Entertainment NOW

2 • July 17 - 23, 2022 Entertainment Now By Dana Simpson TV Media I f there's anything the Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Mummy and National Treasure movie franchises have shown, it's that historical fiction and action make a great pair. So, why not make the most of it in the world of prime-time television? That's exactly what CBS aimed to do when it launched the first season of "Blood & Treasure" on the network in 2019. Now, after three years of halted production schedules due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, "Blood & Treasure" is back for Season 2, this time on ViacomCBS's streaming service, Paramount+. Don't miss the first two episodes when they premiere Sunday, July 17. Created by Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia, the writer/ producers behind the series "Lim- itless" and "Jericho," "Blood & Treasure" is an action-adventure series for the historically enthusi- astic traveler. When Season 1 first began, viewers were introduced to Danny McNamara (Matt Barr, "Walker") pretty well right out of the gate. Calm, cool and well put together, Danny is an antiquities expert who is forced to team up with an old flame in order to stop a terrorist who is funding his em- pire through stolen artwork and ancient artifacts. The old flame is Lexi Vaziri (So- fia Pernas, "Jane the Virgin"), who is hardly old but is certainly full of fire. Explicitly chosen by Danny as his right-hand woman because of her criminal intelligence, Lexi is a quick-on-her-feet art thief who struggles to cope with her father's death — something she clearly blames on Danny and which haunts their already tested rela- tionship with one another. Over the course of the first sea- son's 13 episodes, Danny and Lexi try their best to put their claws away and focus on the big picture: save Danny's cohort, Dr. Ana Cas- tillo (Alicia Coppola, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," 2007), from an art-obsessed terrorist fac- tion, wipe that threat off the face of the planet and make the world a better place in the process. That doesn't mean, however, that the pair of ex-lovers don't still have a sordid history to work out through layers of teamwork and sarcasm. From the very beginning, audiences learn that Castillo had made a great find prior to being attacked and presumably being taken hostage, along with her team, by Karim Farouk (Oded Fehr, "The Mummy," 1999) and his gang of goons. Told that Castillo found the tombs of Mark Antony and Cleopatra while on location in Egypt, viewers more than likely (correctly) pieced together that the bulk of Season 1 would take place in Egypt. From undercover missions posing as arms dealers to high-octane scenes chasing bad guys through crowded markets, "Blood & Treasure" later takes audiences on a trip beyond the pyramids of Giza to Spain, Morocco, Quebec and the curious Bermuda Triangle, known for several disappear- ances in its environs. Season 2, which begins July 17 with two episodes, titled "The Soul of Genghis Khan" and "Tales of the Golden Tiger," appears to begin in the Far East, more than likely in modern-day China. While this season is also expected to run for 13 episodes, fans of the series should prepare for some of the same good old-fashioned globe-trotting that took them on a whirlwind adventure before the pandemic in 2019. Cover Story Matt Barr and Sofia Pernas in "Blood & Treasure" Prime-time jewel: Barr, Pernas return for more 'Blood & Treasure' Ready Rental 3 x 4 Hayley Siefert 3 x 2 Letters & Numbers Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row,every column, and every 4x4 box contains the digits 1 through 9 AND the letters A-F. Solution on page 12. Advertise Your Business In Call Advertising at 217-477-5105

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