‘House of the Dragon’ Sacrifices Subtlety in a Splashily Violent Spectacle: TV Review

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic The increasing sense of precarity around the world’s infrastructure would seem to help Peacock’s “Last Light” resonate: The limited series depicts a disruption in the world’s supply of petroleum, setting off a major energy crisis and fears of global cataclysm. And yet the series never finds its gear, existing as a ripped-from-future-headlines thriller that’s neither particularly credible nor especially thrilling. Here, Matthew Fox plays the chemist Andy Yeats, who finds himself drawn into the crisis; as the world lurches into a moment of uncertainty, he’s separated from his family, trying both to find his way to them and to do what he can to bring the world back to order. The family struggles seem calculated to wring emotion from viewers, with Andy’s son (Taylor Fay) gradually losing his sight in a way that tests the tender stoicism of mom Elena (Joanne Froggatt). There’s, too, a sort of schematic element to the climate activism of Andy’s daughter (Alyth Ross); little does she know just how much her dad is doing to protect everyone’s future.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic With its pulsing burble of Blondie music and its chilly aesthetic, the 1980 Paul Schrader film “American Gigolo” is a showpiece of what would soon be the Reagan decade. Some 42 years later, a TV adaptation feels lost in time, and searching for an argument for its existence. Starring Jon Bernthal and with a pilot written and directed by “Ray Donovan’s” David Hollander (whose ties to Paramount Television Studios were severed during production), “American Gigolo” is lead-footed, and prurient rather than hot. And Bernthal seems at sea here, an unusual look for a star whose coiled charisma has elsewhere served him well. His Julian Kaye — whose name is shared with Richard Gere’s character in Schrader’s movie — emerges from a 15-year sentence we’re told happened about a decade and a half ago, but nothing about Julian’s world feels of the present day, or of Earth. Julian, we understand, was wrongfully convicted; Rosie O’Donnell’s Detective Sunday is attempting to crack the case of what really happenned, while a swirling remembered attraction between Julian and Gretchen Mol’s Michelle threatens Julian’s chances at finding a post-prison equilibrium.

You could have heard a pin drop during the gala opening night of Opera Australia’s production of The Phantom of the Opera August 26 at the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. The audience was packed with celebrity Sydneysiders in bow ties and gowns but the real stars of the evening were Josh Piterman, Amy Manford, and Blake Bowden.This trio of truly gifted performers, surrounded by a stunning supporting cast and orchestra, powerfully delivered the musical’s signature songs, Music of the Night, Think of Me, All I Ask of You, the awesomely beautiful Masquerade, and of course the main title song, with vitality and power.This new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mega-musical adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s novel, overseen by producer Cameron Mackintosh, and director Seth Sklar-Heyn is simply superb on every level.While the story of an obsessive and dangerous love in 19th-century Paris is now familiar to many, it’s the exquisite attention to detail which delivers the magic to this new staging.The  27-piece orchestra under the musical supervision of Guy Simpson is phenomenal, and the production is elevated even further by truly glorious stagecraft. The Phantom of the OperaThe lush costuming by Jill Parker, recreating the original designs of the late Tony award-winning Maria Bjornson is stunning, and the hair and wig design by Angela Cobbin is perfection.The lighting design by Tony Award winner Paule Constable and the sound design by Mick Potter is also extraordinary, with some terrific video and projection design by Nina Dunn.There is also a wonderful use of pyrotechnics throughout the show and of course the thrilling and iconic moment when the chandelier falls towards the heads of the audience still inspires

Ethan Shanfeld Courtenay Valenti, president of production and development for Warner Bros. Pictures, will depart from the studio after 33 years. Valenti will carry out her role until the end of October. “We’ve known Courtenay and been admirers of her work for many years,” said Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, in a joint statement provided to Variety. “She’s been an integral part of Warner Bros. Pictures’ success for over three decades and has had a hand in guiding some of the studio’s most popular and successful films. She’s well-respected across the creative community, she’s beloved here on the lot, and she will be greatly missed. We know that she’ll be hugely successful in her next endeavor and join all of her colleagues in wishing her the very best.”  

EXCLUSIVE: After a 33-year run at Warner Bros Pictures, and lots of hits including the Lego franchise, the last four Harry Potter films, multi-Oscar winner Mad Max: Fury Road and this summer’s hit Elvis, Courtenay Valenti, the studio’s President, Production and Development, has decided to leave.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic “The lessons of the fire, as we reach for something higher,” a voice wails as images of flying crows and blood dripping down a rose’s thorny stem flood the screen. “With eyes we’ve all come to know, he’s the devil in Ohio.”  This theme song has a self-conscious ludicrousness that’s ultimately earned by the series it introduces — at least in one sense. Netflix’s “Devil in Ohio” isn’t so great that its missteps end up making sense, but it’s so schlockily unembarrassed by its excesses and its shortcomings alike that it feels difficult to critique.  Here, Emily Deschanel plays Suzanne, a psychiatrist whose particularly challenging new patient Mae (Madeleine Arthur) seems in urgent need of shelter after escaping a cult. Naturally, Suzanne brings her home — and, of course, Suzanne has three daughters (played by Xaria Dotson, Alisha Newton, and Naomi Tan) from whom Mae can be acclimated into high-school life, or on whom Mae can rapidly exert her influence.

Wishing them well. After Carl Radke and Lindsay Hubbard announced they were engaged, Bravo stars were quick to send their congratulations.

An architect says it should be mandatory for sprinkler systems to be installed during conversions of historic buildings, including hotels, in the wake of the fatal Cameron House Hotel fire.

’s Lindsay Hubbard and Carle Radke are engaged! ET can confirm that the couple got engaged on Saturday.According to, Radke popped the question to Hubbard on Southhampton’s Dune Beach. The proposal was private, and captured by Bravo cameras, and will be shown to viewers during season 7 of.  The outlet shares that Radke was able to pull off the surprise after convincing Hubbard that they were going to meet with friends for a bonfire and had to arrive early to set up.

Together forever. Summer House stars Carl Radke and Lindsay Hubbard are engaged, Us Weekly confirms.

A “management failing” appears to have led to the tragic deaths of two guests at Cameron House Hotel, an inquiry has heard.

A historic mansion house owned by Falkirk Council that has lain vacant since 2005 will be put up for sale on the open market in the hope it will get "a new lease of life".

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV Critic“The Americans,” Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg’s previous show for FX, built tension according to a methodical pace. Its pleasures lay in a rigorous willingness to delay catharsis; Fields and Weisberg’s team of writers seemed actively to resist giving viewers quick and easy satisfaction, preferring to build scenes, episodes and arcs that stretched out according to their own rhythms.And their follow-up series, “The Patient,” an FX production airing exclusively on Hulu, suggests that success has prompted them to lean so far into this method that they’ve lost balance.

Sunday night premiere of HBO‘s “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of Dragon.” Warning: Spoilers below.While Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke) is giving birth, a dangerous complication arises. So her husband, King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine), desperate for a male heir, orders the baby to be delivered via Caesarean section — which would kill the mother.The woman screams in anguish and begs them not to do it, but the doctor holds her down and graphically operates. It’s extremely painful.

Reba McEntire is staying booked and busy in 2022, with the upcoming release of her Lifetime film , shooting underway on ABC’s Big Sky, and a concert tour kicking off this fall.  What this means is that a revival of her popular series Reba will have to wait, although, she says, it’s a project she would love to explore.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV CriticMike Tyson is a figure with unusual voltage, a celebrity who fought for his spot in the firmament with a weaponized charisma. The champion boxer is relentless even by the standards of the sport, with the famous incident in which he bit the ear of Evander Holyfield casting a shadow over his achievements. Outside the ring, he’s simultaneously known for a surprising soft-spokenness that makes the listener want to lean in and for a tendency toward violence — including a 1992 conviction for the rape of Desiree Washington — that repels.A serious reckoning with Tyson’s place in our culture, in the currently on-trend format of dramatized retelling via limited series, would deal with both sides of the Tyson image, and the complicated ways they feed each other — the fact that the allure of Tyson is bolstered by our sense of him as threatening.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's second wedding celebration. The couple is set to tie the knot this weekend at the 50-year-old actor's estate in Riceboro, Georgia, and ET has learned that the home is nothing short of special.Located roughly 45 minutes south of Savannah on Georgia's Hampton Island, the Affleck property is a private estate spanning 87 acres, a source tells ET. Surrounded by a deep-water dock, the 6,000-square-foot main house -- a recreation of a Greek Revival Southern Mansion -- has been called «The Big House.» The home was designed by Jim Strickland, founder of Architectural Concepts and a leader in coastal historic design and development.But that's not all.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's second wedding celebration. The couple is set to tie the knot this weekend at the 50-year-old actor's estate in Riceboro, Georgia, and ET has learned that the home is nothing short of spectacular.Located roughly 45 minutes south of Savannah on Georgia's Hampton Island, a source tells ET that the Affleck property is a private estate spanning 87 acres. Surrounded by an exceptional deep-water dock, the 6,000-square-foot main house, which serves as a recreation of a Greek Revival Southern Mansion, has been called, «The Big House.» The home was designed by Jim Strickland, Founder of Architectural Concepts, and a leader in coastal historic design and development.In addition, the Oyster House, a 10,000-square-foot guest house on the property, has three master suites and 6 bunk bedrooms.

Australian news outlet Crikey reports that not only were people offended, but one attendee said “there was a bit of a gasp” after the comment. Another said, “It felt like he was expecting us to laugh along, but people in the room were obviously shocked by it.” A spokesperson for the company, which aired “Game of Thrones” in Australia, later apologized for Delany’s remark: “The Foxtel Group apologies if his remarks were misunderstood and caused any offense….