Bruce Campbell Returns in 'Ash vs. Evil Dead'

A direct sequel series to Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy, this new Starz sitcom is premiering on Halloween night and sees Campbell returning to his cult role as an older man. It might be worth checking out, although I admit I haven't even seen the original movies yet. I plan to watch them all in October though, so I may or may not be tuning in for this, depending on how much I like the movies. We'll see.

REVIEW: "Rectify" Season 3

Once again, summer brought us a lyrical, haunting and immensely satisfying season of Rectify, which continues to thrive on the Sundance Channel amidst very little glory (aside from the critics of course, whose job it is to find the best stuff on television, and who regularly mark it down for the great show that it is). I'm starting to think this is a series that can do no wrong, as it has never made a real misstep in its somewhat radical manner of storytelling. It continues to hit all the emotional beats of the human spectrum, and the characters continue to live their lives and evolve within the world exactly at the pace they're intended to, almost as if we're watching these people live life on their own, with no regard for the audience watching.

Which isn't to say that Rectify isn't entertaining, at least not for me. I love it and am fascinated by the slow progression of movement within the show's characters, but also by the plot itself, which actually picked up the pace this year more than it ever has, as we have finally solved the rape of Hanna Deen, with no more questions to be wondered about on that front. The murder is another story and continues to linger, but with the way the show dove headfirst into progressing the investigation this year, I'm now fully expecting it to give us some clear cut answers by the end of the series, something I had never expected, nor thought was necessary to the development of the story before. But hey, if Ray McKinnon really does want to tell us what happened on that fateful night, I'd love to hear it. It just won't take anything away from what's already been explored involving the peculiar, preternaturally evolved mind of one Daniel Holden, who continues to be played just right by Aden Young with subtle, odd, and sometimes even humorous layers, no matter what he's saying or doing at any given moment.

This season the show went back to its six episode format that it had originally debuted with, after having a full ten hours last year. It's possible that with such short seasons, the methodical storytelling is greatly enhanced, free of structure and unencumbered by filler of any kind, although this was my favorite show of 2014, so the ten episode order certainly didn't do the writers a disservice last year, as far as I was concerned. But now Daniel has agreed to his plea deal and been officially banished from Pawnee, ordered to move in 30 days after he gets his affairs in order. Of course Daniel has no real interest in doing that, instead deciding to paint neighbor Melvin's pool at the apartment complex where he temporarily moves in with Amantha, an activity that, much like his unfinished kitchen project, holds a deeper, more personal meaning for him. He's been kicked out of his own home by dear old stepdad Ted Sr., who's understandably upset by the discovery of Daniel's assault on Teddy, and the conflict leads to a rift between him and Janet, who also refuses to turn her back on her damaged son for any reason, proving yet again she's the world's toughest and most understanding mom, taking all the knocks Daniel gets in life as her own, and playing mama grizzly to the end. Teddy himself experiences the seemingly final dissolution of his awful marriage to Tawney, a character who finally gets a backstory of her own this season, as we find out what drew her Teddy in the first place, and why Daniel's hold on her seems to have moved her further away from the arms of her controlling husband.

And the investigation, as I mentioned, progresses at relatively lightning speed this time, as Sheriff Daggett (J.D. Evermore) teams up with newly suspicious D.A. Sondra Person (Sharon Conley) to figure out what really happened with the death of George Mason and the creepy Trey Willis' involvement in the sordid Hanna Deen affair. Honestly, the heavy focus put on the investigation this year leads to some very cathartic moments as Daggett finally puts on his intelligence cap and realizes the obvious signs pointing towards Trey and away from Daniel for once. As a longtime viewer, it is nice to see Daniel finally catch a break, which is maybe leading to a full acquittal as more evidence comes to light about Senator Foulkes's corruption after a stroke puts him out of commission, while Jon Stern reapplies himself to exposing the truth. And then there's Amantha (Abigail Spencer) whose story this year leads her towards a position she never imagined, as she tries to move on with a life that had only ever been occupied by one goal, removing her brother from prison. Now that that's over with and Daniel isn't in constant need of her help, what is she meant to do with herself after all these years?

As always, the plot remains secondary to the emotional interaction of the characters, the connection between people and families who've been broken or damaged by life (which is most families to some degree, isn't it?) and the ongoing journey of Daniel Holden to find out who he is and how to live and love as a free man, a man free of the literal prison but not quite his internal one as he steps forth into the world beyond his home town and now his home state. I don't know how long Rectify will last, but I've enjoyed and luxuriated in every graceful and elegiac moment of it, and I fully expect to return to these people next year with the same amount of satisfaction that it gives a devoted viewer every year. It remains truly, truly great.

Grade: A

A Dystopian Western World is Explored in AMC's 'Into the Badlands'

For some reason this was yet another Comic Con trailer that I missed, but it looks like it might be something kinda different. Not sure what to make of the fact it's from the Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (I watched that show for the whole six years that these guys ran it, and let's just say they could be very hit and miss). It looks a little nutty, to be honest, but I do like the fact that they cast Daniel Wu in the lead role. It means we're going to see some pretty cool martial arts stuff at least. AMC ordered just a six episode initial order, so it looks like they might be a little unsure about it as well, but maybe it can take off. It's premiering November 20th.

'The Man in the High Castle' Trailer Shows an Alternate Post-WWII America

Somehow I missed this trailer for Amazon's new fall series, which was shown at Comic Con, but it's premiering November 20th, and it looks awfully intriguing. Based on the Philip K. Dick sci-fi novel which sets up an alternate universe where the Axis powers won WWII and America is under fascist rule, I think I'm hooked based on the premise alone. Count me in for this one. The first two episodes are already available for streaming if anyone needs to be sold further.

'American Experience: Walt Disney' Coming to PBS in September

I'm marking my calendar for this one, set to air over two nights starting Monday, September 14th. American Experience had wanted to make a film about Walt Disney for years, as is explained in the video, but really wanted to be sure of non-interference from the company of course, which allows pretty much nothing about Disney to be shown in a non-flattering light (see Saving Mr. Banks, a movie that practically deified him). Now it looks like they got what they wanted, so this will be interesting to see, as a documentary that explores the man behind the brand is long overdue, don't you think? I'm looking forward to it.

REVIEW: "Deutschland 83" Season 1

With Rectify, Top of the Lake and the original French version of The Returned (Les Revenants), the Sundance Channel is quietly building up a reputation of sterling original programming and/or imports from other countries. This new addition could almost count as both, since it aired here in the U.S. this summer, but its renewal depends upon how well it does after its run in Germany later this year, a country that apparently isn't as used to serialized programs.

Let's hope this one breaks the mold, because I'd be crushed if we couldn't get another season out of it. Deutschland 83 is from co-creators Anna and Joerg Winger, a husband-wife team who fashioned an eight episode retro-thriller set in Cold War era Berlin. 24-year-old Jonas Nay stars as Martin Rauch, a border guard in East Berlin who's recruited by the Stasi in 1983 to go undercover in a West German army camp and report back to them with information about NATO's activities regarding a potential nuclear confrontation. Martin is not particularly happy about this and essentially blackmailed into it so that the government will provide his mother with the kidney operation she needs to survive. He's handled by his aunt Lenora (Maria Schrader), who works for the East German embassy and believes she will be best able to control her capable but young and skeptical nephew.

Once undercover in West Germany, Martin does his best to fulfill his duties, but keeps getting into trouble- his adorable puppy dog face and amiable demeanor endears him to General Edel (Ulrich Noethen) and his son, fellow soldier Alex Edel (Ludwig Trepte), but he's nowhere near the greatest spy in the world. When he's told to seduce a secretary he immediately falls in love with her after five minutes and can't follow through on elimination orders, when he meets the general's beautiful daughter Yvonne (Lisa Tomaschewsky) he's head over heels in a matter of days despite her having nothing at all to do with his mission, and all this on top of leaving his pregnant girlfriend Annet back home in East Germany, where unbeknownst to him, she's dangerously allying herself with the East German cause in far more committed ways than he is.

Baby Spy has an eye for the ladies

The show is exciting and suspenseful but incorporates a lot of humor into the episodes as well, especially because Martin is never all that committed to the Stasi government, comes to realize the West and his new friends aren't really that bad, and that the paranoia from his own side threatens to destroy the world as we know it unless he manages to stop it somehow. The supporting cast has lots to do as well, with fully developed characters in Martin's world on both sides of the border, but particularly the West, as General Edel and Alex form a complicated and destructive father-son relationship that Martin can't help but get in the middle of as he negotiates his way through his increasingly hapless situation. The retro feel of the show takes us back to the 80's with every popular radio hit you ever heard on the soundtrack (even the theme song will have you headbopping), and every move Martin is forced to maneuver makes him even more appealing and endearing to the audience.

The season ends on a series of cliffhangers, so it'd be a real shame if the show was not able to come back, but it all depends on how the German audience receives it later this fall (the show is entirely in German with subtitles, which I'm told don't translate some of the humor entirely accurately, but that's just too bad for us). Still, with such solid performances, such fun action and suspense, and characters you want to follow well into another season, I'd be totally pumped to see more of this, whenever it shows up. It may not have the complexity and nuance of a show like The Americans, but solid, old-fashioned entertainment with exciting action, great music and tense build-up makes this absolutely one of the most fun shows of the summer and the year. Give me more of it, please.

Grade: A-

Martin discovers the joy of the Walkman

'Pretty Little Liars' Cleans up at the Teen Choice Awards

So, all I can gain from these wins tonight is that teens really, really love Pretty Little Liars, which picked up six surfboards. I wouldn't know, since I've never seen it and therefore can't comment on it (the last show I watched any of on ABC Family was the first couple seasons of Greek). Teens also seem to still love The Vampire Diaries after all these years, giving departed star Nina Dobrev a nice little sendoff. There wasn't much on this list I actually watch, so my favorite win by default was Grant Gustin for The Flash. Yay for someone I recognize! Most of the shows here just aren't my thing, I guess.

2015 TEEN CHOICE TV WINNERS

• Choice TV Show, Drama: Pretty Little Liars
• Choice TV Actor, Drama: Ian Harding, Pretty Little Liars
• Choice TV Actress, Drama: Lucy Hale, Pretty Little Liars
• Choice TV Show, Comedy: The Big Bang Theory
• Choice TV Actor, Comedy: Ross Lynch, Austin & Ally
• Choice TV Actress, Comedy: Lea Michele, Glee/Scream Queens
• Choice TV Show, Sci-Fi/Fantasy: The Vampire Diaries
• Choice TV Actor, Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Jared Padalecki, Supernatural
• Choice TV Actress, Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Nina Dobrev, The Vampire Diaries
• Choice Animated TV Show: Family Guy
• Choice Reality TV Show: The Voice
• Choice TV Villain: Vanessa Ray, Pretty Little Liars
• Choice TV Scene-Stealer: Dylan O’Brien, Teen Wolf
• Choice Breakout TV Star: Grant Gustin, The Flash
• Choice Breakout TV Show: Empire
• Choice TV Comedian: Ellen Degeneres
• Choice TV Chemistry: Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins, Supernatural
• Choice TV Liplock: Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev, The Vampire Diaries
• Choice Summer TV Show: Teen Wolf
• Choice Summer TV Star, Male: Tyler Blackburn, Pretty Little Liars
• Choice Summer TV Star, Female: Ashley Benson, Pretty Little Liars

The Doctor and Clara Are Back in New 'Doctor Who' Trailer for Season 9

More Doc and Clara action here, along with a couple new glimpses of Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams in a guest spot. The new season kicks off September 19th- does everyone else love Peter Capaldi as the Doctor in this era?

Sundance Channel Teases 'The Returned' Season 2

I'm so excited!!!!! No, this is not the canceled A&E American remake- this is the real thing, the hypnotic and enthralling French series is back for its second season after three years off, and this time it will be airing almost simultaneously on the Sundance Channel here in the U.S., since the show has become such a phenomenon. That means we'll be getting the new season in the fall, probably sometime in November. I cannot wait- The Returned (or Les Revenants) was high on my top ten of 2013 (when it first aired here), and now the first two episodes will be shown to critics in the brand new television section of the Toronto film festival next month. TV just keeps getting more respected and elevated, doesn't it? Well, when shows have essentially replaced movies for the onetime theater-going, mature, adult audience it has to be acknowledged sooner or later. Stay tuned for a premiere date for one of the absolute best shows on television.

Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti Go Head to Head in 'Billions'

Showtime's full trailer for Billions gives us a taste of what the show will be- looks like another antihero centered drama with Giamatti as the righteous crusader. Not too sure about this one though. All I can see when I look at Damian Lewis is Brody from Homeland and here with his same American accent it's like he was resurrected as a hedge fund king. I think I'll wait for the reviews.