Television

THE REPUBLIC OF SARAH

• By KENNE HOFFMAN

Sarah Cooper (Tell Me Your Secrets’ Stella Baker) is a friendly high school teacher in Greylock New Hampshire who taps into her rebellious side to fight the mega- corporation Lyndon Industries in the CW’s The Republic of Sarah. When a valuable mineral used in tech is discovered under the town, Sarah will try (with the help of her friends, colleagues, and students) to rally the townspeople into voting for independence, protecting their homes, jobs, and the town. The cast will also include Luke Mitchell, Megan Follows, Izabella Alvarez, Ian Duff, Hope Lauren, Nia Holloway, Landry Bender, and Forrest Goodluck. CBS-TV Studios’ Jeffrey Paul King created the series and wrote the teleplay for the first episode. Executive producers are King, Cat Candler, Marc Webb, Mark Martin, Jeff Grosvenor, and Leo Pearlman.

Greylock, New Hampshire was just your run-of-the-mill town until the mining industry corporate giant stepped into the picture. There seems to be no way to stop the bulldozers and the town’s impending demise until Sarah discovers a strange cartographical loophole that proves Greylock was never officially claimed by the United States. She proposes an oddly intriguing solution — they could declare independence. Sarah discovers that her own brother, eager to exact his revenge upon the community he feels abandoned him, is representing the mining company. While they argue it could benefit the town, the negative consequences could be much worse. Should be exciting!

Premiering June 14th on The CW Network. For more, click here.

MASTERCHEF: LEGENDS

• By KENNE HOFFMAN
• Photo Courtesy of FOX

Get ready for the main dish. Gordon Ramsay serves up the next course in FOX’s all-new epic cooking competition Next Level Chef. The show will follow Ramsay along with elite chef co-mentors Nyesha Arrington and Gino D’Acampo as they take a group of talented chefs under their wings and see who becomes the next superstar of the food world. The trio will leave no stone unturned as they each recruit a group of folks to participate in the competition. Ramsey has designed a three-story culinary tower with each floor containing a different kitchen and challenge of varying degrees. From the basement to the top floor, the ingredients will match the environment’s challenge as line cooks, home chefs, social media stars, and food truck owners compete for the $250,000 prize. The true test of a great chef is not only what they can do in the best of circumstances, but what kind of magic they can create in the worst!

Gordon Ramsay is a household name in the world of television cooking shows. He is the only culinary talent in the U.S. with four primetime national network shows also including Master Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmare. He is well known for his strict demeanor while judging the contestants. Next Level Che fpremiered on May 17, so it is not too late to catch up on all the fun before the final course is served!

For more details, click here.

PHYSICAL

• By RICH ANDREW
• Photo Courtesy of APPLE TV+

Creator Annie Weisman (Almost Family) turns up the summer heat with her latest dramedy that delves into the world of aerobics. Set under the neon kitsch of the 1980s when fitness tapes and health nuts were on the rise, Physical follows Sheila Rubin, a young woman who finds herself burnt out in her roles as homemaker and housewife. And donning the bouncy curls and lycra leotards of this unfortunate soul is the irresistibly charming Rose Byrne (Mrs. America), here to flex some serious comedy chops. Desperate to shed her crippling self-doubt, Sheila channels her frustrations into an aerobics class where she can finally work out her inner demons. All that sweat leads to self-empowerment, and Sheila soon goes from beginner to instructor, from fitness guru to tv personality as her workouts start to go viral on videotape. Beneath the show’s ‘80s flair is a beautiful feminist message about building up your personal strength and exercising your independence, and as always, Byrne is a delight, nailing her character’s journey from sad sap to successful entrepreneur. With a stellar cast that also stars Rory Scovel (Superstore), Geoffrey Arend (The Magicians), Paul Sparks (Castle Rock), Lou Taylor Pucci (American Horror Story), Della Saba (Solve), Deirdre Friel (New Amsterdam), Ashley Liao (Fuller House), and Ian Gomez (The Morning Show), Physical has all the right moves.

“Physical” premieres June 18th.

LISEY’S STORY

• By RICH ANDREW
• Photo Courtesy of APPLE TV+

The lucky writer tasked with adapting Lisey’s Story from page to screen is the horror master himself Stephen King. This limited series promises to be a surefire hit, attracting powerhouse players like executive producer J.J. Abrams (Lovecraft Country) and director Pablo Larraín (Fugitives). And tackling the titular role of Lisey is the incomparable Julianne Moore (Dear Evan Hansen), who plays the grieving widow of famous author Scott Landon. As Lisey attempts to settle his affairs, sifting through mountains of clutter and boxing up tomes of unfinished manuscripts, she becomes tormented by cryptic messages left behind by Scott. When a Professor Dashmiel comes knocking, hoping to profit off an unpublished gem, Lisey turns him away, refusing to tarnish her husband’s legacy. So the professor sics a crazed stalker after her to steal Landon’s work. The more Lisey tries to make sense of Scott’s riddles, the more his wild imagination bleeds into her haunting reality. As always, Julianne Moore steals the show with such an all-consuming performance that watching her character lose her mind has never been more chilling. With an incredible cast that also includes Clive Owen (American Crime Story), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Atypical), Sung Kang (Power), Dane DeHaan (ZeroZeroZero), Clark Furlong (Bad Witch), Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us), and Joan Allen (The Family), Lisey’s Story may just be King’s masterpiece.

“Lisey’s Story” premieres June 4th.