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May 1 - 7, 2023 Page 3 By Dana Simpson Netflix subscribers are cordially invited to attend the main event of the platform's spring streaming lineup. Don your best outfit and gather your feathers and pearls for an opulent evening filled with ro - mance, secrecy and royalty when "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" premieres Thursday, May 4, on the streamer. Those familiar with the first two seasons of "Bridgerton" will already know the ins and outs of the romantic period drama. Set in Regency-era England, the Shonda Rhimes ("Grey's Anatomy") series follows the year's most eligible young men and women, all mak - ing their way into the adult world and hoping to find their perfect match. Complete with many perfectly decorated balls, secret moonlit garden walks and, of course, all of the gossip the mys - terious Lady Whistledown (voiced by acting icon Julie Andrews, "Mary Poppins," 1964) has to share, "Bridgerton" broke Netflix records when its first season was first released in 2020. Amid the pandemic and its many various lockdowns, the Re- gency drama kept many a viewer glued to their TV screen awaiting more tea (both real and meta- phorical), but for those who plan to watch the series and have not yet tuned in, beware: major spoil- ers lie ahead for already-released episodes of "Bridgerton." Now that Simon Bassett, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page, "For the People"), and Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor, "Snatch") tied the knot in Season 1, and Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey, "Broadchurch") and Kate Sharma (Simone Ash- ley, "Sex Education") followed suit in Season 2, the franchise's writers have decided to glance backward rather than ahead (for the moment, at least). And now that Lady Whistledown has been revealed as none other than debutante Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan, "Derry Girls") herself, "Bridgerton" fans are in need of some new drama to focus on. A supporting character throughout the original series, "Bridgerton's" Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel, "Lady Mac- beth," 2016) gets her time in the spotlight with Netflix's prequel, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story." Returning to the mon- arch's own matchmaking year, this new series shares more than a few youthful indiscretions, foot-in- mouth moments and romantic romps through green pastures. While viewers may recall the queen as somewhat of an uptight, stuck-in-her-ways ruler with a few secrets of her own, "Queen Charlotte" shows the (still-not- quite) humble beginnings of the leader, played by "The Midwich Cuckoos" actress India Ria Ama- rteifio. Still learning to finesse the finer details of ruling a kingdom, young Charlotte has been be- trothed to her king, King George III (Corey Mylchreest, "The Sandman"), who is far more lucid and lively than his older counter- part (played in "Bridgerton" by James Fleet, "Four Weddings and a Funeral," 1994). ACROSS 1. "__ Sky" 4. Role on "The King of Queens" 8. Mom on "Little People, Big World" 11. "Much __ about Nothing" 12. Dog food brand 13. West, for one 14. Phil Keoghan's show (3) 17. Initials for dancer/actress Gypsy 18. CD followers 19. actor John 21. Harrison or Faith 24. Entertainer Don 25. "Toodle-__"; farewell 26. "__ Do anything"; "Oli- ver!" song 27. Pierre's place: abbr. 28. One of the Three Bears 30. Heida __ of "FBI: Inter- national" 32. "__ __ Z" (2014-15) 34. Source of quick cash 35. Father/daughter series (3) 41. 180 degrees from WSW 42. ardor 43. Prefix for cycle or angle 44. Suffix for auction or command 45. Cravings 46. "are We There __?"; Nia Long movie DOWN 1. Pet for Grandpa Munster 2. Bachelor's last words (2) 3. Overcharge 4. actress arlene 5. Ending for schnozz or pay 6. "Grown __"; 2010 adam Sandler film 7. "__ Girl"; 2014 Ben af- fleck movie 8. Friend 9. Prefix for function or nourished 10. "__, Dear" 15. "The __"; highest-gross- ing film of 1967 16. "an __ __ Remember"; Cary Grant movie 19. "__ of Fools"; film fot Vivien Leigh 20. Savannah's "Today" co-anchor 22. Jack's love in "Titanic" 23. "The Days and Nights of Molly __"; old NBC series 29. "The __ Chase" (1978- 86) 31. "__ Nest" 33. __ Osbourne 34. Know-it-__; smart alecks 35. Jay __ of "CSI: Vegas" 36. "__ Life to Live" 37. Pop singer Bobby 38. "__ andreas"; 2015 Dwayne Johnson film 39. Before 40. Undesirable spot CoverStory The identity of the featured celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle. InFocus Netflix, Shondaland unveil 'Queen Charlotte' prequel "Class of '09: Season 1" (Hulu — series premiere, May 10) This FX on Hulu limited original thriller series follows a class of FBI agents at three distinct points in time who grapple with immense changes as the U.S. criminal justice system is altered by artificial intelligence. Brian Tyree Henry, Kate Mara, Sepideh Moafi and Brian J. Smith head the cast. Solution is on page 2. Nobody Knows Our Hometown Better!

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