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2 • April 21 - 27, 2019 • Brainerd Dispatch By Francis Babin TV Media W e are currently living in the era of superheroes — whether on the big or small screen, they are un- avoidable. It seems like every month a new series or film is released featur- ing a costumed protagonist using his or her superhuman powers to save the day. Even if there are many inter- esting stories being told (see last year's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider- Verse"), it's easy to see how some- one can be afflicted by a bad case of superhero fatigue. How many times can we watch Bruce Wayne become Batman? We may complain about the abun- dance of superhero sagas, but some- how we are still drawn to them. Some tales are just compelling, they speak to us. It's why Superman, Robin Hood, Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, Jean Valjean and other famous literary characters will never truly go away. The characters and myths are fasci- nating, timeless and, in the hands of creative people, can be perpetually reinvented. On Sunday, April 21, "Les Mi- sérables" is back with a new episode on PBS. First published in 1862, Victor Hugo's magnum opus has since been adapted into multiple languages in numerous mediums, including doz- ens of films. PBS's new miniseries marks the novel's return to English television for the first time since 2000 (it has been adapted into Vietnamese and Spanish in the interim, with an upcoming Japanese version on the way). Dominic West ("The Affair") takes a break from playing slimy, unlikable characters to portray the ex-convict Jean Valjean. After serving a brutal prison sentence for stealing bread in order to feed his sister's children, Valjean struggles for redemp- tion and tries to lead a nor- mal life during a tumultu- ous time in French history. Along with West, David Oyelowo ("Selma," 2014) stars as Javert, the scene- stealing police inspector who makes it his mission to see that Valjean is never truly free, and Lily Collins ("The Last Tycoon") plays Fantine Thibault, a factory worker and mother to Cosette (Ellie Bamber, "Nocturnal Animals," 2016) who must resort to menial work in order to sur- vive in post-revolutionary France. They are joined by Adeel Akhtar ("Counter- part") and Oscar winner Olivia Col- man ("The Crown") as Monsieur and Madame Thénardier, respectively, Derek Jacobi ("Murder on the Orient Express," 2017) as Bishop Myriel and a bevy of other ultra-talented actors. Adapted by Andrew Davies ("House of Cards") and directed by Tom Shankland ("The Missing"), the latest "Les Misérables" miniseries does not include any of the world- famous songs from the legendary stage musical, but in- stead opts to focus on the original source material of Hugo's novel. It looks and feels like no other ad- aptation, and is especially different from the last major "Les Mis" produc- tion, Tom Hooper's 2012 blockbuster film. At the Television Critics Associa- tion (TCA) Winter Press Tour, award- winning screenwriter Davies spoke to the stunned crowd about his dis- dain for what most consider one of the greatest stage musicals of all time: "I absolutely hated the musi- cal," he said, adding that he wanted to rescue what he considered to be a great book. While the gifted scribe doesn't typically adapt stories like "Les Misérables," he saw something in the source material that called to him, specifically the cat-and-mouse relationship between the two leads. Moreover, he was not intimidated by the renowned novel like many oth- ers have been: "I thought I wanted to have a go at it. I'm an old man, I don't get scared. I've faced down many great books. This is just anoth- er great book." The six-part miniseries features a modern take on the French classic. It showcases an ethnically diverse cast, various British accents, and fo- cuses on rebellion, poverty and the day-to-day struggle of ordinary peo- ple, making it incredibly relevant to today's world. These decisions were made not only to differentiate it from its predecessors, but to make the story resonate with audiences. Jean Valjean's extraordinary jour- ney of redemption during a time of civil unrest has become amazingly important in today's world. As previ- ously mentioned, PBS's "Les Mi- sérables" deals with many current problems in our society but also digs deep into themes that dominate our political discourse, such as class, in- equality, wealth, the judicial system and the prison industry. "Les Misérables" is considered one of the greatest literary works of all time from one of the greatest au- thors, and it's easy to see why. Jean Valjean's inspirational arc of destitu- tion, struggle and redemption is as captivating now as it was when the novel was published 157 years ago. If we take a close look around us, we will find real human beings that mir- ror the characters of Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Cosette and the Thénardiers in our everyday life — these charac- ters are not just abstract concepts or caricatures, but depictions of real qualities and struggles found in the lives of men and women that we know personally. On Sunday, April 21, take a trip through time with a new episode of "Les Misérables," on PBS. Updating a classic Stars shine bright in 'Les Misérables' Cover Story this week Lily Collins as seen in "Les Misérables" The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon Over the weekend, J.K. Rowling revealed that Dumbledore had an "intense sexual relationship" with Grindelwald. You can read all about it in her next book, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Too Much Information." Later this year, the creators of "Game of Thrones" are going to start shooting some new Star Wars films. It's very exciting for fans who love the Star Wars movies but always thought they could use more incest. I saw that for Easter, some Ikea stores are having an all- you-can-eat buffet. Yeah, 'cause spending the holidays with family wasn't stressful enough — let's throw a trip to Ikea into the mix. The Late Late Show With James Corden After getting pulled over by the police, a man in South Carolina attempted to cover the smell of alcohol on his breath by spraying his mouth with — get this — Axe body spray. And you thought the worst thing you could do with Axe body spray was put it on your body. Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che McDonald's has announced plans for new digital menus at their drive-thrus that will offer customers suggestions based on what they ordered. For instance, if you order a salad, it will suggest you stop kidding yourself. 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