What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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December 8 - 14, 2019 WHATS UP! T5 BY MICHELLE ROSE TV Media Out (and down): The pilot was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival. Now, Showtime is hop- ing TV audiences will be just as enthusiastic about a full series of "Work In Progress," which de- buts Sunday, Dec. 8, on Show- time. Set (and shot) in the Windy City, the series is a quirky and thoughtful exercise in storytell- ing that leans into dark comedy while addressing LGBTQ themes. And critics are saying it could be a star-making role for creator Abby McEnany, a veter- an of the Chicago improv scene. The story centers on McEna- ny's 45-year-old character, who is struggling with self-loathing, anxieties and obsessions. De- spair runs deep — in fact, the of- ficial trailer opens with Abby counting out 180 almonds while explaining, "Every day, I'm just gonna throw one away. And if there's one almond left, and I don't feel any better, I'm done. I'm out." Things don't improve when Abby's therapist unexpectedly dies mid-session. But even in the bleakest moments, there's an el- ement of self-deprecating hu- mor and a healthy dose of per- spective to lighten the mood for viewers — like when Abby yells out, "My life is harder than any- body else's!" just as a young woman in a wheelchair enters the room. And the good news is that Abby's fortunes do start to turn, with events leading to an unexpected romance with a young trans man played by guest star Theo Germaine ("The Poli- tician"). "Work In Progress" was a one- person show until McEnany partnered with Tim Mason to create an independently pro- duced comedy pilot. That pilot was screened at Sundance in January, where it was an official selection of the Indie Episodic program. In May, it was handed a series order, and Lilly Wa- chowski ("The Matrix," 1999) was brought on board to serve as executive producer and writer alongside McEnany. Once the series launches on Showtime, keep an eye out for an appearance by Julia Sweeney ("Saturday Night Live") in a scene that offers a commentary on LGBTQ media images. Abby (and McEnany in real life) cites Sweeney's gender-ambiguous character from the recurring "SNL" sketch (and 1994 feature film) "It's Pat" as a hurtful por- trayal that "ruined my life." It's not the first time Sweeney's character has been singled out as a negative portrayal, though the comedian has stated that she never intended to present Pat as non-binary, only to highlight how people feel the need to label others. Nevertheless, McEnany says the two have become fast friends, and their on-screen meeting is a meaningful comedy moment that has already gener- ated buzz for "Work In Prog- ress" ahead of its Dec. 8 pre- miere. Casting Clinton: After tack- ling the case against O.J. Simp- son and Gianni Versace's killer, "American Crime Story" is turn- ing a lens on the Washington scandal that transfixed the na- tion 20 years ago. Titled "Impeachment: Ameri- can Crime Story," the third sea- son of the anthology series will tell the story of the impeach- ment of President Bill Clinton. It has already found its president in Oscar-nominated actor Clive Owen ("Closer," 2004), who will be heavily featured. Production will begin in spring 2020 for a tentatively scheduled fall premiere, though it's been a long journey just to get to this point. Back in 2016, "American Crime Story" creator Ryan Murphy announced the next installment would tell the story of hurricane Katrina. It ap- peared to be coming together, with a number of big-name ac- tors signing on, but delays and other developments caused Murphy to eventually abandon the idea in 2017. That same year, Murphy also optioned Jeffrey Toobin's book "A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a Presi- dent" (Toobin's book on the O.J. case shaped Season 1 of "ACS"). It would have served as the in- spiration for the story told in Season 3. Instead, a chance meeting with Monica Lewinsky inspired Murphy to tell the story from the perspective of the "women who found themselves caught up in the scandal and po- litical war that cast a long shad- ow over the Clinton presidency," according to FX chief John Landgraf. 'Sin City' TV: Legendary au- thor Frank Miller and indie stu- dio Legendary TV have reached a deal to adapt Miller's comics to the small screen, and that's great news for fans. Miller's "Sin City" comics have already spawned two film adaptations — one in 2005 and another in 2014 — that brought the film noir-esque characters and gritty universe to life. This agreement is interesting be- cause TV could prove to be a better fit for Miller's anthology format. Robert Rodriguez, who co-di- rected the two films, is reported- ly close to reaching a separate deal for his involvement in the TV adaptation. Keep in mind that the project is still early in the development stage, and few details are known at this time. But here's what we do know: the Legendary TV deal guarantees a first season, though it remains to be seen if a network or stream- ing platform will pick up the se- ries. It also calls for an animated prequel, with both Miller and Rodriguez serving as executive producers along with Stephen L'Heureux and Silenn Thomas. BIKE LANES BUSTLING CITY HALL CIVIC PRIDE CONCRETE JUNGLE CONDOS COURT - HOUSE CROWDS FESTIVAL GREEN- SPACE GRIDLOCK HAWKERS NIGHTLIFE OFFICES ONE WAY STREET PARADES PARK PEDESTRI - ANS PLAZA POLICE SHOPPING SIDEWALK STORES SUBWAY TOURISTS URBAN VENDORS What's Up Downtown Theo Germaine and Abby McEnany in "Work in Progress" WORD SEARCH STARS ON SCREEN Solution on page T23