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2 • March 1 - 7, 2020 • Brainerd Dispatch By Sarah Passingham TV Media A n alternate reality hiding just below the surface of the world we see every day is about to be revealed. On Sunday, March 1, a new mystery series, "Dispatches from Elsewhere," premieres on AMC, and it follows a group of strangers on a journey of discovery that blurs the lines between what's real and what's not. "Dispatches from Elsewhere" is a game that brings together four people that are searching for meaning in their lives. Each player has been won over and introduced to the elaborate alternate-reality game by the charismatic leader of the Jejune Institute, Octavio, played by Richard E. Grant ("Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, " 2019). As they chase clues and search for the mysteri- ous and missing Clara (Cecilia Balagot, "Girl Meets World"), they begin to question whether the game is really just a game. Our four participants are Fred- wynn, portrayed by André Benja- min ("American Crime"); Janice, played by the delightful Sally Field ("Hello, My Name Is Doris," 2015); Simone, played by Eve Lindley ("Mr. Robot"); and Peter, played by Jason Segel, who most TV fans will remember as Marshall from "How I Met Your Mother." As the players unravel the game's mysteries, they become entangled in the web of the secret society that springs from the Jejune Insti- tute, and they begin to believe they are seeing a new reality in plain sight. Segel not only stars in "Dispatch- es from Elsewhere," he is the show's creator and has a hand in every as- pect of the series. He's a writer, exec- utive producer and he directed the pilot episode, too. If you consider his previous screenwriting work, Segel's imaginative fingerprint appears to be all over this series. Though it's a tough thing to do in Hollywood, he has a history of getting his passion projects off the ground. Segel penned and executive produced "The Muppets" in 2011, but that wasn't his first foray into puppetry. It has been well doc- umented that the Dracula puppet opera featured in the 2008 film "Forgetting Sarah Mar- shall" is actually snippets of a full musical that Segel wrote before he began writing that film's script. It is not surprising that he has now helped create this odd, winding mys- tery series — the guy is much more strange and interesting than the role he's best known for would suggest. The secrets of this new show's freshman season remain just that for now — secret. Keeping the high- lights and surprises under wraps is very important to Segel. At a January Television Critics Association event, he said, "I actually don't want to give too much away if we are lucky enough to continue. It's an exciting experience — we'll see where it goes." If the mystery of the Jejune Insti- tute isn't enough to en- tice prospec- tive audienc- es, "Dis- patches from Else- where" boasts one of the most excit- ing en- semble casts in recent memory. Ben- jamin, perhaps better-known as An- dré 3000 of the band Outkast, has been building an impressive filmog- raphy since his debut as Silk Brown in the 2003 crime movie "Hollywood Homicide." He starred in "Four Brothers" in 2005 and made the move to television in 2016 for the second season of the anthology se- ries "American Crime." Field is a Hollywood veteran known for consistently incredible performances in virtually every genre and medium. She shines in heart- warming films such as "Steel Mag- nolias" (1989), "Forrest Gump" (1993) and "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1994), as well as action films such as "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), her early TV shows "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun," and her recent roles in quirky dramedies such as Netflix's "Maniac." Next to one of television and film's most celebrated actresses stands one of the most exciting fresh faces in the industry. Eve Lindley has already landed roles in some of the most buzzed-about recent series, such as "Outsiders," "Tales of the City" and "High Maintenance," but it is clear that this is only the beginning of a long and prolific acting career. At the same TCA event in January, Lindley shared how meaningful it was to portray a trans woman as a trans woman herself, saying, "I read the script and I was so moved. ... It was one of the best depictions of a trans character I ever read. I felt close to her. Jason [Segel] allowed me to interject a lot of myself into her." The premise for "Dispatches from Elsewhere" comes from some inter- esting source material. There is a "real" Jejune Institute, and it is the subject of the appropriately named 2013 documentary film, "The Insti- tute." Documentary might be a gen- erous term for what that feature is, as the institute itself was involved in its production. Between 2008 and 2011, the creators of "The Institute" amassed thousands of participants in their game and sent them all on silly adventures, like dancing with a sasquatch on a sidewalk. But they also asked them to search for a woman named Eva. The game was eventually disbanded, but it left par- ticipants questioning how much of what was revealed to them during the experience was real, which in- fused the whole operation with a cult-like quality. Down the rabbit hole Mystery series 'Dispatches from Elsewhere' premieres on AMC Cover Story this week Jason Segel stars in "Dispatches from Elsewhere" Conan President Trump's legal adviser, Jenna Ellis, criticized the halftime show as "demeaning to women." She said the president believes there is a time and a place to demean women, and that's Twitter. After President Trump gave his State of the Union address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore it in half. Then Melania said, "Great! Now do my prenup." The Oscars are on Sunday, and just to prepare you, it could be a very long night. The results are being tabulated by the Iowa Democrats. A Little Late With Lilly Singh I'm realizing I need to get better at dating. Let's be real: I'm bored, I'm lonely, I need to put someone else on my will besides my dog, Sparkles. You know the first record of a woman wearing high-heeled shoes dates all the way back to the 16th century, and I'm sure her blisters will be healed any day now. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs on winning Super Bowl LIV. And an even bigger congrats to everyone in Kansas City who actually showed up to work today. Bernie Sanders hosted a Super Bowl party in Iowa yesterday. He even made his special three-layer dip of Robitussin, Metamucil and Werther's Originals. If NBC can count the votes for "The Voice," then Iowa should be able to do it for a presidential election. Nancy Pelosi extended her hand to President Trump, and he wouldn't shake it. I'm not saying it was bad, but even flights circling LaGuardia aren't left hanging that long. Trump was acquitted today, and then he called up Ukraine and said, "Now, where were we?" 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 218-829-5278 321 South 7th Street Suite 105 • Brainerd, MN 56401 Sunday, June 28, 2020 10 am to 4 pm Located in Gregory Park Brainerd MN 56401 JOIN US! Come See Some Amazing Art Talents At Work! 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