope it is big improvement on last season.
Masters of Sex returns Sunday, September 11 on Showtime.
Middle fingers are raised in the first long teaser for Sarah Jessica Parker’s new HBO show Divorce and I’m looking forward to this for a number of reasons. Catastrophe star and co-creator Sharon Horgan is the creative force behind this new SJP venture; this alone makes this a highly anticipated project as Catastrophe has taken the relationship comedy and exploration of parenting to new heights. SJP and costuming is another box ticker and forget the mess that was the Sex and the City movies as the showis iconic when it comes to fashion on TV.
Divorce looks like it was shot over winter and this means coats, glorious coats and the first image HBO released does look like it could be a still from SATC.Switching out New York for the countryside, dating for divorce and brunch for dinner parties and the new Divorce teaser is here to set aside some of the SATC comparisons. Plus it looks like there will be teens and tweens if this other promo photo is anything to go by (and more coats).
Watch the teaser below and be warned there are mustache opinions.
There are flickers of scenes shown in earlier trailers such as the aforementioned pensive smoking and a bloody Elizabeth, but here she looks panicked when in full disguise. Plus a chat with Claudia reveals what they are up against. It finally looks like things are swinging Stan’s way.
TV Ate My Wardrobe 
