Today's Entertainment

2 • September 29 - October 5, 2019 • Brainerd Dispatch By Kyla Brewer TV Media N ow that the fall television season is in full swing, a cornucopia of new shows is competing for the at- tention of TV fans, and only the strong will survive. One of the most promising series seems to have it all with a mix of of drama, mystery, sus- pense and science fiction, not to mention a very likable star. Allison Tolman ("Fargo") plays Jo Evans, a police chief who takes in a young girl, Piper (Alexa Swinton, "Bil- lions"), after she's found unscathed near the scene of a mysterious crash in "Emergence," airing Tuesday, Oct. 1, on ABC. Piper has no memory of what happened or who she really is, so Evans tries to uncover the truth about the girl's identity while also try- ing to protect her from people with unknown motives. As the plot thick- ens, the investigation uncovers a con- spiracy that puts Evans and her loved ones — including Piper — at risk. Evans struggles to keep Piper and her own daughter, Bree (Ashley Auf- derheide, "Going in Style," 2017), safe as she delves into the mystery behind the unexplained disaster. All the while, bizarre electronic disrup- tions wreak havoc around town and a strange cryptic symbol seems somehow related to Piper and the crash. The role of Evans requires a careful blend of strength and empathy, something Tolman talked about in an interview with collider.com in July. "What I really wanted to do was make sure that she was nurturing and caring and warm and really felt like a person we trusted with this kid," Tolman explained. "I wanted her to be driven by being good at her job and a sense of common decen- cy." Developed by "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World" creators Tara But- ters and Michele Fazekas, "Emer- gence" was originally produced as a pilot for NBC. When the Peacock network passed on the show, ABC snapped it up, but there aren't any hard feelings. According to deadline. com, NBC ex- ecutive Paul Telegdy commented on the ABC pickup dur- ing an NBC Upfront press call. "'Emergence' is a great show, one that we couldn't find a home for on NBC. We are delighted it has found a future on ABC," Telegdy said. It's clear that ABC has faith in the series. The network has been heavi- ly promoting "Emergence" since the pickup was announced, and it even tried to whet viewers' appe- tites by releasing the first nine min- utes of the show's first episode a full month before the premiere date. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the network gave audiences the opportunity to view the opening scene of the se- ries, which could be watched on YouTube, ABC.com, Twitter, Face- book and Hulu, as well as on select on-demand services. In a unique twist, the vid- eo was released at 3:10 a.m. ET, which is the time of day the mystery begins for Evans and her col- leagues at Long Island's Peconic Bay Police Department. "Emergence" boasts an intrigu- ing premise, but that isn't all it has going for it. The show's cast mem- bers have plenty of experience in television. In fact, this isn't even Tol- man's first time playing a police of- ficer. She gained widespread ac- claim for her role as police officer Molly Solverson in FX's "Fargo," a reimagining of the famed 1996 Coen Brothers film of the same name. The breakout performance not only made her a star, but it also netted her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, along with a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Tolman's other television credits include "Down- ward Dog," "The Mindy Project" and "Good Girls." While Tolman's co-star Swinton may be young, her resume is enough to make most seasoned actors jealous. She's appeared as Eva Rhoades in Showtime's "Bil- lions" since 2016 and has snagged roles in "Manifest" and "Saturday Night Live," among other high- profile series. The supporting cast of "Emer- gence" includes Donald Faison ("Scrubs") as Evans' ex-husband, Alex, who's concerned about what's happening in their sleepy little town. Reuters investigator Benny Gallagher (Owain Yeoman, "The Mentalist") wants to get to the bot- tom of what's going on as well. At the police department, Evans works alongside fellow officer Chris Mi- netto (Robert Bailey Jr., "The Night Shift"). She also relies on the sup- port of her best friend, pediatrician Dr. Abby Frasier (Zabryna Guevara, "Gotham"). Meanwhile, her father, Ed (Clancy Brown, "Carnivàle"), keeps his sense of humor as he bat- tles cancer. The stellar cast is sure to draw viewers, and ABC has a proven track record with the mystery-thriller-dra- ma genre before. The network's "Lost" had TV viewers riveted with its story of plane crash survivors on a mysterious island when it pre- miered in 2004. A "Lost" alum could bring the magic back with a recurring role in "Emergence." In August, news broke that Terry O'Quinn, who played John Locke in "Lost," would appear as ruthless self-made billionaire Richard Kin- dred in "Emergence." Back behind the badge Allison Tolman stars as a police chief in 'Emergence' Cover Story this week Donald Faison and Allison Tolman co-star in "Emergence" The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Today, millions of students across the country went back to school. Kids told their parents, "I'll miss you so much!" and their parents were like, "And I'll see you after school." New York City public schools are trying to be healthier this year, so they're no longer serving salami or bologna sandwiches. Instead, they're going with organic free-range pigeon. Tomorrow is the official start of the NFL 2019 season. That's right, for the next six months, 31 teams will battle for a chance to lose to the Patriots. The third democratic presidential debate is in less than a week. This debate will be on ABC, which is nice because the winners will get a boost in the polls and the losers will get a spot on "Dancing with the Stars." Yellowstone's Steamboat geyser had a record number of premature eruptions this year. Today, park rangers walked up to it and said, "Don't worry, this happens to lots of geysers." The Late Show With Stephen Colbert President Trump didn't just have wrong ideas about the hurricane, he also had some wrong ideas about what to do about hurricanes. During one White House briefing about the ongoing threat of hurricanes, Trump said, "I got it. I got it. Why don't we nuke them?" So, the most powerful man in the world wants to nuke the wind. Trump wants to nuke hurricanes, which is obviously crazy. And Marianne Williamson knows the only true defense against a hurricane is a giant coastal dreamcatcher. Last night, CNN hosted a series of town halls on climate change, and they hyped it like it was the end of the world — which it is. Never a comforting sign when the leaders who believe in climate change look like they are fleeing the planet. Late Laughs Downloadthe"VistBrainerd"App intheAppleorGooglePlayStores. Events,lodgingandthingstodo inthepalmofyourhand. VISITBRAINERD PlanningYour VisittoBrainerd JustGotEasier. TheOfficialDMOforBaxterandBrainerd,MN EntertainmentGuide_July_2x4.indd 1 6/26/2019 12:42:53PM Truth Lutheran Church 501 Kingwood Street, Brainerd, MN (Corner of 5th & Kingwood) truthlutheranchurch.com An LCMC Congregation …Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ Sunday worship 9 AM Fellowship and Sunday school following worship To help support BCA: Make a tax deductible donation: BrainerdCommunityAction.org and use the "Click Here to Donate" Button. Brainerd Community Action is looking forward to launching its very first COMMUNITY GIVE BACK GRANT! Contact Cassie with questions at Cassie@BrainerdCommunityAction.org

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