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Entertainment Now | July 4 - 10, 2020 By Rachel Jones TV Media T he Season 1 finale of "NOS4A2" couldn't have been more riveting: a ma- niacal immortal woke up from his coma, ready to feed on the souls of more children. While it was satisfying to see the show's famous car go up in smoke, the show's villainous vampire is indeed back in anoth - er thrilling season of this dark series. You can catch the second episode of Season 2 when it airs Sunday, July 5, on AMC. The series is based on author Joe Hill's third novel, also named "NOS4A2." Hill's first two books, "Heart-Shaped Box" and "Horns," have already been snapped up by filmmakers, so be on the lookout for those big- screen adaptations. "NOS4A2," on the other hand, is perfect for the television treatment. It's been given a two-season-and- counting run on AMC, the net - work that's been home to mega- hits such as "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men." The show's title is ominously pronounced "Nosferatu," and its license plate-styled spelling is a nod to the book's cover art and one of the story's most im- portant characters, a 1938 Rolls- Royce Wraith. Season 1 does a great job set- ting up an airtight, gripping plot. It opens in a town called Here, Iowa, where contempo- rary vampire Charlie (Zachary Quinto, "Star Trek Into Dark- ness," 2013) lures kids into the too-good-to-be-real Christmas- land, where every day is Christ- mas and sadness is a crime. Of course, he rarely mentions the part where he devours most of each child's soul. Meanwhile, in Haverhill, Mas- sachusetts, a townie named Vic- toria "Vic" McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings, "The Goldfinch," 2019) must come to terms with her own supernatural powers. She can find answers and miss- ing things just by riding her bike across an old, decrepit bridge called the Shorter Way. While crossing the bridge, Vic meets a medium named Maggie (Jahka- ra Smith, "Into the Dark"), who gives her an important mission: save the children from Charlie. But somehow, Charlie can sense Vic's presence and hopes to recruit her to the dark side. He and his new apprentice, Bing Partridge (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga," 2020), track her down, and what followed was a gripping tale with twists and turns that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Interest- ing characters like Charlie's old love interest, Jolene (Judith Roberts, "Orange Is the New Black"), and Vic's childhood friend and secret admirer, Craig (Dalton Harrod, "Second Act," 2018), have come and gone (in a blaze of glory), fleshing out the backstories of the main characters and proving that no one is safe in this series. Ultimately, Season 1 ends in flames: after a major explosion, Charlie slips into a coma, but then, six months later, he is awoken once more. Season 2 takes place eight years after Charlie regained consciousness. Vic is all the more determined to destroy Charlie, who is now seeking re- venge and targeting the person who means the most to Vic: the 8-year-old son, Wayne (Jason David, "For All Mankind"), that she had with Lou Carmody (Jon- athan Langdon, "Utopia Falls"). The fight over Wayne's soul throws Vic and Charlie on a high-speed collision course, each determined to claim the boy at all costs. So far this season, Vic has turned to Maggie to get infor- mation about Charlie's where- abouts. Meanwhile, Charlie's assistant, Bing, has started trac- ing the Wraith's whereabouts. So far, he's found nothing but dead ends. Perhaps one of the most important developments in this new season is that Millie Manx (Mattea Conforti, "Pow- er"), one of Charlie's "chil- dren," has just uncovered a new dimension inside Christmas- land. "NOS4A2" is more than ready to grip audiences once more with its unique, other- worldly brand of awe. This hor- ror series has hit a chord with viewers, and its fans are relish- ing in its dark and mysterious premise. While we loved seeing Charlie's Wraith explode and watching the bad guy get what he deserved, we couldn't be happier to see him return for this second installment. Hill, the show's writer and creator, comes by his penchant for the dark and creepy honestly. He's the son of legendary horror writer Stephen King, who brought us such terrifying clas- sics as "Pet Sematary," "'Sa- lem's Lot," "Carrie," "Misery," "The Stand" and oh so many more. While he may be the son of horror royalty, Hill has made his own way in the literary world and is no stranger to seeing his work on the small screen: if you haven't watched the adaptation of his comic book series "Locke & Key" on Netflix, you should definitely put it on your list. The genius of "NOS4A2" may have begun with Hill's novel, but the show's screenwriters and acting talent can be thanked for building just the right amount of tension into the exhilarating plot twists. The series is an impecca- bly faithful rendition of Hill's original story, and it translates incredibly well to the screen. Tune in on Sunday, July 5, as a new episode of the second sea- son of "NOS4A2" airs on AMC. Jonathan Langdon, Jason David and Ashleigh Cummings in "NOS4A2" Thirsty for more: Season 2 of 'NOS4A2' continues on AMC 2 | Cover story A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" Moore's Home Health 5 x 2" 3833 S Lafountain 455-2700 www.NorrisInsurance.com Great insurance. Local Service. Sitting or standing for extended periods of time causes unpleasant symptoms like leg swelling, poor circulation and joint damage. Compression therapy gives your legs the support they need to function properly while you're working and/or traveling. 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