Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
STARS ON SCREEN
A new warrior:
There are drums beating on the horizon, and they portend the arrival of a new Viking warrior. History Channel’s “Vikings” is currently on hiatus after its shocking late-January midseason finale, but even though the fifth season is only at its halfway point, the next one is already well into production.
The hit historical drama has added Canadian actor Eric Johnson (“Caught”) to its roster for the upcoming sixth season, expanding an already extensive cast that includes Katheryn Winnick (“The Dark Tower,” 2017), Gustaf Skarsgård (“Darling,” 2017), Alexander Ludwig (“The Hunger Games,” 2012) and Clive Standen (“Taken”).
The newcomer has one of those faces that’s immediately recognizable, if difficult to place. He’s starred as the treacherous Jack Hyde in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy, including in this year’s “Fifty Shades Freed.” On television, he’s had major supporting roles in superhero drama “Smallville,” period medical drama “The Knick” and cop procedural “Rookie Blue.” He’s even had a leading role, as the iconic titular comic book character in the shortlived science fiction series “Flash Gordon,” which aired from 2007 to 2008.
In “Vikings,” Johnson will take on the role of Erik, an outlawed warrior who lives by both his skills in combat and his formidable wit. How he’ll fit into the ever-broadening narrative remains to be seen. With the scope of the series, which is very loosely based on the heroes and deeds from the Viking sagas, continuously expanding, there’s certainly no lack of space for a new character.
The History epic is currently on mid-season hiatus and set to return later this year, with the sixth season — including newcomer Johnson — currently in production for a 2019 air date.
No ‘Problem’:
HBO is doubling down on its late-night news satire programming, and it’s tapped yet another “Daily Show” alumnus to join “Last Week Tonight’s” John Oliver in its lineup.
Wyatt Cenac’s new series “Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas” premieres Friday, April 13, on the premium channel. Although Oliver serves as a producer on the new series, it’s far from a carbon copy of that comedian’s own show, even if it does share some of its DNA. “Problem Areas” gets its host out from behind a desk and out into the wider world, where he confronts big social issues head-on, bringing his own unique perspectives and possible solutions.
Of course, Cenac is a comedian first, so even the most serious issues are tackled with humor. It’s an approach that’s worked exceptionally well for Oliver and for TBS’s “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” host Samantha Bee, and it’s surely no coincidence that all three hosts are former “Daily Show” correspondents, where they all got years of experience blending facts and funny.
“We’re thrilled to give Wyatt this opportunity to showcase his bold take on today’s social issues,” HBO executive Nina Rosenstein said in a statement when the new series was announced. “His ability to tackle tough topics with humor and insight makes this show a perfect addition to our late-night lineup.”
Along with “Last Week Tonight” and late-night talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” HBO really has become a hotspot for witty, insightful and hilarious commentary about important socio-political issues that often go ignored. “Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas” premieres Friday, April 13.
Murder, she prosecuted:
With pilot season in full swing, the various TV networks and studios are busy crafting the single-episode pitches left and right. Amidst this flurry, a potential new legal drama at ABC seems to have found its leading lady.
Actress Robin Tunney has signed on for top billing in “The Fix,” a pilot co-written and executive produced by Marcia Clark, who was the lead prosecutor in the O. J. Simpson murder trial.
Tunney is best known as one of the leads in the longrunning CBS mystery drama “The Mentalist,” in which she played Agent Teresa Lisbon. On the big screen, she’s starred in horror film “The Craft” (1996), edge-of-yourseat thriller “Vertical Limit “(2000) and coming-of-age comedy “Empire Records” (1995).
In the pilot for “The Fix,” she plays former prosecutor Maya Travis, who’s left her career behind after losing a double-murder trial that gripped the entire nation. She’s left both Los Angeles and her profession behind and has spent the past eight years living a quiet life on a ranch, but when the Oscar-winning actor she failed to put behind bars shows up in the headlines again after his girlfriend is brutally killed, Travis heads back to L.A. in search of justice and redemption.
It’s a story that feels like it’s been ripped straight from the headlines, and with Marcia Clark behind it, that shouldn’t be surprising. Watch for “The Fix” next season if ABC gives it an order to series.