Tag: Leadership

Game of Thrones: Season 7, Episode 2 (“Stormborn”) – Top 10 Lines

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you haven’t seen or don’t want to know details from the latest episode of Game of Thrones.

10) That’s not you.

Arya Stark says this to her direwolf Nymeria when they’re reunited (by chance) in the woods. This line takes us back to something she said to her father way back in S1: “That’s not me.” Ned was explaining re: the kind of life a lady would have, BUT young Arya already knew that was NOT the life for her; now, Nymeria has her own life w/ a pack of wolves. Maybe she’ll come out again and help Arya later on?

9) You are my weakness.

This is Grey Worm’s “I love you” to Missandei before their (VERY sweet) love scene.  

8) He’s not a servant.

Yara Greyjoy explains this to Ellaria Sand when they’re drinking below deck re: Theon. She refers to her brother as a “protector,” BUT that turns out to be ironic. Theon’s fears emerge (he is triggered) when he sees brutal uncle, Euron, holding an axe to his sister’s throat; Theon jumps overboard and swims away. He is a survivor or coward- it depends on your thinking. 

7) Just kill us!

Ellaria tells Euron’s soldiers when they capture her and her daughter, Tyene. But we can guess that they are needed alive (for now); they will be presented to Cersei Lannister as a gift- no doubt.

6) No one else will try, so I’m the best you’ve got.

Samwell Tarly solemnly explains to Ser Jorah Mormont before he starts the procedure to remove the greyscale from the knight’s body. This has to be done ASAP, b/c as Archmaester Ebrose said, Jorah will be sent away the next morning (to live out his life w/ The Stone Men in Valyria). The fact that Sam served in the Night’s Watch under Jorah’s father, Lord Cmdr Jeor Mormont, adds to the poignancy of this (hard to watch) scene. I was VERY glad to see Iain Glen again- I hope Jorah gets saved! 

5) Touch my sister, and I’ll kill you myself!

I just LOVED this line (threat) that Jon Snow said to Littlefinger (while choking him)! Jon was visiting Ned’s statue (in the Stark family crypt) when Littlefinger joined him and started running his mouth re: Ned, Catelyn, and his role in defeating Ramsay. I’m glad that Jon is there for Sansa, BUT I think she can probably take care of herself (w/ Brienne at Winterfell). Do you think Jon overreacted? Can Littlefinger still turn Sansa against Jon?

4) While I am away, The North is yours.

Jon shows his trust and confidence in Sansa; she is (pleasantly) surprised. Littlefinger’s smirks- what could that mean? Ser Davos approves of this decision; he will ride w/ Jon to meet w/ Dany.

3) Incompetence should not be rewarded with blind loyalty.

Varys (boldly) says this to Dany after she questions him re: his past life as counsel to her father (Aerys- “The Mad King”), then to Robert Baratheon. Varys, who is truly an up-from-nothing story, doesn’t blindly follow any leader- he wants what is best for the people of Westeros. Dany considers his words, then decides to pardon him, and keep him as her counsel. This is showing her maturity as a leader! (Didn’t this line remind you of Trump? LOL!)

2) The Prince or Princess who was promised will bring the dawn.

Missandei corrects Melisandre’s prophecy, which Dany says she likes. Their is NO mention of gender in ancient Valyrian, so the individual who ends up on the Iron Throne could be male (Jon, Euron, Littlefinger, Varys, etc.) or female (Dany, Cersei, Sansa, etc.) Or, as some fans want, Jon and Dany could rule together! 

1) Be a dragon.

Lady Olenna (Yay, she’s back!) advises Dany with this (VERY cool) line. Only someone of her age, experience, and status in Westeros could get away w/ something like this in front of The Mother of Dragons. Even David and Dan were quite impressed by Diana Rigg’s delivery (as the said after the episode). 

Game of Thrones: Season 7, Episode 1 (“Dragonstone”)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you haven’t seen or don’t want to know details from the season premiere of Game of Thrones.

The Riverlands (House Frey)

Tell them, the North remembers. 

Arya (Maisie Williams), who killed Lord Walder Frey (David Bradley) at the end of S6, impersonates him during a feast in order to murder ALL the Frey men (his heirs) w/ poisoned wine. She leaves his young wife alive, so she can tell the story. 

The North (beyond The Wall somewhere)

Slowly, a HUGE bunch creatures (The Army of the Dead) are marching; they are led by The Night King. Winter IS indeed here, BUT it looks like he has the power to create a storm cloud w/in which they are moving. 

The Wall (Castle Black)

Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and Meera (Ellie Kendrick) arrive at The Wall, where they are questioned by a rather skeptical Edd (Ben Crompton), who is now Lord Commander. Meera introduces herself, then Brandon Stark (his full name, as well as that of great men before him). Bran explains that he knows what Edd has been through, so he and his only companion are let inside. 

The North (Winterfell)

Dragonglass kills White Walkers. It’s more valuable now to us than gold. -Jon explains to a gathering of Northern lords and ladies and Wilding leaders

When Jon (Kit Harington), now King of the North, commands that everyone over the age of 10 (incl. women and girls) will be needed to mine for dragonglass, Lord Glover is a BIT shocked. Lady Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsay) quickly stands up and claims that though she is little and a girl, she is “every bit a Northerner” as he is; no wonder this character is a fan fave. She declares that everyone on Bear Island will get to work. 

Give the castles to the families of the men who died fighting for you. -Sansa contradicts Jon when he is deciding on what will be done w/ the Umber and Karstark lands

Some of the leaders agree w/ Sansa (Sophie Turner); they can be heard saying “aye” and making a bit of noise. Did you see Littlefinger’s (Aiden Gillen) little smirk of approval when Sansa did that? Lord Davos (Liam Cunningham) looks a bit concerned; he is sitting to one side of Jon, while Sansa sits on the other. (This scene reminded me of that tense moment in Crimson Tide when Denzel’s character- the executive officer- contradicted Gene Hackman- the captain of a nuclear sub- in front of some of the crew.)

I will not punish a son for his father’s sins. And I will not take a family home away from a family that has held it for centuries. That is my decision, and my decision is final. -Jon says to the leaders

A little boy, Ned Umber, and a teen girl, Alice Karstark, come forward from the group w/ their swords and pledge loyalty to House Stark. Some viewers asked why Alice (a female) could be head of her house, BUT Sansa couldn’t be leading hers. Well, Alice is the only living heir of Lord Karstark, whereas House Stark has BOTH Jon (though a bastard) and Sansa. 

You have to be smarter that father. You need to be smarter than Robb. I loved them. I miss them. But they made stupid mistakes and lost their heads for it. -Sansa explains to Jon 

I LOVE all the convo between Jon and Sansa (on the ramparts of Winterfell)! We learn a bit more re: how Ned treated his daughters vs. his sons. Their personalities and concerns come out also. Sansa wants to be an advisor to Jon, since she can’t be in charge, BUT Jon seems reluctant to hear her. It’s true that Sansa learned a LOT from her time at court as Joffrey’s fiancee. Did you think Sansa became TOO paranoid re: Cersei (after the raven came from King’s Landing w/ her note)? After all, Cersei is thousands of miles away, BUT the White Walkers are getting closer every day (as Jon said). 

King’s Landing

Wow, what a cool map! Cersei (Lena Headey) is having a large and VERY detailed map painted of the Seven Kingdoms. She tells her brother, commander of the Lannister army, that Tyrion has been made Hand of the Queen; he sails w/ Dany, the Dothraki, and the Unsullied to Westeros. Jaime (Nicolas Coster-Waldau) says that Dany will land in Dragonstone (where Stannis used to have his base of operations). Cersei then goes over who the Lannister enemies are one-by-one. We know that Highgarden has the most grain, so will be esp. crucial now that Winter is here. (I can’t wait to see Lady Olenna again! She is the ONLY one left of House Tyrell, sadly.)

I’m the queen of the Seven Kingdoms. -Cersei declares

Three kingdoms at best. I’m not sure you understand how much danger we’re in. -Jaime corrects her

Cersei refuses to talk re: Tommen’s death, even when Jaime brings it up; he looks very sad for a moment. She says that she can’t dwell on the past, the losses she suffered, and that they are “the only Lannisters that matter now.” Jaime points out that they need “better, stronger allies,” esp. now that the Freys are dead. Where will these allies come from? It turns out- the Greyjoys (or at least Euron, the King of the Iron Islands). Well, Jaime is NOT impressed! 

Euron (Danish actor Pilou Asbaek), who has a VERY different haircut and outfit from S6, presents himself to Cersei in the throne room. He is NOT a humble man, as Cersei points out. Euron (at the head of the Iron Fleet) is NOT intimidated by Cersei or Jaime, BUT is stopped from stepping closer to Cersei by Sir Gregor Clegane. Did you see Jaime’s disgust at Euron’s cutting remarks? Quite fabulous! Even though Cersei refuses his marriage proposal, Euron says he’ll bring her “a priceless gift” to win her over. Hmmm… wonder what that could be! Some viewers are saying the head of a dragon; others think it could be Ellaria Sand from Dorne (who planned the murder of Cersei and Jaime’s daughter, Myrcella).    

The Citadel

Everyone doubts everything here- that’s their job. -Archmaester Ebrose explains to Sam (when he says that no one in The Citadel believes him re: the White Walkers).

Poor Sam! We see just how tedious his new life is in a gross/funny/repetitive montage (a first for GoT). He is in training to be a maester, BUT the types of books that he needs (in order to help Jon) are in a locked area. Sam asks Archmaester Ebrose (veteran Australian actor Jim Broadbent) during an autopsy if he could get access. The older/wiser man explains re: the importance of “memory” (history), the role of the maesters, and decides that he does believe Sam’s story. After all, there is evidence of what Sam detailed in various texts; however, he can’t have access to those yet. Sam decides to steal one of the key rings (while the old maesters are sleeping) and check out a few forbidden books. 

Winterfell

In the yard, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) is training her squire, Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman), while Tormund looks on w/ admiration and a goofy grin. Pod keeps getting defeated, BUT the Wildling leader calls him “a lucky man.” Yeah, Tormund still has a big crush on the woman warrior, though it’s NOT mutual!

Even Littlefinger has praise for Brienne’s fighing skills. Sansa wonders what he wants; he says he wants her to be “happy” and “safe.” She explains that here, in her childhood home, she is safe; friends are around and Brienne protects her. Then he asks re: the happy part, and she is quiet. Does anyone think Littlefinger could make Sansa happy!? I LOVED how Sansa dismissed him before he could get the last word! She has become emotionally strong; I don’t think Littlefinger will be able to manipulate her in the future. He is valuable b/c he commands the Lords of the Vale, Sansa explains to Brienne; those were the some of the most skilled knights who helped defeat Ramsay.

The Riverlands (on the path to King’s Landing)

This was a scene that I really liked! I was surprised when I read re: the hate for Ed Sheeran’s cameo and his (maybe too pop-like?) song. Well, it turns out that Maisie Williams is a big fan of this singer, so the GoT showrunners (David Benioff and Dan Weiss) worked to get him to appear on the show, despite his jam-packed schedule. Anyways, let’s try and stick to the scene, NOT the drama that came afterwards.

My mother always told me to be kind to strangers; strangers will be kind to you. -A young Lannister soldier explains to Arya (when she comes upon their camp)

Girls take care of their papas when their papas get old. Boys juts go off and fight in someone else’s wars. -Another soldier, a new father explains why he prefers a girl child (when Arya asks)

At first, I thought this scene would be bloody/violent, BUT it turned out to be quite the opposite. These are young men w/ humble roots (NOT too much older than Arya), who are (obviously) reluctant soldiers. They don’t have much to eat (a small rabbit), BUT share w/ Arya. They also give her a cask of wine to drink from, though she is young. (Some viewer joked re: what was the exact drinking age in Westeros.)

I’m going to kill the queen. -Arya says (before the soldiers burst into laughter)

On the Road

Why are you always in such a foul mood? -Thoros of Myr asks 

Experience. -The Hound (Ser Gregor Clegane) replies 

The Hound (Rory McCann) is still riding w/ The Brotherhood w/o Banners, led by Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer). The small band come upon an abandoned farmhouse; instantly, The Hound (as well as observant fans) recognized it as the same place from where he robbed a widower and his young daughter. He doesn’t want to go in (whoa, perhaps feeling some guilt?), BUT Thoros thinks he’s afraid. I LOVE how The Hound made fun of Thoros’ topknot- LOL! 

…there’s nothing special about you. Then why does The Lord of Light keep bringing you back?  -The Hound asks Beric 

It seems like (from what critics/viewers have noted) that we will see a different side to The Hound this season; we will become a more developed/complicated character. So far, we know about his painful past (w/ his brother- Sir Gregor), his empathy w/ troubled females (EX: Sansa), and his view of ALL religions (agnostic; doesn’t like or trust religion). My fave line in of The Hound’s in this ep was re: “divine justice.” I was VERY surprised when he looked into the fire and saw the reason why the Brotherhood was preparing for battle. Probably the biggest surprise was the next scene, where The Hound was digging a grave for the farmer and his daughter in the snowy/windy/cold night.

I’m sorry you’re dead. You deserved better- both of you. -The Hound says this prayer over the grave 

The Citadel

Sam is staying up late, reading, though Gilly says he should sleep. (Wow, look how big Little Sam got! He is a toddler now, even saying a few words.) Sam comes upon a map of Dragonstone w/ a symbol denoting that dragonglass is underneath; Stannis had told him something about it before. Quickly, Sam begins writing a letter to Jon. 

The next day, Sam is collecting food bowls again, BUT in a different location than what we saw before. There could be criminals jailed behind the doors, or maybe patients (as some viewers guessed). As he reaches to retrieve one of the bowls, a hand suddenly reached out to try and grab him- OMG! Sam is freaked out, jumping back. It only takes a second to guess that it’s Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), though we only hear his voice and see his profile in the dark cell. His entire arm is covered by Grayscale (awww). Jorah asks if The Dragon Queen has come yet.

Dragonstone

This segment of the ep of nearly wordless, yet SO well done! We see Dany (Emilia Clarke) (along w/ her friends and allies) sail ashore, walk across the beach, then enter the fortress (built thousands of years ago by her people, the Targaryens). The dragons fly above, BUT we don’t get close-up of them. Even the verbose Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) is silent as they explore the castle. In the throne room, Dany pauses and looks at the throne, BUT decides NOT to sit upon it. Instead, she goes to the map/war room (which was where Stannis plotted his military strategies). This is the room MOST familiar to fans; we hadn’t seen ALL the other cool details of Dragonstore before. Some Jewish viewers noted that they esp. liked the part where Dany touched the sand on the beach; it reminded them of how Jews (from all over the world) sometimes touch the earth of their ancestral homeland upon coming to visit Israel.

Matewan (1987) starring Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, & David Strathairn

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Director John Sayles at AFI Silver Theater on May 17, 2017.

I’d never seen this movie (part of DC Labor Film Fest this year) before, though I’m a BIG fan of independent director John Sayles. On this blog, you’ll find reviews of Passion Fish and Casa de Los Babys– two of his more female-centered works. In my view, Sayles was a “masculine feminist” even before the term became popular. He writes BOTH male and female characters who are multi-dimensional living inside stories which are realistic.

Now, you may be thinking- HOW does Sayles keep doing his own high-quality, yet rather low-budget projects!? He explained that his day job is “writer for hire”- he worked on movie and TV scripts, many of which didn’t get made by the big Hollywood studios. “In the past 15 years or so, studios seem to want their leads to be like Tony Soprano,” Sayles explained in the Q&A session after the film. (Most of the audience laughed at this part.) 

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Union organizer Joe Kennehan (Chris Cooper) addresses the miners.

Matewan is based on true events which occurred in a rural town in 1920s West Virginia. Some of the character names are real; others are amalgams of several people. When I first saw the trailer for the film two weeks ago, it reminded me of the Western genre (which Sayles was inspired by). The cinematographer here was Hollywood veteran Haskell Wexler (d. 2015); he won two Oscars, one for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and the other for Days of Heaven (1978)- considered one of the MOST beautiful films by critics and fans alike. The music is also a crucial element here; there is a blending of different styles.

A stranger- Union organizer Joe Kennehan (Chris Cooper in his first film role)- arrives in the town of Matewan. (Cooper plays the lead in Sayles’ Lone Star, which also stars a young Matthew McConaughey.) He gets a room at a boarding house run by a widow, Elma Radnor (Mary McDonnell- lead in Passion Fish), and her teenage son Danny (Will Oldham, then just 17 y.o.) Danny recently went to work in the mines, though he’s NOT yet 15 y.o. His real passion is preaching. 

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Few Clothes (James Earl Jones) is a representative/leader of the black miners.

Joe meets w/ (white/native born) coal miners at the local restaurant. These workers, struggling to form a union, are up against the Stone Mountain Coal Company operators and thugs from the Baldwin-Felts agency (basically guns for hire). Black and newly-arrived Italian immigrants, brought in by the company to break the strike, are caught in the middle. A tall, burly black miner- nicknamed Few Clothes (James Earl Jones)- boldly comes to this meeting. He’s an advocate for the African-American men brought in to work recently from further South. The local white miners don’t want to include the black men (or Italians) in the union; they consider these two groups to be a threat to their livelihood. (Well, some things NEVER change! And yeah, Italians were NOT considered “white” at this time in American history.)  

You think this man is the enemy? Huh? This is a worker! Any union keeps this man out ain’t a union, it’s a goddamn club! They got you fightin’ white against colored, native against foreign, hollow against hollow, when you know there ain’t but two sides in this world – them that work and them that don’t. You work, they don’t. That’s all you got to know about the enemy. -Joe explains to the white miners

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Police chief Sid Hatfield (David Strathairn) readies his pistol in his office.

I’ve met Mr. Felts. I wouldn’t pee on him if his heart was on fire. -Sid Hatfield tells the men from the Baldwin-Felts agency

This film contains some colorful characters, including stone-faced cop Sid Hatfield (David Strathairn). Kevin Tighe (a veteran of film and TV) and Gordon Clapp (who later made a name on NYPD Blue) play the main villains. Sayles is in the small role of a fiery, anti-union Baptist preacher. Producer Maggie Renzi (herself of Italian heritage) takes on the role of Rosaria, wife to one of the Italian miners and mother to several kids. Sayles and Renzi have been creative and life partners since their days as students at Williams College. Sayles also met Strathairn at Williams; they’re good friends. Local people (NOT professional actors) were used in MANY of the scenes of Matewan; they give authenticity to the film, as does the setting.

I think ALL the actors did a fine job; I esp. liked the characters played by Jones (what a great get for young filmmakers) and Renzi (who spoke in Italian). Cooper was the first actor who auditioned for the role of Joe; he had ONLY done theater before. Sayles revealed that several well-known actors also went in for the part, BUT he and Renzi kept thinking back to Cooper. As for Jones, they wanted someone like him, b/c they thought there was a small chance of the man behind Darth Vader taking on a supporting role. Well, you NEVER know until you try!

Orange is the New Black (Season 4)

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NOTE: This post contains SPOILERS for the latest season of the Netflix original series.

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The promo poster for Season 4

What Piper does is try on identities. -Taylor Schilling 

In Season 3, Piper (sometimes dubbed “a clueless white girl”) was using the Whispers work assignment to her advantage; she got a big ego (as we see at the start of THIS season). Well, Maria is NOT going to put up w/ that attitude! Also, the Dominican (who was disowned by her gang leader dad for falling in love w/ a Mexican man) has plans of her own to profit HER girls, the latinas. The numbers work in her advantage, as the prison (now managed by MCC, a private corp.) gets an addition of MOSTLY latina women. 

It’s all grounded in the reality that they DO love each other… -Laura Prepon (Alex) on the (love-hate; complicated; manipulative) relationship between her character and Piper

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Maria (who starts running drugs) gets in Piper’s face in the Season premiere.
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The latinas hold down Piper before Maria brands her with a swastika.

What did YOU think of Piper’s comeuppance (for joining w/ the White Power women)? Yes, she needed allies, BUT (as she often does) Piper didn’t realize the consequences of such an (unholy) alliance! 

When you know something [drug addiction] firsthand, there’s a sort of responsibility, which (for me) can often feel like… you know… too much pressure. -Natasha Lyonne (Nicky)

The relationship between Red and Nicky has been fraught w/ tension b/c of Nicky’s reluctance to get (and stay) sober. As we know from real-life statistics, MANY women (and men) are in jail b/c of drug-related issues; others get into drugs while imprisoned. 

I have my “daughters.” That is my way of surviving w/ my morality- and what I hope to consider- my integrity- intact. The tough side is, there’s a line. If you cross it, you are out. And that costs me as much as it costs them, but there has to be a moral compass. And I adhere to it very strongly. -Kate Mulgrew on the maternal and tough sides of her character (Red)

Red has been one of my favorites from the start; she doesn’t have much to do until later in the season. She’s back in charge of the kitchen- good to see. Mr. Healy seems to have fallen in love w/ her (yeah, we saw that coming); she sternly tells him that “no relationship between a prisoner and a guard is consensual”).

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Pennsatucky/Doggett and Big Boo have one of the most interesting friendships on the show.

Season four has some of the most explicit and complex discussions of consent I’ve ever seen on television. And in a time when there is still so much confusion surrounding consent and anger when it’s violated.

It’s significant that OITNB doesn’t just show Pennsatucky’s reaction to her rape. Instead, it forces Coates to reconsider everything he thought was true, to confront the ugliness inside him and surrounding him that pushed him to a place where he could ignore a woman’s needs for his own basic pleasure. He didn’t think he was raping her, but that doesn’t matter.

And now he knows it.

-Caroline Famke, Vox 

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Lolly and Alex in the greenhouse
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Lolly and Mr. Healy have a talk in the yard.

We see what Alex is capable of when she kills the man (disguised as a new guard) in the greenhouse. Lolly (who becomes more and more unhinged in S4) and Frida (a convicted murderer) knows about this crime; they handle it in VERY different ways. Frida helps Alex bury the dead body in the garden. Alex has trouble sleeping, goes to hang out w/ Piper, and (in time)- they are a couple again. 

Mr. Healy tries to help Lolly, who starts spouting paranoid stories. We learn more re: his backstory; his mother had mental problems when he was a young boy, then was put in a psychiatric hospital. THAT gets to the root of WHY Mr. Healy want to help troubled women. He falls short (of course)!

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Three of the new guards: Dixon, Humphrey, and Capt. Pescatella
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Bayley and his high school friend in jail (flashback)- talk about white privilege.

The new guards (former war vets) are NOT only working at Litchfield, they’re also living in the (built by prison labor) cabins on the property. They have issues and secrets of their own! Humphrey  forced Maritza, at gunpoint, to swallow a live baby mouse and pushed Crazy Eyes/Suzanne into a bloody brawl with Kukudio.

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Poussey (RIP) assists Judy King, her TV idol, during a cooking class.

When I heard that Judy was a cooking show celebrity and she was going to prison for some financial mischief, you think of Martha Stewart right away. [In the book on which it’s based, author Piper Kerman said Stewart was almost sent to Danbury, the inspiration for Litchfield.] She’s Paula Deen-like, because she’s Southern, but Judy King is another entity altogether. It’s just that those two are the ones that spring to mind.” -Blair Brown, Hollywood Reporter

We see how Judy King (veteran actress Blair Brown) is treated better, given her own room, etc. (being a rich and powerful celeb). I esp. liked her friendships w/ Poussey and Cindy. Do YOU think that these were real friendships? 

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Alison (a Muslim) and Cindy (a Jew) are roommates.

Alison (who is Cindy’s bunk mate) wears a hijab (black scarf in this case) as a sign of modesty, due to her being Muslim. She also uses her hijab to hide a cell, which she uses to secretly communicate with her child via text. Cindy (a convert to Judaism) is suspicious of Alison at first, BUT in time, they get to know each other and become allies.

Speaking of unlikely allies… Figueroa dropped a sly bomb on Caputo when she asked him if he knew re: more inmates coming to his prison when he visited her house. Caputo, my the middle of the season, knows that his girlfriend (Linda) does NOT want the best for his inmates. Were YOU a bit shocked to learn that Linda had NEVER even visited Litchfield (though she worked for MCC)? 

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Daya points a gun at Humphrey while the other inmates look on (some cheering).

It’s war. Taystee has nothing to lose; she’s lost everything that she cared so deeply about. It’s time to fight. I think that’s where we will see Taystee go. -Danielle Brooks on what she sees next for her character

The season four finale of Netflix’s prison dramedy OITNB capped a season that explored the Black Lives Matter movement and the injustice that exists in the prison system. 

The final moments of the season see Daya picking up CO Humphrey’s loose gun and aiming it back at him during a prison-wide riot, Attica-style. …After being abandoned by fiance Bennett, losing her daughter and seeing her mom released from prison, Daya has so much pent-up anger and frustration, she might just shoot.  -Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter

Short/petite Poussey is killed by baby-faced guard, Bayley- VERY unexpected/shocking scene! Taystee, who was probably her closest friend, is heartbroken. Soso tries to drink away some of her sadness. Judy King has the star power to right at least some of the wrongs she witnessed in prison. Will she tell the truth about Poussey’s murder?

 

Shots Fired (FOX): Starting March 22, 8PM EST

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This 10-part series examines the aftermath of racially charged shootings in a small North Carolina town. It was produced by the successful/critically-acclaimed husband-wife team of Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond the Lights, The Secret Life of Bees, Love & Basketball) and Reggie Rock Bythewood (Beyond the Lights, Notorious). Aside from the timely/controversial topic, the supporting cast could be a big draw (incl. Oscar winners Richard Dreyfuss and Helen Hunt, as well as Law and Order‘s Jill Hennessey). The leads are two black actors- film veteran Sanaa Lathan (who plays investigator Ashe Akino) and up-and-comer Stephan James (federal prosecutor Preston Terry). James hails from Canada and notably played the young John Lewis in Selma. 

First Look: A Murder Myster (FOX)

 

Actors Sanaa Lathan and Mack Wilds on The View (ABC)