Lori Acken, Author at StayTuned Magazine

American Horror Story: Hotel — who is new, who is back and who plays whom in Season 5

September 30, 2015 Lori Acken

When Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk bring American Horror Story back for its fifth season — fittingly subtitled Hotel — look for the FX hit to boast another bold new look, but a feel that revisits the first season of the most-watched franchise in the network’s 21-year history. “True horror fans loved the first season because it really is a very psychological season and it plays with a lot of very familiar tropes,” Murphy explains. “The season we’re doing this year harkens back to the first season, which is much more rooted in honest, primal fears.” AHS — which has […]

The Bastard Executioner Episode 4 recap: Milus to go before anyone sleeps

September 29, 2015 Lori Acken

When I talked The Bastard Executioner with its Milus Corbett, Stephen Moyer, in August — episode 1 under my belt and little idea of all that lay ahead — Moyer was practically vibrating with excitement over the scripts Kurt Sutter was putting in his hands. For good reason. Tonight’s episode, “A Hunger/Newyn,” fully displayed the spectacular depth of deviousness with which the Chamberlin has been bestowed. • The Bastard Executioner Season 1 recaps: Episode 1 and 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 |Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9 “People are going to want this shire,” […]

American Masters: The Women’s List on PBS is an uplifting celebration of women

September 25, 2015 Lori Acken

If you are a woman, love a woman, are raising a woman-in-the-making or teaching them, tonight’s American Masters: The Women’s List on PBS is can’t-miss TV. The latest of filmmaker/photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ List documentary series (The Boomer List, The Black List, The Latino List, The Out List), The Women’s List features intimate and inspiring interviews with Madeleine Albright, Gloria Allred, Laurie Anderson, Sara Blakely, Nia Wordlaw Margaret Cho, Edie Falco, Betsey Johnson, Alicia Keys, Aimee Mullins, Nancy Pelosi, Rosie Perez, Shonda Rhimes and Wendy Williams — all of whom share their own experiences and advice on making it big as a woman in what remains a […]

FOX’s “The Grinder” and “Grandfathered”: A quartet of former teen heartthrobs are back on TV in fun — and funny! — new roles

September 24, 2015 Lori Acken

Ladies, we have four good reasons why you should tune in to FOX’s Tuesday night comedy lineup come Sept. 29 — especially if you were ever a teenage girl with a crush. Reasons one and two: The Grinder’s Rob Lowe (Sodapop Curtis! Billy Hicks! Sam Seaborn!) and Fred Savage (Kevin Arnold forevah!). Reasons three and four: Grandfathered’s John Stamos (Uncle Jesse!) and Josh Peck (the Josh half of Drake & Josh!). And here’s a fifth reason — both shows are multigenerational, laugh-out-loud treats that are, yes, fun for the whole family. Here, the gents talk about blending the old and the […]

The Bastard Executioner Episode 2 recap: Brattle by a nose…

September 22, 2015 Lori Acken

When we left Welsh soldier turned barley farmer turned reluctant Bastard Executioner Wilkin Brattle (Lee Jones), he had just used his battle savvy to sever the head of Chamberlin Milus Corbett’s (Stephen Moyer) hapless half-brother. On said Chamberlin’s orders. This week, we open on Brattle’s spiritual adviser Annora of the Alders (Katey Sagal) employing a massive dead hog to teach Wilkin the ways of the punisher, so he can maintain the ruse she insists is his destiny. “A man’s flesh will give to the blade,” she tells him, as his knife glides through the poor beast. Cut to a sculptor teaching […]

The Bastard Executioner premiere recap: Nothing more dangerous than a Welshman with nothing to lose

September 16, 2015 Lori Acken

Kurt Sutter’s much-anticipated new FX drama The Bastard Executioner launches with a primer of sorts: “Wales, the dawn of the 14th century. Roman Catholicism dominates the religious landscape. The Welsh, fighting fiercely for independence, have been crushed by Edward Longshanks, King Edward I of England. After Longshanks’death, his impulsive son, King Edward II, takes the thrown. Tension grows in the turbulent marshlands between Wales and England. Fearing rebellion, English barons rule their Welsh fiefdoms with uncompromising brutality. The oppressed peasants of these shires desperately cling to their faith that a loving God is watching over them.” • MORE: The cast and creators […]

Dan and Michelle Hamill on a big new season of Our Little Family

September 15, 2015 Lori Acken

When Dan and Michelle Hamill introduced viewers to life with their three adorable kids — big brother Jack and twins Cate and CeCe — in February, it was little surprise that folks promptly fell head over heels for the Annapolis, MD, family, all of whom were born with achondroplasia. Now the Hamills and their charming TLC unscripted series, Our Little Family, are back for Season 2 with a fresh batch of fun. Summer vacation has arrived for Jack, the girls are cherubic (and potty trained!) chatterboxes and new adventures await. We caught up with Dan and Michelle last week to talk Season […]

Limitless: Bradley Cooper EPs — and guests in — new CBS thriller based on the film

September 11, 2015 Lori Acken

Limitless CBS Premieres: Sept. 22 Airs: Tuesdays at 10pm Who’s In It? Jake McDorman, Jennifer Carpenter, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Hill Harper, Bradley Cooper. Picking up after the events of the 2011 film starring Cooper (who co-executive produces), Limitless stars McDorman (Greek, Shameless) as Brian Finch, an amiable slacker with a desperately ill dad, whose former bandmate introduces him to NZT, a mysterious drug that allows its takers to use every last brain cell. In short order, Brian’s newfound talents and seeming ability to take NZT without its deadly side effects attract the attention of both the FBI, who hope to use […]

The Bastard Executioner: The cast and creators talk Kurt Sutter’s breathtaking medieval drama premiering Tuesday on FX

September 11, 2015 Lori Acken

When Kurt Sutter announced he was bringing his FX hit Sons of Anarchy to a close last year, speculation began immediately as to how the writer/producer would next apply his signature brand of storytelling. Sutter was already on the job. Having tackled cops with their own brand of morality in The Shield and outlaw bikers with the same in Sons, Sutter opted to indulge his love of history and a need to “work out all my Catholic s–t” and craft a story around another soul whose morals and mission are often at odds. This time, a medieval executioner. Set in northern Wales in the 14th century, a time […]

Scream Queens: Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele star in Ryan Murphy’s campy FOX scarefest

September 10, 2015 Lori Acken

Scream Queens FOX Premieres: Sept. 22 at 8pm Airs: Tuesdays at 9pm Who’s In It? Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Keke Palmer, Oliver Hudson, Diego Boneta, Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas Scream Queens co-creator Ryan Murphy says the idea for this deliciously campy dramedy sprung from his and his creative partner Brad Falchuk’s love of classic horror films and their American Horror Story ingénue Roberts. “When we were doing Coven, we were talking about how much we loved writing the comedy of that — particularly Emma’s stuff,” he says. “Two years later, we were talking about ‘What if we […]