October 25 - 31, 2020 The Barre Montpelier Times Argus and Rutland Herald Crosswords, Puzzles & More ‘The Undoing’ – Grant, Kidman play NY power couple in twisty drama Nicole Kidman stars in “The Undoing,” premiering Sunday on HBO. Bill BY JAY BOBBIN Skarsgard For those who might not be familiar with the miniseries version of years to terrify the locals, showing up in various guises to try to scare the Stephen King’s “It,” made in 1990 with a host of familiar television amateur detectives out of their wits. faces (John Ritter, Richard Thomas, etc.), it bears mention that the “It” benefits in two big ways. There haven’t been many King movie original novel was published in 1986. Therefore, no one could accuse the adaptations lately, where there used to be a ton of them – it’s not a iconic horror writer from stealing any ideas for it from the more recent stretch to say there was a new one almost every month for a while – so streaming series “Stranger Things.” his themes are relatively fresh again, with an “It Chapter Two” (which Both stories involve groups of young friends in terrifying did consider the characters as adults) having followed this. And the circumstances, and rather than also dealing with its characters as adults, believability here is helped by a cast that’s virtually unknown, with the the 2017 screen version of “It” – which TNT shows Wednesday, Oct. possible exception of young Finn Wolfhard, also featured in “Stranger 14 – remains focused on their childhoods in a Maine town – where one Things.” youngster is guided to his fate by an evil clown named Pennywise (played As it stands, by focusing on the characters in their younger years, “It” is here by Bill Skarsgard, though Tim Curry had more of an overall impact hugely reminiscent of another popular King story, “Stand by Me.” That in the role in the aforementioned miniseries). has its own suspense, but of a more down-to-earth nature by playing ‘It’ retains its terror in Other children vanish in the months afterward, prompting the brother up some of the basic rites of childhood, That sense of close camaraderie of the first apparent victim to gather his so-called “Losers Club” to seek also permeates this tale, and minus the horror aspect, it’s almost equally Stephen King-story remake those who are missing – with Pennywise, who reappears roughly every 30 affecting. BY JAY BOBBIN BY GEORGE DICKIE PBS’ ‘American Portrait’ explores a ‘Generation Nation’ Secrets could be ‘The Undoing’ With a huge assist from its viewers, PBS is Arwyn of privileged Manhattanites in HBO generating an “American Portrait” of the people and history of this country. Lives of privilege get thrown into turmoil dismantle her current life and make a new one Launched at the start of this year, the when shocking revelations surface in the wake for her family. initiative’s contribution-gathering website has of a violent death in a limited thriller series The series comes from writer/creator resulted in several public-television specials. The upcoming on HBO. David E. Kelley (“Big Little Lies,” “Picket latest – “Generation Nation” – airs Monday, In “The Undoing,” a six-part series Fences”), was directed by Susanne Bier (“The Oct. 26 (check local listings) and examines the premiering Sunday, Oct. 25, we are introduced Night Manager”) and features a cast that also experiences of three people of varied ages and locales. Austin, Texas, teen Arwyn prepares for to Grace and Jonathan Fraser, a Manhattan includes Edgar Ramirez (“Carlos”), Noma a school year amid the coronavirus pandemic; power couple living the only life they have ever Dumezweni (“Black Earth Rising”), Lily middle-aged Philadelphian Kat faces job loss wanted. Grace (Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Rabe (“American Horror Story”) and Donald while supporting her children, one of them Lies,” “Moulin Rouge”) is a successful therapist Sutherland (“Citizen X”). autistic; and Inverness, Calif., senior citizen project. It was really just a matter of, ‘How do on the verge of publishing her first book, while It also has a lot of twists and turns in a Marna fulfills her long-desired pursuit of art and we put that on TV now?,’ so we were uniquely Jonathan (Hugh Grant, “Love Actually,” “A world where no one is who they seem, which photography. positioned to be able to do that.” Very English Scandal”) is an oncologist and is why Kidman signed on to work with her “The web platform is sort of the center of With a full “American Portrait” series coming her devoted husband. They have a young son “Lies” boss once again. the wheel for all of the other parts of ‘American to PBS next year, producer Michelle Stephenson attending an elite private school in the city. Portrait,’ ” explains Craig D’Entrone, who has “I think what the theme of it is ...,” the the title “multiplatform showrunner” for the adds that even with the pandemic, “Our themes Overnight, a chasm opens in their lives actress says, “choosing to unknow things is a project’s production entity, RadicalMedia. “If have remained the same. Because we are about when a violent death occurs and Jonathan fascinating part of human nature. And when you go to the website, you will see thousands what’s happening in 2020, as a commemoration disappears. And in the place of the man she you choose to – and what you choose to of stories from all 50 states and all different of the 50th anniversary of PBS, the stories take thought she knew, Grace is now faced with a believe and what you choose to see would be. territories. That had been planned for almost on a certain urgency that reflect what’s going on chain of horrific revelations and a decision to ... I mean, that’s the basis of a lot of this, of two years, so when COVID hit, we were already right now and the uncertainty that we are living the psychology of this series is we choose to making a self-shot, self-told, crowd-sourced through.” see certain things but also everyone has secrets. They just do.” Chief among them is Grant’s character of Jonathan. From episode to episode, the viewer Publisher Steven Pappas is left to guess whether he’s good or evil, which Grant says was a tricky dance to do as an actor General Sales Manager Tim Duguay without revealing too much. “Your job as an actor,” he explains, “you have to sort of be as truthful to your character Creative Services Manager Keri Franzoni as you possibly can be, which actually runs counter to what you sometimes need to do in Customer Service Manager Melody Hudson this kind of film, where you’re trying to fool the audience slightly or keep up a pretense. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant You know, and I think that same applies to ... there’s about seven suspects who emerge in this film.” Wrote” BY JOHN CROOK She “Murder, 3) Nicholson. Gwendolyn Snoop Snoop Gwendolyn I love a mystery and Snoop Ernesta Questions: played Natwick 1) On “The Rockford Files,” why was Jim Rockford Mildred and Rutland Herald | 77 Grove Street, Suite 102, Rutland, VT (James Garner) drawn to looking into cases that had Hayes Helen 2) been officially closed? commit. didn’t he Times Argus | 47 N. Main Street, Suite 200, Barre, VT 2) Can you name the two screen legends who starred crime a for prison as “The Snoop Sisters” for NBC (1973-74)? in time served had www.rutlandherald.com | 800-498-4296 | www.timesargus.com 3) In “The Law & Harry McGraw,” Jerry Orbach himself Rockford 1) ©2020 BRUNSWICK PUBLISHING ALL RIGHTS RESERVED played the title character, a private eye who had been Answers: introduced on what CBS smash hit? 2 Vermont TV Magazine • A supplement of The Barre-Montpelier Times Argus and Rutland Herald October 25 - 31, 2020 CROSSWORD Solution on page 9 Do you like Crossword & Sudoku? Check out our free online puzzles www.rutlandherald.com/puzzles www.timesargus.com/puzzles The identity of the celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, un-scramble the letters noted with asterisks in the puzzle. ACROSS 32. Mineo of “Rebel 13. “__ the Movies” 1. Role on “S.W.A.T.” (2) Without a Cause” (1986-2010) 10. “The __”; ’76 Gregory 33. Actor __ Torn 15. Rise and shine Peck/Lee Remick hor- 34. Initials for the star of 16. Long sandwich ror film “Spin City” 17. Actress __ Long 11. Actress Anne 37. “__ __ the Bus”; 1996 18. Series for Kirstie Alley 12. “The __ King Cole Ossie Davis film 19. Actress in the 2018 Happy, Healthy & Hassle-Free Show” 39. Informal farewell film “A Star Is Born” 40. Actor on “Station 19” (2) (1956-57) 802.776.1000 13. Gmail competitor (2) 21. Actor __ Ray 14. Actress Thurman DOWN 24. Didn’t __ up; made no www.SummitSeniorLiving.net 16. Series for Cobie 1. Howard or Ely sense 5 General Wing Road Smulders 2. Tumor’s ending 26. “The Soupy __ Show” Rutland, VT 18. Gulager of “The Vir- 3. “You __ Your Life”; 29. “__ Man”; Robert ginian” Groucho’s show Downey Jr. movie 20. Actor Morales 4. Prefix for large or kin- 30. Gusto 55+ Independent Senior Living 31. Initials for Lisa Marie’s 21. Captain in “Moby dle Spacious 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments | No entry fee Dick” 5. “O Brother, Where dad 22. Letters before an alias Art __?”; George 34. Russian space station 23. __ the way; pioneered Clooney movie 35.