East Oregonian : E.O., June 12, 2019, Page 12, Image 12

hollywood q&a
By Adam Thomlison
TV Media
Q: Who does the amazing
impression of Sean Connery
in the “SNL” “Jeopardy”
sketches?
A: If you’re ever not sure
who did a particular impres-
sion on “Saturday Night Live,”
not only recently but in the
long history of the show, Dar-
rell Hammond would be a safe
bet.
He holds second place for
the biggest number of im-
pressions done on the show
(behind Kenan Thompson, who
also just edges Hammond out
for most years on the show).
That puts Hammond ahead
of such greats as Mike Myers
and even the legendary Dana
Carvey.
And of all his impressions
(there are more than 100,
including presidents Donald
Trump, Richard Nixon, Jimmy
Carter, George W. Bush and
Bill Clinton), Sean Connery on
“Celebrity Jeopardy” is his
best remembered. “It’s the
most popular thing I ever did,”
he said in a 2007 interview
on the web-based talk show
“LateNet.”
He admits, however, that he
never quite understood why.
Why does the idea of respected
film great Sean Connery going
on “Jeopardy” and deliberately
doing a bad job while insulting
the host strike so many people
as funny? “It made no sense
at all, but it was one of those
strange, silly things people
responded to.”
People did indeed respond,
and not just viewers. Roll-
ing Stone magazine put the
sketch at No. 23 on its list of
the 50 greatest “SNL” bits of
all time. That puts it ahead of
some classic ones, including
“Ask President Carter,” by fel-
low great impressionist Dan
Aykroyd, and the one where
the Coneheads do “Family
Feud,” featuring Aykroyd and
Bill Murray.
Hammond left the show in
2009 as a cast member but
returned in 2014 for a new
sort of gig, though it was once
again thanks to an impres-
sion. He was hired as the new
announcer for the show after
longtime announcer Don Pardo
12 | Screentime
STREAMING THIS WEEK
died. Hammond was report-
edly chosen because he had
previously filled in for Pardo,
doing an impression of him so
viewers wouldn’t notice.
Q: They’re making a
“Game of Thrones” sequel
series, right? What can you
tell me about it?
A: Yes, and I can tell you
quite a lot, fortunately.
It’s not that HBO is suddenly
being generous with details
after years of being stingy.
But given that the “Game of
Thrones” prequel show (or
shows, perhaps) will take place
in a fantasy universe that’s al-
ready been built in the original,
small details say a lot.
For example, I can tell you
for a fact that it will take place
“thousands of years” before
the original show, meaning it
will tell some of the stories that
exist as half-remembered leg-
ends in the original series.
The biggest one of those
— and this comes from HBO’s
official synopsis, rather than the
mounds of internet speculation
that can be found elsewhere —
is that the untitled prequel will
unveil “the true origin of the
White Walkers.” They, of course,
were a key enemy in “Game of
Thrones,” treated like a force of
nature rather than characters
with a past. This prequel series
may change that view a little.
HBO also says the show
chronicles “the world’s de-
scent from the Age of Heroes.”
That is a bit of bait to readers
of George R.R. Martin’s source
novels, who know that the Age
of Heroes was the period when
the great houses that drive the
politics on “Game of Thrones”
were founded.
The most exciting news, per-
haps (at least, it’ll excite you
if you’ve bothered to read this
far), is that this is just the first
prequel series in the works.
Martin, the author of the
books, said on his blog that
there are two others being
developed. He said they’re “in
the script stage” but wouldn’t
divulge any actual details, of
course.
Have a question? Email us
at questions@tvtabloid.com.
Please include your name and
town.
June 12, 2019 | East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald
AMAZON PRIME:
“Yardie” (2018)
This film is finally available starting Monday, June 17, after having
its release date pushed back a few times. Directed by acclaimed ac-
tor Idris Elba (“Luther”), “Yardie” is based on the novel by Jamaican
writer Victor Headley. The term “yardie” refers to the Jamaican dias-
pora, and the movie tells the story of Dennis Campbell (Aml Ameen,
“Sense8”), a young man who is hired by a Jamaican crime lord to
deliver an important package to London, England. Dennis becomes
more and more enmeshed in this dangerous world, but his loyalties
are tested when he discovers that the man who killed his brother
years ago in Jamaica is now living in London. His thirst for revenge is
strong, but so are his loyalties. Stream the film to find out which wins
in the end.
“Suits” Season 8
Anthony Anderson, Khalil Everage and Ashley Jackson in
a scene from “Beats”
By Shona Dustan
TV Media
NETFLIX:
“Beats” (2019)
Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”) stars in this original film as a former
music manager who has taken a job as a high school security guard.
When he’s sent to check on a student (Khalil Everage, “Cobra Kai”)
who’s been absent for months, what he discovers is a kid with severe
trauma due to the tragic death of his sister — a kid who has retreated
from everyday life and has thrown himself into making music. And his
music is really good. The unlikely pair come together to try to forge
careers in the music industry. Uzo Aduba (“Orange Is the New Black”)
also stars as the boy’s mom, who continues to struggle with the loss
of her daughter while trying to ensure her son’s safety and wellbeing.
This touching new film is available Wednesday, June 19.
“Adam Devine: Best Time of Our Lives”
Netflix is adding to its smorgasbord of comedy specials this week,
and this one is a gem you won’t want to miss. Adam Devine stars in
his very first comedy special, and the 35-year-old actor went back
to his roots to record this hilarious standup gig. His hometown of
Omaha, Nebraska, provides a great crowd and delightful atmosphere,
and Devine hits it out of the park with his act. He’s one of the hardest-
working comics in Hollywood, and he’s starred in a number of major
films — such as “Pitch Perfect” (2012) and this summer’s “Isn’t It
Romantic” — that have shown off his talent as a writer, comedian
and vocalist, but it’s nice to see him walk out onto the stage solo for a
performance of pure comedy. It’s an engaging and entertaining spe-
cial, and it premieres Tuesday, June 18.
The penultimate season of this enduring drama can be streamed as of
Friday, June 21, which should give you just enough time to catch up
before the final season of the show premieres in July. Season 8 picks
up without Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams, “Sneaky Pete”) and Rachel
Zane (Meghan Markle, “Anti-Social,” 2015), who got married and left
for greener pastures at the end of Season 7, but a few new faces fill
that void. Dulé Hill (“The West Wing”) is now a series regular as Alex
Williams, a friend of Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht, “The Good Shepherd,”
2006) and partner at the firm, while Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anato-
my”) joins the cast as Samantha Wheeler, a ruthless new addition to
the team. Also bumped up to series regular is longtime cast member
Amanda Schull (“12 Monkeys”), who plays senior partner Katrina
Bennett. The drama is always high in this legal series, so you can’t
help but binge once you dive in.
HULU:
“Das Boot” Season 1
This German television series premiering Monday, June 17, should
sound familiar to you. The 1981 film “Das Boot” was directed by the
legendary Wolfgang Petersen, based on the novel of the same name
by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, and garnered six Oscar nominations for
its portrayal of life on a German U-boat during World War II. This new
series picks up nine months after the classic film left off and follows
both the U-boat crew and the land-based French resistance. Lizzy
Caplan (“Masters of Sex”), Tom Wlaschiha (“Game of Thrones”), Vin-
cent Kartheiser (“Mad Men”) and James D’Arcy (“Agent Carter”) star,
among many others.
“Bolivar”
This Colombian miniseries tells the story of Simón Bolívar, hero and
liberator of Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama
from the Spanish Empire. Follow the legendary leader as he leaves his
native Venezuela for Spain and France, and then returns home with a
passion for freedom and a longing to throw off the chains of colonial-
ism. José Ramón Barreto (“Emerald Heart”) and Luis Gerónimo Abreu
(“La viuda joven”) star in this historical series, which you can stream
starting Friday, June 21.
“Dark” Season 2
This eerie German series is back for a second round of jumps and
shivers, and its second installment premieres Friday, June 21. “Dark”
is Netflix’s first-ever German series, and the freshman season of the
show was well received by critics and fans alike. Hailed as the German
“Stranger Things,” the series follows four prominent families in the
fictional town of Winden, and as time travel is woven into the story,
we learn more and more of the secrets these families have kept hid-
den for generations. It’s part sci-fi, part thriller, part family drama, and
it will suck you in from the first episode.
A scene from Season 2 of “Dark”