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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, September 20, 2019 4 By Breanna Henry TV Media A s most viewers are prob- ably aware, the Parable of the Prodigal Son comes from the Bible. It's a cul- turally transcendent tale about a wayward child who returns home after many years to a shockingly welcome reunion. The story has been reworded, reimagined and retold many times in books, movies and television, but never quite like this. The new Fox series "Prodi- gal Son" premieres Monday, Sept. 23, and in this case, "prodigal" doesn't imply that the son was reckless, wasteful and extravagant, like he was in the source material. This time it just means that he's not a seri- al killer. British actor Tom Payne ("The Walking Dead") plays Malcolm Bright, a criminal pro- filer whose life and career choices have been heavily in- fluenced by the traumatic events of his childhood. A-list Welsh actor Michael Sheen ("Good Omens") plays Martin, Malcolm's father and the cause of all that trauma — he just happens to be an infa- mous serial killer. If you're not sure how a bib- lical tale of unconditional love and acceptance can be used as a jumping-off point for a series about a possibly unstable pro- filer with a criminally insane fa- ther, you'll need to tune in to find out. I can admit to prejudging this series when I first heard about it. I can't be the only per- son who hears the words "seri- al killer" and "TV drama" and immediately thinks of the long- running, Golden Globe-win- ning series "Dexter," despite that show having ended more than six years ago. "Prodigal Son" however, does not try to be "Dexter." It's an original story that has intrigued me more and more as I've learned more about it. Sheen's Martin is a seeming- ly deranged serial killer known as "The Surgeon," who was locked up when Malcolm was just a boy. As a direct result of his strange and horrifying childhood, Malcolm takes an interest in law enforcement as an adult, particularly criminal psychology. He becomes a very successful profiler, thanks to his ability to "think like a kill- er." Unfortunately for Malcolm, his talent is eclipsed by the fear that the apple may not have fallen far from the tree, and the FBI lets him go. Instead, he's picked out by an NYPD agent named Gil, who is played by screen veteran Lou Diamond Phillips ("Longmire"). Unfortu- nately for Malcolm's sanity, Gil seems to have chosen him be- cause of his unsavory connec- tions, not despite them. A copycat serial killer has emerged, and the perpetrator is copying "The Surgeon." Mal- colm is forced to meet with his father, which brings memories of his traumatic childhood flooding back. He's worked his whole life to ensure that peo- ple like his father are caught and incarcerated, so why the title "Prodigal Son?" Well, Martin seems to think that he and his son are exactly the same, and that once Mal- colm accepts his true nature, the father and son can build a wonderful relationship like the one they had when Malcolm was a child, before Martin was locked up for being a homicidal maniac. It is the relationship between father and son that really drives this series. Though Malcolm is loathe to admit it, he and Martin really connect. There is still a bond between the two that cannot be denied. While the circumstances are extreme, "Prodigal Son" com- bines its serial killer-centric sto- ryline with elements of a family drama. Rounding out this be- yond-dysfunctional family is Halston Sage ("The Orville") as Payne's spoiled sister and Bel- lamy Young ("Scandal") as Payne's mother — Fox has put together a team of actors who have earned their stripes on the small screen, proven dra- matic stars that keep the show compelling. This series has a real shot at becoming televi- sion gold, and I (along with Fox executives) am hoping that it lives up to its potential. If you have yet to watch any of the great trailers for "Prodi- gal Son," they're a good place to start in preparation for the series premiere. The costumes, set design and color correction of the show evoke the 1991 Oscar-winning film "The Si- lence of the Lambs," and that's without taking into consider- ation flashbacks to meetings between the boy and his father, who is chained up just like Dr. Hannibal Lecter himself. There are some dark and even gruesome moments in these trailers, though — the series might not be great for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. As Malcolm struggles to come to terms with his com- plex feelings about his father, he admits that what he is truly terrified of is himself. Can the apple fall far from the tree? coverstory Lou Diamond Phillips stars in "Prodigal Son" Sins of the father: New Fox drama is police procedural and family drama combined By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Is "Good Witch" off for good or just for a break like it has been doing? Why do they keep taking it off, and if it is coming back, when? A: I have good news for you, but somehow I don't think it will be enough: "Good Witch" is confirmed to continue on as it has been for at least another season of witchcrafty romance. In fact, the show's schedule has been remarkably consis- tent, especially for a cable series with a bit of a formatting twist. Each of the past four seasons has premiered in spring and ended in summer — only the first season deviated from this, debuting in February instead. And all of those seasons have also featured a special late October TV movie (that's the twist — most shows don't offer a mid-break movie to tide fans over). Hallmark didn't announce a premiere date when it an- nounced the sixth-season renewal, but there's no reason to think it won't be happening in the spring, like the others. If it feels like the show keeps disappearing on you (magically or otherwise), it might be because the seasons are short, as is often the case with cable series. Each season has had just 10 episodes, whereas the rule for network shows is generally 22. With that as the comparison, 10 episodes isn't much, and if you're really in love with a show, it goes by in a flash. But again, we know it was renewed, so there's a strong likelihood that another telefilm will air in October. Q: Did the kids from "ALF" go on to do anything else? A: You're looking for the short answer here, and the short answer is no. Did they continue acting after "ALF" ended in 1990? Sure they did. Did they reach the popular heights that they did with "ALF"? Not even close. (Good use of the all-caps, by the way, since, as you know, "ALF" was not just a name, but also an acronym that stood for "alien life form.") Andrea Elson played Lynn on the smash-hit, late '80s sit- com, the elder of two children in the Tanner family, who gener- ously took ALF in after his spaceship crash-landed on their ga- rage. Her biggest non-Tanner role actually came pre-"ALF," as one of the title characters in the short-lived adventure series "Whiz Kids" in 1983. She starred in all 18 episodes of that se- ries two years before "ALF" premiered. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. hollywoodQ&A Towne Floring 3 x 2 The Powell Company 2 x 2

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