TURN IT ON with Michael Schneider is a weekly dive into what's new and what's now in TV -- no matter what you're watching or where you're watching it. Each episode features interviews with producers, reviews, essays on the latest buzz and trends, plus a roundup of what's premiering and what's return…
At the end of Season 2 of HBO's "Crashing," fictional Pete Holmes discovers a darker side of his personality, while doing a roast battle with his girlfriend. It freaks him out so much, as a matter of fact, that he breaks up with her and questions his very persona. Now, as Season 3 opens, Pete continues to evolve both as a person and as a standup. The show follows Pete as the character starts to taste some success -- and experiences the ego that comes with that. The season also touches on timely issues, such as misogyny in comedy, and leads to a big moment for Pete in the season finale. Returning guests include comedian Artie Lange, whose addiction struggles have been addressed throughout the show. We sat down with Holmes at the Austin ATX TV Festival last June. For information on how to attend this year’s festival (June 6-9, 2019), please visit: atxfestival.com. (Music by HookSounds.)
Hugh Grant returned to television for the first time since the early 1990s in "A Very English Scandal," which premiered on Amazon Prime Video this past June. Now he's received a Golden Globe nomination for the role, which tells the shocking -- and quite amusing -- true story of the first British politician to stand trial for conspiracy and incitement to murder. We recently moderated a panel with Grant about the series and what brought him back to TV; here's audio from that conversation. (Music by DJ Omar Khan and HookSounds.)
"The Neighborhood" stars Max Greenfield and Beth Behrs talk about their new sitcom and why they enjoy the multi-camera sitcom format. Also, they dissect their favorite episodes of TV of all time. While Greenfield chose the Season 2 finale of "The Leftovers," Behrs went back to a famous 1969 "Carol Burnett Show" sketch starring Tim Conway as a rookie dentist and Harvey Korman as his unwitting patient. (Music by HookSounds.)
TV writer Greg Garcia earned raves for creating shows with quirky but down-to-earth relatable characters, such as 'My Name is Earl" and "Raising Hope." His latest series, the TBS anthology "The Guest Book," introduces new characters every single week. Garcia was inspired by his heavy diet of sitcoms growing up, including the classic "Andy Griffith Show." For a young Garcia, it was a rare appearance by the eccentric Ernest T. Bass that made for his favorite episodes of the series. When we asked the TV creator to pick his favorite TV episode of all time, he zeroed in on those five Ernest T. Bass appearances. (Music by HookSounds.)
John C. McGinley, now star of IFC's "Stan Against Evil," grew up during the heyday of the classic 1970s sitcom when producers like Norman Lear and James L. Brooks ruled primetime. There were plenty of well-written comedies that acted almost like stage plays. But for a young McGinley, there was something extra fascinating about Lear's Carol O'Connor and Jean Stapleton series "All in the Family." We talk to McGinley about his series, acting, Hollywood, and his wide ranging career, which includes everything from "Platoon" and "Office Space" to "Scrubs." And we talk about his favorite episode of TV of all time — "All in the Family's" Season 2 episode "The Elevator Story." (Music by HookSounds.)
"Loudermilk" and "A Million Little Things" star Ron Livingston has seen it all, working in comedy and drama and on TV, film and stage. But like many viewers he was floored by the Red Wedding episode of HBO's "Game of Thrones," titled "The Rains of Castamere." We talk to Livingston about his current series, his career choices including that early appearance in the classic film "Swingers," plus his favorite episode of TV of all time. (Music by HookSounds.)
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna talks about the final season of her CW show, and how Rachel Bloom made it OK to like Rebecca Bunch even at her worst. We also talk about her favorite episode of the series, and her favorite episode of TV of all time -- the pilot to The Americans. (Music by Hook Sounds.)
On their new CBS comedy "Happy Together," Damon Wayans Jr. and Amber Stevens West play a couple who have settled into an ordinary suburban life, But then a huge pop star, played by Felix Mallard, moves in with them to escape the paparazzi, and soon they're learning from him on how to bring the excitement back to their lives. IndieWire asked the stars to select their favorite episode of TV of all time, and Stevens West chose the "Friends" episode "The One Where No One's Ready," which is from the third season of the show in 1996. But dig a little deeper, and we also discovered a secret about Stevens West's love of the show in high school. Also: Wayans Jr. and West about their new show, the chemistry read that landed the part, what it was like growing up with celebrity dads. (Music by HookSounds.)
D'Arcy Carden stars on two of the most critically acclaimed comedies on TV right now: "The Good Place" and "Barry." As she recently revealed to IndieWire, she inherited that good taste from her mother, who first introduced her to another legendary comedy: "Friends." On this edition of the podcast, we talk to D'Arcy Carden about playing the A.I. character Janet on "The Good Place," how she was able to juggle both that show and "Barry," and also the "Friends" episode that she chose as her favorite TV episode ever. (Music by HookSounds.)
Comedian, "Daily Show" correspondent and "Crazy Rich Asians" co-star Ronny Chieng grew up in Singapore, where the animated series "South Park" was banned when it launched. Of course, that just made him want to watch it more. IndieWire recently sat down with Chieng to discuss his new Comedy Central show "Ronny Chieng: International Student," as well as "Crazy Rich Asians," and his favorite episode of TV of all time, the 2006 "South Park" episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft." (Music by Hook Sounds.)
For comedian Rob Riggle, "The Office" not only produced his favorite episode of all time, but it also gave him one of his first ever acting roles. We recently sat down with Riggle to discuss how he moved from a career in the military into comedy, his experiences on both "SNL" and "The Daily Show," and how a joke turned into his Sony Crackle comedy "Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy." But first, we talked about his favorite episode of TV of all time, "The Office" Season 7 episode "Threat Level Midnight."
"Six Feet Under" was one of the shows that ushered in the new golden age of TV. For "Portlandia" co-creator and star Carrie Brownstein, it also produced one of her favorite episodes of TV of all time, the season 4 episode "That's My Dog." In this edition of the podcast, we talk to Brownstein about "Six Feet Under," and also her favorite episode of a comedy of all time ("The Office"), and her favorite episode of "Portlandia." (Music by HookSounds.)
The medical drama ER premiered in 1994, and quickly became a monster hit. The show ran for 15 seasons, through 2009, and helped change TV storytelling. For "The Handmaid's Tale" showrunner Bruce Miller, it was also an inspiration as he embarked on a writing career. Miller eventually wrote on the show, and still carries the lessons he learned from showrunner John Wells as he now heads up "The Handmaid's Tale." IndieWire recently sat down with Miller to discuss the success of "The Handmaid's Tale," and the pressure that comes with so much attention -- and Emmys -- in its first season. We began by discussing Miller's favorite episode of TV ever, the "ER" pilot. And later, Miller reveals his favorite installment of "Handmaid's Tale." (Music by HookSounds.)
Back in 1999, "Stranger Things" star David Harbour was still a struggling actor in New York, working on stage, in soaps and of course, guesting on Dick Wolf's Law & Order. The biggest thing on TV was "The X-Files," and to this day, David's favorite episode of TV ever is the Season 6 installment "Field Trip." In this episode, we talk to Harbour about that "monster of the week" episode, the dynamic between Mulder and Scully, and how the episode's themes relate quite a bit to "Stranger Things." Harbour also reveals his favorite episode of "Stranger Things" so far, and how the show is evolving as it heads into Season 3. (Music by HookSounds.)
Jennifer Lopez's competition series "World of Dance" was an out of the box hit last summer for NBC, and now it's back for a second season. IndieWire sat down with Lopez recently to discuss "World of Dance," as well as why now was the time to end "Shades of Blue," whether she watched the new edition of "American Idol," if she still plans to revisit "Bye Bye Birdie" for NBC, and what's next in her busy career. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
It’s been a long wait for the return of “Better Call Saul,” which last aired in June 2017 with a rather fiery finale. Now, Season 4 is finally here, and Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) is back. The death of his brother (Michael McKean) — after their final clash — will continue to haunt him, while across town, the rise of Gus Fring’s power will bring “Better Call Saul” closer to the dawn of “Breaking Bad.” IndieWire sat down with Breaking Bad creator and Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan and star Bob Odenkirk at the Austin ATX TV Festival this June. For information on how to attend next year’s festival (June 6-9, 2019), please visit: atxfestival.com. To hear more from the festival, subscribe to THE TV CAMPFIRE wherever you get your podcasts, or visit ATVXP.com to hear/watch more panels, Q&As, and conversations from ATX! (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
When the Will Arnett-produced revival of The Gong Show premiered in 2017, the network went along with the ruse that the show's host was a British comedic hosting legend named Tommy Maitland. Of course, it wasn't entirely a secret that Mike Meyers was really playing the character, under prosthetic makeup. Now on season two, the host's real identity is out in the open -- but the fun remains. IndieWire sat down with Meyers and Arnett to talk about the reboot, including how Meyers came up with the Tommy Maitland character as well as the state of the changing business, why TV hosting has become a popular gig for A-list stars, why it's fun to parody British TV stars, and how having young kids changed both of their outlooks. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
Phil Rosenthal found success as the co-creator and executive producer of the long-running hit comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond." But beyond the show, Rosenthal over time became a foodie and even an investor in restaurants around Los Angeles. Now he has a new crusade: Spreading the joy of travel and exploration to others. IndieWire recently spoke with Rosenthal at the ATX Television Festival, where he screened an episode of his series and discussed the new season. The news of Anthony Bourdain's passing had just broken, and Rosenthal opened the panel by paying tribute to Bourdain and how he inspired shows like Somebody Feed Phil. Later, we began the discussion by noting how much his show makes you hungry. This conversation was recorded live at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, TX. For information on how to attend next year’s festival (June 6-9, 2019), please visit: atxfestival.com. To hear a bonus interview with Phil Rosenthal from the festival, subscribe to THE TV CAMPFIRE wherever you get your podcasts, or visit atvxp.com to hear/watch more panels, Q&As, and conversations from ATX! (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
In the new 8-episode truTV scripted anthology series "Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits and Monsters", premiering July 11, each twist episode contains plenty of thrills and satire. Guest stars include Michael Ian Black, Bridget Everett, Dave Foley, Seth Green, Melissa Joan Hart, David Koechner, Danny Pudi and more. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Goldthwait to discuss the new series, which is both timely and timeless as it tackles everything from sexual harrassment to a Trump-like political figure who eats toddlers, to a man haunted by the animated character he voices. We began by discussing the benefits of being able to tell so many stories over one season. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
Through seven seasons, Claire Danes' "Homeland" character, Carrie Mathison, has saved the world and the American government too many times to mention. But spoiler alert, the character ends Season 7 in pretty bad shape -- setting the stage for what may or may not be the show's final season. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Homeland star and producer Claire Danes to discuss the show's evolution through the years, and how it has more recently mirrored real headlines as it takes on Russian meddling in American affairs. We also talked about a controversial choice at the end of the season, and a cliffhanger that left her character in a place not dissimilar to Brody in Season 1. We began by discussing the when the show will get up and running, and how first, Danes has another, more personal project in development. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
Ralph Macchio has been asked to revisit his signature role as Daniel LaRusso in the "Karate Kid" films for years. But it wasn't until the creators of "Cobra Kai" approached him that he felt comfortable returning to the mat. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Macchio to discuss how he's learned to embrace his signature role over the years, and how "Cobra Kai" offers up a more complicated portrait of both Daniel and his longtime rival Johnny, as played by William Zabka. as they both played the same role but on different sets. We began by discussing the critical acclaim the show has received. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
On this bonus edition of "Turn It On," comedy icon Amy Sedaris and comedian Andrea Savage hit the stage to discuss their Tru TV series, "At Home with Amy Sedaris" and "I'm Sorry," respectively. Both shows are labors of love for their creator/stars, and both have recently been picked up for second seasons. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
Picasso was a complicated man, whose long life was also marked by tumultuous marriages, affairs and shifting politics. It was a life that needed more than just two hours to explore, which is why Imagine TV's Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, along with executive producer and director Ken Biller, gravitated toward the icon. And just like the first "Genius," they hired two actors in order to capture Picasso both as a young man just starting out, and as an aging genius. To play young Picasso, they found Alex Rich, whose credits include GLOW and True Detective. And for Picasso in his prime, there was real serendipity in landing Antonio Banderas, who happens to be from Malaga, Spain, which is also Picasso's birthplace. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Banderas and Rich to discuss the complicated life of Picasso, and how it's hard to separate the man from his art — because he never separated the two. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
When NBC aired "The Sound of Music Live" back in 2013, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron thought they were doing a one-off musical event — had no idea that they were reinventing a genre for a whole new generation. But it was a huge hit, leading to Peter Pan Live, The Wiz Live, Hairspray Live and most recently Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Zadan and Meron to discuss the challenges of turning Jesus Christ Superstar into a live TV concert event, and how they wanted to honor Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's original intent of making it more of a concert. We also talked about how they plan to stage their next big show -- Hair -- including how they're incorporate the show's infamous nudity on NBC. And we also learned the latest on their plans to stage A Few Good Men and Bye Bye Birdie, as well as, yes, where things stand with bringing SMASH to broadway. But we began by discussing how Jesus Christ Superstar became their next big NBC event. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
It took Henry Winkler a long time to move past his "Happy Days" persona as the Fonz. But now he's getting some of the best reviews of his career on HBO's "Barry" as Gene Cousineau, an acting teacher who's a bit full of himself but ultimately, sadly, can't catch a break himself. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Winkler to discuss Barry, plus his role as an executive producer on MacGyver, and how quirky roles on Arrested Development, Childrens Hospital and Parks and Recreation perhaps led to "Barry." (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
An adaptation of Caleb Carr’s historical-fiction novel from 1994, TNT's 'The Alienist' stars Daniel Bruhl as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler an “Alienist” who treats mental pathologies in turn-of-the-century New York City. Kreizler holds the key to hunting down a ritualistic killer murdering young boys. while Luke Evans plays newspaper illustrator John Moore and Dakota Fanning plays Sara Howard, an ambitious secretary determined to become the city's first female police detective. The series was shot in Budapest, Hungary, under the eye of Jakob Verbruggen as director and executive producer. IndieWire's TURN IT ON podcast recently sat down with Fanning and Verbruggen to discuss the intracacies of shooting the series, as well as how unique Sara Howard is compared to other women of that period, the relationship between Sara and John, and whether there will be a Season 2. (Music by Omar Khan and Hook Sounds.)
A spinoff of CBS' critically acclaimed "The Good Wife," Robert and Michelle King's "The Good Fight" helped launch CBS All Access last year when that streaming service furst launched. The show returned this spring for Season 2, with Christine Baranski back as Diane Lockhart, along with co-stars Delroy Lindo, Cush Jumbo, Sarah Steele, Rose Leslie and new cast member Audra McDonald. Earlier this year, IndieWire TV editor Liz Shannon Miller sat down with the Kings to talk about the show and how they've adjusted to producing the spinoff for a new platform. And that includes letting Christine Baranski rip a few F-bombs. (Music by Omar Khan and HookSounds.)
For many Americans, Australian comic Jim Jefferies first came across their radar a few years ago when his biting stand up routine on gun violence and reform went viral. Others may have gotten to know him through his FX comedy LEGIT, or from his regular stand up gigs around the world. But now he's making waves as the host of Comedy Central's "Jim Jefferies Show." Jefferies' take on topics such as gun control, sexual harassment and the NFL player protests against police brutality has earned him plenty of attention — as has the unlikely appearance of Brad Pitt as his staff weatherman. Jefferies recently stopped by IndieWire's TURN IT ON to talk about how his comedy has evolved as he's gotten older, as well as his take on Michelle Wolf's recent White House Correspondents Dinner performance, the line between journalism and comedy, the rumors about his death in Malta, a country he had never been too, how his gun control bit went viral, his disappointment about the cancellation of Legit, and yes, the real story behind Brad Pitt's appearances on the show. (Music by HookSounds.)
"American Housewife" star Katy Mixon plays Katie Otto, a strong-minded wife and mother who doesn't quite fit in with all the perfect wives and mothers in their wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut. But that's not going to stop Katy from doing things her way, and hopefully instilling some sort of values in her three children as well. Mixon landed the role on the show, which was originally titled "The Second Fattest Housewife in Westport" -- a name they quickly ditched — soon after wrapping six seasons of "Mike & Molly," opposite Melissa McCarthy. Mixon recently stopped by IndieWire's TURN IT ON to talk about AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE, what it's like to graduate to being No. 1 on the call sheet and how the show may depict the most realistic marriage in comedy. But first, Mixon noted that she was just weeks away from giving birth to her second child, and how her real-life motherhood has coincided with playing a mom on TV. (Music by HookSounds.)
Vida creator and executive producer Tanya Saracho has come a long way in a short time after first moving over to television and experiencing that initial disappointment. A celebrated Chicago playwright, Saracho began dabbling in TV on a lark, first on Devious Maids and then Looking and How to Get Away with Murder. Now she's graduated to becoming the showrunner on Starz's new contemporary drama VIDA. Tanya Saracho and VIDA stars Mishel Prada and Tanya Barerra join us on this edition of TURN IT ON, from Indiewire.com. (Music by HookSounds.)
"Drop the Mic" host Method Man and executive producer Jensen Karp sat down with IndieWire's TURN IT ON recently for a wide-ranging conversation that discussed Season 2 of "Drop the Mic" but also dived into Method Man's unique career (including, yes, Fox's "Method and Red" sitcom) and how so many hip-hop MCs have turned to hosting. Karp, a hip-hop aficianado and rabid Wu-Tang Clan fan, also asked Method Man his own burning questions and explained how it gets weird sometimes when people come over and realize his fiancee is Danielle Fischel, a.k.a. Topanga from "Boy Meets World." Method Man additionally gave his thoughts on the recent TV series "Unsolved," about the murders of Tupac and Biggie, and revealed his favorite movie critic. (Music by HookSounds.)
Hayley Atwell is still beloved for her role as Agent Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But she's earned new acclaim for taking on the iconic role of Margaret Schlegel in the limited run TV series "Howards End." Written for television by Kenneth Lonergan, Howards End aired to great fanfare last fall in the UK, and has now made it to this side of the pond on Starz. As the series winds up its four-episode run, Hayley Atwell joins us on this edition of TURN IT ON, from IndieWire. (Music by HookSounds.)
Directors Chapman Way and Maclain Way were turned on to 300 hours of raw footage about the period in the early 1980s when Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh built a massive commune-city in the middle of Oregon. Cult leaders, mass poisonings, assassination attempts, bombings, this story had it all. Since its premiere on Netflix, "Wild Wild Country" has become a phenomenon, and viewers can't get enough of the debate over whether Sheela was doing what she needed to do to protect her community. Wild Wild Country also feels timely as it touches on issues of immigration, voter surpression, religious freedom, and much more. IndieWire's TURN IT ON recently met up with the Way brothers, along with executive producer Mark Duplass, to discuss how "Wild Wild Country" was made, their take on the reactions so far, what they left out of the series, how they got Sheela to open up, and what's next.
Katie Couric is back on National Geographic channel to explore some of the most important issues and questions facing America today. In AMERICA INSIDE OUT WITH KATIE COURIC, the former Today Show and CBS Evening News anchor once again travels around the country to get some insight into what people are thinking and doing in response to the changing national culture. Among the topics she looks at are gender inequality, Muslims in America, political correctness, white working-class anxiety, how technology is affecting our humanity and the battle over Confederate monuments and statues. IndieWire's TURN IT ON sat down with Couric earlier this year to discuss her new series, her time in Charlottesville, the state of journalism, the lessons learned from the controversy over her documentary UNDER THE GUN, the state of the #METOO movement and how she felt pressured to have to respond to the allegations against her former Today co-anchor Matt Lauer.
Al Pacino is back on HBO playing another real-life figure, disgraced Penn State coach Joe Paterno. HBO's latest original movie, "Paterno," explores the two-week timeframe when Paterno went from celebrating his achievement scoring the most wins for a football coach in collegiate history, to losing his job at Penn State. Barry Levinson, who also worked with Pacino on "Phil Spector" and "You Don't Know Jack," directs. The two of them recently sat down with IndieWire's TURN IT ON to discuss their new HBO movie, but also the difficulty of getting character films made in the era of the blockbuster, Pacino's passion for 35 mm, and why he's excited to be working with Netflix on his next project.
You all thought you knew Marcia Clark, but "The People vs. OJ Simpson" finally gave the public a more honest and real look at the former prosecutor. Since leaving the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, Clark launched a whole new career as a writer, and she now has countless books under her name, in addition to multiple TV projects. Now she's also behind A&E's new seven-part series “Marcia Clark Investigates The First 48," which embarks on new investigations of controversial cases including: the death of Casey Anthony’s daughter Caylee; the murder of actor Robert Blake’s wife Bonny Lee Bakley; the disappearance of Drew Peterson’s wife Stacy; and the death of Federal Bureau of Prisons intern Chandra Levy. Clark recently visited IndieWire to discuss the new show, as well as her current ABC pilot, how the "People v. OJ Simpson" transformed her public image, why she's never been on a jury and even why she didn't watch Fox's recent OJ Simpson special.
Joel McHale spent 11 years as host of E!'s "The Soup," and kept it going even as his career exploded and he ended up as star of the late, great comedy "Community." But as management changed at E!, McHale said things changed for him and the show, and eventually both sides parted ways at the end of 2015. But the format was too good to lay dormant for long, and now he's back, dishing out more biting commentary on Netflix's new "The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale." IndieWire's TURN IT ON recently caught up with Joel to discuss the new show and what else he has on tap.
"Rise," inspired by a real-life teacher, stars Josh Radnor as Lou, a teacher going through a bit of a midlife crisis. He decides the answer to his woes is to jazz up the school's lackluster theater department. One problem: It's already run by Tracey, played by Rosie Perez. Jason Katims was the executive producer behind FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and PARENTHOOD, and HAMILTON producer Jeffrey Seller, are behind the new NBC drama. Perez and Katims stopped by IndieWire to discuss their inspirations for RISE, including what convinced Katims to return to high school — and why Perez finally started doing TV after years of avoiding the small screen.
The 2007 book "The Year of Living Biblically" chronicled author AJ Jacobs' experiment to follow the rules and guidelines found in the bible, as literally as possible. "The Big Bang Theory" star Johnny Galecki optioned the book to develop as a comedy, with Patrick Walsh as showrunner. The show has been reworked as "Living Biblically,” starring Jay R. Ferguson as Chip Curry, a New York newspaper writer who decides to live strictly in accordance with the Bible — much to the chagrin of his atheist wife. Galecki and Walsh stopped by IndieWire to discuss how they approached creating a comedy about religion. Later, Galecki also talked about his on-camera work, including how surreal it was to return to "Roseanne" after all these years, and how "Big Bang" really is coming in for a landing.
USA's new series "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G." looks at the relationship between Tupac and Biggie, and the failed investigations into their deaths. Director and executive producer Anthony Hemingway helped craft Unsolved, and found two fresh faces to play Tupac and Biggie: Marcc Rose, briefly seen in Straight Outta Compton. and Wavyy Jones, an aspiring hip-hop star who got the role after answering an open casting call. Hemingway, Rose and Jones recently stopped by IndieWire to discuss Unsolved, Tupac and Biggie with Turn It On.
Jason Priestley is still remembered as one of the stars of the seminal teen series "Beverly Hills, 90210." Of course, he's done plenty of TV and film since then, including series like "Tru Calling," "Call Me Fitz" and "Haven." But he's also now a prolific director, working on both comedies like "Working the Engels" but also sci-fi shows like "Van Helsing" and "Dark Matter." Now he's back on TV as the star of "Private Eyes," a fun, light hearted procedural mystery drama from Canada that has made its way across the border on ION. Priestley recently stopped by IndieWire to discuss "Private Eyes" with TURN IT ON.
The Oregonian once called Portlandia "the right show at the right time," and indeed, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein tapped into a moment in time, coming up with characters that gently skewered our good-intentioned but confusing times. The show's segments also came along at a time when people were just beginning to share bite-sized videos and memes on social media. "Portlandia" is now in the middle of its eighth and final season. IndieWire's Turn It On recently sat down with Fred, Carrie and recurring star Kyle MacLachlan to discuss the end of the show.
TBS' "The Detour" recently returned for a third season, and is perhaps in for its wildest season yet. Jason Jones stars as Nate and Natalie Zea as his wife, Robin. Their parenting is questionable and the decisions they make are terrible, yet everything they've gone through has only made them closer. IndieWire's TURN IT ON recently sat down with Jones and Zea to talk about what TBS lets them get away with, why conservative media critics love to hate their show, and even what's inspiring Zea's move into directing. But first, we got caught up on what the Parkers were up to as Season 3 began.
Lena Waithe won an Emmy for writing an episode of "Master of None," but now she's behind the new Showtime series "The Chi." Also executive produced by Common, "The Chi" explores the a group of residents living in the South Side of Chicago. According to Showtime, "The Chi" ranks as its best series premiere since "Billions" in 2016, and has just been renewed for Season 2. IndieWire TV critic Ben Travers sat down recently with Waithe and Common to discuss the show and how it came about.
Louie Anderson won an Emmy in 2016 for playing Christine Baskets, the mother of Zach Galifianakis' twins in FX's "Baskets." Anderson has said that he plays Christine as a tribute to his mother, and now the comedian has a new book coming out, "Dear Mom," that further explores his complicated relationship with her. Anderson's mother died in 1990, and the actor still regrets not being able to say what he wanted to say to her, or ask her the questions he wishes he could ask. But thanks to playing Christine, he says he now at least better understands her.
When the producers behind FX's smash "The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story" turned to the murder of Gianni Versace as the second installment in their anthology series, executive producer Ryan Murphy didn't have to look far to find the actor who would play serial killer Andrew Cunanan: His old buddy Darren Criss from "Glee." It was a juicy role for Criss, and Turn It On recently met up with the actor to discuss the mystery of Cunanan, the sensitivity of the fact that so many people impacted by Cunanan may be watching, and how his ethnicity as a half-Filipino man made him the perfect fit for the role. Later in this episode, we also talked to American Crime Story producers Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson about the franchise.
Dylan McDermott's last several series were dark, and it was time to have some fun -- so along came "LA To Vegas." Created by Lon Zimmet and executive produced by Steve Levitan, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, "LA To Vegas" is an ensemble workplace comedy that follows an budget airline crew and the crazy passengers to fly back and forth from Los Angeles to Las Vegas each weekend. McDermott plays Captain Dave, the pilot with an epic moustache who's looking for a good time when he's not behind the controls. Turn It On recently met up with McDermott and Levitan to discuss the show's opening success, the future of Fox, the story behind Captain Dave and of course, that 'stache.
Paul Scheer is everywhere these days, and that's a good thing. He's currently in Hulu's time jumping comedy series FUTURE MAN. He played a morning show producer on VEEP last season, and is now working on Amazon's TV version of GALAXY QUEST, among so much more. But right now, you may have just seem him play Raphael, the director of photography on Tommy Wieseau's THE ROOM, in James Franco's loving take on the cult film, THE DISASTER ARTIST. In his nonexistent spare time, Paul is also a podcast mogul, as he continues to host HOW DID THIS GET MADE, with his wife June Diane Raphael and pal Jason Mantsoukas. As a matter of fact, HOW DID THIS GET MADE's episode on THE ROOM helped inspire the writers of THE DISASTER ARTIST while they were writing the movie. As the end of the year approached, we met up with Scheer to discuss how he became obsessed with THE ROOM, and how that has even led now to a small part in Wiseau's new film, as well as his take on THE LAST JEDI and what he has in store for 2018.
He's been called the "comic's comic," and has been a staple of TV and film for years. But you don't know Gilbert Gottfried. Perhaps you thought you did. But the new documentary "Gilbert," which premieres Dec. 29 on Hulu, shows an entirely different side of the comedian who's been entertaining audiences for four decades.
Ed Helms is back behind the desk at Comedy Central, at least for one night, as the fictional host of "The Fake News with Ted Nelms." It's a fast-paced one-hour special that looks like CNN but with a Monty Python-eseque twist. IndieWire's TURN IT ON talked to Helms about his return to Comedy Central, what The Daily Show meant to him, and why he's reclaiming the term Fake News to actually mean "Fake News."
Writer/producer/director Glenn Gordon Caron broke almost every TV rule in the 1980s with "Moonlighting." It was an hour-long comedy drama that played with the form almost every week. Later, Caron had an even bigger hit in "Medium," and now he's doing something different, taking over the CBS drama "Bull" for its sophomore season. The show stars Michael Weatherly as an expert trial consultant, loosely based on Dr. Phil McGraw's work before becoming the talk show host we all know today.