Showing posts with label CBS All Access. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBS All Access. Show all posts

Monday, September 7, 2020

Join CBS All Access for the Ultimate Star Trek Day Celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 8


Join CBS All Access and fans from around the world for a virtual celebration of Star Trek Day on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The virtual event will bring the Star Trek community together and provide fans with exclusive programming and initiatives including panels with the cast and creatives from nine Star Trek television series, exclusive news from the "Star Trek Universe" on CBS All Access, curated Star Trek series marathons and more. Additional information on free Star Trek Day programming and initiatives can be accessed at StarTrek.com/Day.

On Sept. 8, 1966, Star Trek graced television screens for the first time with "The Man Trap," the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. On that day, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry introduced audiences to a world that championed diversity, inclusion, acceptance and hope. Fifty-four years later, CBS All Access will honor this important day and the franchise's enduring legacy, with this virtual Star Trek Day event that will allow fans to enjoy and celebrate all things Star Trek from their own home.

Star Trek Day virtual programming and initiatives include:

STAR TREK DAY GLOBAL PANELS (12:00-3:30 PM, PT/3:00-6:30 PM, ET)

Join hosts Wil Wheaton and Mica Burton for three and a half hours of free virtual panels and programming that will reunite iconic cast members and creative minds from nine Star Trek television series. The panels will dive into Star Trek stories from years past to present and offer exclusive sneak peeks into what's next in the "Star Trek Universe" on CBS All Access.

The panels will serve as the global centerpiece of Star Trek Day, and in addition, Star Trek updates, announcements and footage will be showcased throughout.

The panels will include the cast and creatives from the following "Star Trek" television series:

  • STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, with series stars Sonequa Martin-Green and David Ajala and co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise.
  • STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, with series stars Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck; executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers; and co-executive producers Akela Cooper and Davy Perez.
  • Star Trek: Enterprise, with series stars Scott Bakula, Linda Park, John Billingsley, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery and Connor Trinneer.
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, with series stars Terry Farrell, Alexander Siddig, Armin Shimerman, Nana Visitor, Cirroc Lofton and executive producer Ira Steven Behr.
  • Star Trek: The Original Series, with series star George Takei and the CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, Rod Roddenberry.
  • STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, with voice cast Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Noël Wells and Eugene Cordero and series creator, showrunner and executive producer Mike McMahan.
  • Star Trek: Voyager, with series stars Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, Robert McNeill, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ and Ethan Phillips.
  • STAR TREK: PICARD and Star Trek: The Next Generation, with legendary cast members Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes.

Fans worldwide will be able to livestream the Star Trek Day panels for free. To learn more about the panels, and to livestream the day of, please visit StarTrek.com/Day.

#STARTREKUNITEDGIVES CAMPAIGN

On Sept. 8, for every person that tweets the hashtag #StarTrekUnitedGives, CBS All Access will donate $1 to organizations who do the real-world work of championing equality, social justice and the pursuit of scientific advancements. Organizations include the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI).

STAR TREK DAY STREAMING MARATHON, PRESENTED BY CBS ALL ACCESS (12:00 AM, PT/3:00 AM, ET)

For fans based in the U.S. only, Star Trek Day celebrations will kick off with a marathon of episodes from eight different Star Trek television series. The marathon will pause for the duration of the Star Trek Day global panels and will resume after the panels with a curated list of episodes from STAR TREK: PICARD, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: The Original Series, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Animated Series, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS.

The Star Trek marathon schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 8 is as follows:

  • 12:00 AM, PT/3:00 AM, ET - Star Trek Day streaming marathon begins
  • 12:00 PM, PT/3:00 PM, ET - Marathon break; Star Trek Day global panels take place
  • 3:30 PM, PT/6:30 PM, ET - Star Trek Day streaming marathon continues
  • 9:00 PM, PT/12:00 AM, ET - Marathon concludes; Star Trek Day global panels replay

The marathon of episodes will be available to stream for free at StarTrek.com/Day for viewers based in the U.S. only.

OFFICIAL STAR TREK MERCHANDISE FLASH SALE

Running low on your favorite Star Trek gear? You'll have the perfect opportunity to stock up during the official Star Trek Shop's 24-hour flash sale. Please visit https://shop.startrek.com/ on Sept. 8 to access and learn more about the sale.

DEBUT OF STAR TREK-THEMED EMOJIS

Trek-ify your tweets with the addition of Star Trek-themed Emoji on Twitter. Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, you will be able to utilize brand-new Emoji featuring your favorite Star Trek characters, including Geordi La Forge, Michael Burnham, Jean-Luc Picard and more, on Twitter while you tweet with your fellow Star Trek fan family on Star Trek Day and beyond.

GEEKS WHO DRINK STAR TREK PUB QUIZ ON TWITCH (4:00 PM, PT/7:00 PM, ET)

Virtually join fellow Star Trek fans from all over the world and test your Star Trek knowledge during the Geeks Who Drink Star Trek Pub Quiz on Twitch. The quiz can be accessed at: https://www.twitch.tv/geekswhodrinkpubquizzes/

"WHAT STAR TREK MEANS TO ME" SOCIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR FANS

In celebration of the fans that keep the Star Trek legacy alive, we want to hear from you! Starting today, fans can share what Star Trek means to them by posting stories, pictures and memories across Instagram and Twitter, using the hashtag #StarTrekStory, for a chance to be featured on the official Star Trek platforms.

#StarTrekDay

Facebook: @StarTrekCBS, @StarTrek, @CBSAllAccess Twitter: @StarTrekCBS, @StarTrek, @CBSAllAccess Instagram: @StarTrekCBS, @StarTrek, @CBSAllAccess

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Why Women Kill S01E04: You Had Me at Homicide

© CBS All Access
Jealousy rears its ugly head
by Chuck Duncan

Last week's episode opened with an explanation of the tango, and this week the show features a mortician with three bodies under sheets, explaining the various things that can lead to murder, and the possible methods of the crime. I'm sure this is setting up the murders that are to come, but we still don't know who will be killed in each era, nor who the killer will be. But there are suspects aplenty. What we do know is that, according to the title of the series, the killers will be women.

Simone

Preparing invitations for her daughter's impending nuptials, Simone and Karl are on a deadline to get them done or else they'll end up with more of the groom's family in attendance ... and they don't seem to have very high regard for that side of the soon-to-be family. Unfortunately, Amy arrives with some bad news: her fiancé cheated on her, the wedding is off and she needs wine. The true story finally comes out that the intended slept with another girl ... two years ago, when he and Amy we broken up (they've had a rocky on-and-off relationship). Simone is in panic mode trying to take Amy's side, but Karl is trying to be more neutral, hoping to convince Amy that it's not as bad as she thinks. Plus everything is paid for already.

Enter Tommy with flowers for Simone. He saw Karl leave so assumed it was okay to pop over, unaware that Amy was also home. And Amy saw Tommy, and Simone had to concoct a story that she told Tommy's mother that Amy was home and he came over with the flowers for her. Already feeling a bit jealous (and still smarting from Simone's horrified reaction to the gift he gave her -- a Swatch watch) that Simone was not yet ready to part with Karl, Tommy gleefully accepted Amy's offer to go out on a little dinner date. Simone had no choice but to let it happen, but became more concerned when Amy boldly proclaimed to her that this was just a date that will end with revenge sex. Oh dear. Simone is not quite ready to share her boy toy with Amy, so she surprises the pair at the restaurant ... with Amy's fiancé. Next thing they know Amy and the guy are making out heavily in the waiting area and Simone shows Tommy that she's wearing the Swatch. Crisis averted ... for now.

Beth Ann

Things are going swimmingly with Beth Ann and April, while Sheila is baffled by this plan that seems to be going further into the friend zone than it should. Beth Ann even pulled out her old rollerskates that Robert gave to her on their first date to go skating with April. Beth Ann doesn't have the best attire though to skate in, but she still enjoyed herself skating through the park in her dress. Back at April's, the friendship continues to blossom but April may have crossed the line by offering the still uptight Beth Ann a brownie. A pot brownie. Beth Ann is terribly offended and starts to storm out but April tells her that her boyfriend enjoys them. That stops Beth Ann in her tracks so she decides to have one too. After she's a bit more relaxed than we've ever seen her, Beth Ann asks April about her date with Robert that night but April tells her that the date is the next night, Robert has a dinner party to attend at his boss' house. Panicked because she forgot what day it was, Beth Ann makes an excuse about feeding her neighbor's dog and heads home as quickly as she can.

Robert is waiting and Beth Ann has just a few minutes to change and get out the door. But she's still stoned on the way to the dinner, and it only gets worse once they arrive and she is oddly focused on one guest who isn't there and another who is obviously from Japan. Then she sees the napkins folded like swans and is so impressed that she can't unfold it and put it in her lap, no matter how insistent Robert is. When his boss proclaims that it's no big deal to fold the napkins like that, the stoned Beth Ann challenges him to make one himself. Robert is horrified, but his boss is actually charmed by the challenge and it turns out to be a fun attempt at futility. Beth Ann proved her point, but Robert wants to know what's gotten into her. Dropping his fork and getting Beth Ann under the table, she very dramatically tells him she's had some pot and she knows what he's been doing.

After leaving the party, and to Robert's surprise Beth Ann was adored by everyone, they get home and Robert wants to know how Beth Ann found out about what he was doing. Before she can answer he proposes that she must have found a joint in one of his jacket pockets and smoked it. Relieved that she didn't have to confront what she really meant, she agreed, saying that she just wants to cut loose once in a while. Robert says that's all he wants because the pressures of his job and the rigid lifestyle they lead -- and probably the burden of losing a child, which went unspoken but is obviously a part of it -- is getting to be too much for him. All he wants is to relax. Beth Ann now sees that all of their problems have come simply from not communicating with each other and now that they share this moment of bonding over marijuana, it seems everything is back to normal. They even go rollerskating down the street together. But will April now become the jealous other woman?

© CBS All Access

Taylor

Now that Jade has officially become part of this threesome, the trio are trying to figure out a way to introduce the arrangement to their friends. "Throuple" has become a modern description but none of them like that. Instead, Taylor suggests they just say Jade is family. Jade lights up at that, having never really felt like she belonged to any family, not even hers. There's just one problem -- her ex, Duke, who is now threatening to have her dog Teacup put down if she doesn't come back to him. And then he shows up at the house. And poor Eli thinks he can handle the much larger guy. It took lawyer Taylor to remind Duke that he's on thin ice legally and one misstep here could send him right back to prison. That was the thing that actually struck fear into his heart.

But Jade is still concerned about Teacup, so they hatch a plan to go to Duke's and politely ask for the dog. Eli decides to bring a hammer for protection. When they get there, Duke does not answer so they assume he's out. And if he's out and Eli has a hammer in his pocket, a little breaking and entering isn't going to hurt, right? He and Jade get in, get the dog -- which is anything but teacup-sized -- and also learn that Duke was in the shower and he comes after them. Luckily Taylor's got the car running and Eli, Jade and Teacup make their getaway ... but Duke isn't about to let things go that easily. Taylor isn't happy about being an accomplice to a crime that could get her disbarred but Eli tries to spin it as a good thing because his plan worked. He needs that ego boost because his screenwriting is going nowhere and he's as frustrated with himself as Taylor is, and the fact that Taylor had to step in earlier and save him from Duke only hurts worse. He just wants to have that moment of saving a dog and being a man and calling it a good day. And Taylor agrees. Reluctantly. And then Duke shows up. Eli forgot to lock the door and he lets himself in, tossing Eli against a wall and fighting off Taylor who jumps on his back. He storms up the stairs looking for Jade but there's no answer. When he turns to yell at the couple lying on the floor, he's hit from behind by Jade, with the hammer, falling over the railing and crashing to the floor below, breaking his leg in the process. And then a very scary Jade tells him that if he comes back, she'll break the other one. Eli and Taylor exchange slightly worried glances after seeing this different side of Jade. Can she be trusted?

Back to the morgue where we're reminded that good people end up there for various reasons: reckless love affairs, inviting violent strangers into their homes, and some kept dark secrets from those they loved. These choices lead to death ... and murder.

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Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Why Women Kill S01E03: I Killed Everyone He Did, But Backwards and in High Heels

© CBS All Access
It takes two to tango, but three's a crowd
by Chuck Duncan

The latest episode of Why Women Kill started off with our cast of characters in a room watching a tango demonstration conducted by Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd. The dancers, of course, showed why the tango was a perfect dance for two; bring in a third and you've got nothing but trouble ... in fact, someone usually ends up dead at the end. A lesson everyone should heed as they all do their own dangerous dances.

© CBS All Access
In 1963, Beth Ann is furthering her plan to befriend -- and destroy -- her husband's girlfriend. Neighbor Sheila isn't quite sure there is a method to Beth Ann's madness, but she comes around once Beth Ann's plan to distract Robert by cleverly preventing him from keeping a date with April (by stealing an important file from his desk at work while bringing him a casserole for dinner since he told her he had to 'work late' that night). Then she gave April her phone number ... actually Sheila's phone number as well as lying that her own name was Sheila too (so ask for 'the other Sheila' when she calls) and waited for her plan to go into action.

And it did. To perfection. Robert was very worried about the missing file, calling Beth Ann to see if she had it, and then saying he was now going to have to work late on the project ... something he'd already told Beth Ann he was doing. No sooner did that call end than the one from April came with an invitation to accompany her to a nightclub since her date stood her up. Beth Ann got a little more than she bargained for when April said she wasn't dating Robert for any long-term goals, no marriage, just fun until she got tired of him. That gave Beth Ann a glimmer of hope for her marriage but really threw a monkey-wrench into her own plans of destroying April. She's finding now that she really likes the girl and realizes all the fault lies with Robert, not April. But ... what happens when April finds out Beth Ann has been deceiving her this whole time? While she take her side or feel betrayed by this woman she currently sees as a friend?

© CBS All Access
In 1984, Simone's life is getting more and more messy as she indulges in her catering van trysts with Tommy while trying to keep the peace at home with Karl, at least until her daughter's wedding. Making matters worse, Tommy is not happy Karl is still in the house, and Simone and Karl are expected to appear at a charity ball ... as well as performing a dance for the assembled guests. Simone is more than a bit surprised when Tommy turns up as the waiter at their table (thanks to his mother, who is also seated with them). Tommy is not very subtle in his disdain for Karl, who has no clue as to why the young man is so aggressive with him, eventually ending up with a bowl of hot soup poured in his lap. Simone was upset by Tommy's behavior and tried to have a talk with him about how she has to keep up appearances for now, including the dance with her husband. Tommy is trying to keep cool but his actions led to his immediate dismissal from the catering company which means no more van nookie for them.

In 2019, everything seems peachy for Taylor, Eli and Jade ... all except for the fact that Eli is not very focused on his writing, a subject that is very touchy now for Taylor who is exhausted from being the family's sole breadwinner. Jade can see how stressed Taylor is and suggests the pair go out for a night of dancing. Which Eli overhears and promptly invites himself, ignoring the looks of chagrin on the women's faces. At the club, Jade runs into two old friends, Willow and Mischa ... who, it becomes clear to Eli and Taylor, are more than just old friends. As Eli points out, they are not Jade's first three-way. Jade is swept up in the excitement of seeing her pals, leaving Taylor and Eli to their own devices, the jealousy in Taylor beginning to bubble up.

© CBS All Access
Leaving the club upset, Taylor admits to Eli that she needs Jade. She's sorry she lied to him about the length of time she's been with Jade but she needs her to help balance her out. She loves Eli, but the pressure of work and paying for a house they can't afford is taking a toll on her and Jade is the only reason she hasn't completely bugged out on Eli. But Jade's friends -- a pair of pretentious social media 'influencers' who get paid to model underwear on Instagram -- are heading to Venice the next morning and want Jade to go with them. And seeing Taylor's behavior at the club, Jade is considering it.

Finally arriving home hours later, and with Taylor asleep on the couch waiting for her, Jade tells Taylor that she is going to Venice. Her main reason is she can't handle the stability of being in a 'family' because every time she's done that she's gotten hurt emotionally. For her, it's best to cut things off with Taylor now before she gets in deeper. But Eli heard the conversation and, even though he was hurt by the things Taylor said to him, knew that if he was going to keep his wife, he had to convince Jade that she was wanted and loved and that Taylor -- and Eli -- needed her. It was a lovely gesture, and Jade actually felt the sincerity of his words, and she decided to stay as they all shared a group hug.

But outside, Maks and Peta were dancing down the street reminding us that it does take two to tango ... but three is most definitely a crowd.

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Monday, August 26, 2019

Why Women Kill S01E02: I'd Like to Kill Ya, But I Just Washed My Hair

© CBS All Access
The wives face the biggest obstacle to their marriages: sex
by Chuck Duncan

The second episode of CBS All Access series Why Women Kill was just as much of a hoot as the first one and did a great job at juggling the three concurrent storyline across five decades. I really enjoyed how the episode opened with a narrator, a man who had lived in the same neighborhood for his entire life, recounted the murders that occurred at the mansion in 1963, 1984 and 2019. He, and we, saw the covered bodies but ... we don't know who actually died. Of course we're led to assume it's the husbands but the title of the show isn't 'Why Wives Kill', so the victims could be a surprise come the final revelations. And this week, each wife faced what could be the biggest problem in all of their marriages -- sex.

In 1963, Beth Ann has confided in neighbor Sheila about her attempts to befriend 'the other woman', April. She did get the confirmation she feared that April did indeed know her guy Rob is married, and suggested he's strayed because of the boredom. Beth Ann did everything but announce she's Robert's wife, and her almost hysterical response, as a 'widower', to April's notions were more than alarming. But April didn't seem to pick up on any of the red flags. Sheila, meanwhile, suggests to Beth Ann that she needs to spice things up in the bedroom, or elsewhere, and gives her a marital sex manual, the images of which completely rattle Beth Ann.

But after getting a new hairstyle (honestly, in Robert's defense it didn't look that different) and spending her week's allowance on a new dress he didn't notice either because he said none of that mattered to him, Beth Ann took the dress off and came back to the dinner table completely naked. And Robert's boss was outside the window right at that moment, there to retrieve the briefcase Robert accidentally brought home. But Beth Ann wasn't about to give up, pulling a page out of the manual and trying some oral gratification on Robert in the shower. It didn't go well and he ended up crashing through the glass wall, requiring a trip to the hospital. And in the end, he still insisted on keeping his 'business meeting' that night, even though he was several hours late.

© CBS All Access
In 1984, Simone brings Karl home from the hospital, only to discover he didn't take a bottle of sleeping pills. He just hid them under the cushion of the chair in the bedroom. And he didn't need the cane he was using either. Simone was prepared to make their separation and eventual divorce easy on all of them, particularly because he daughter was getting married in a few months, but this deception was too much. But Karl had a trump card to play -- her catty friends, among whom Simone was the cattiest. If she throws him out now, they'll all know the truth and start gossiping about her, and that was just too much. Simone was even in for a bigger shock when her friend Naomi revealed she knew about Karl's affair because she saw his car parked at a seedy motel. She just didn't know who the woman was that he was seeing. Simone is actually okay with Naomi thinking Karl is cheating with another woman. She's also okay with finally setting up a booty call with Naomi's son Tommy (who we assume is now 18). That the only private place he had that was free was a catering van didn't sit well with Simone, but she couldn't deny Tommy's charm. And she was even more into him when he was ready for seconds just a few minutes after their first. So what if it was in a catering van. That still doesn't answer the question of who was lying dead on the stairs in Simone's mansion. Could Naomi find out about the affair Simone is having with Tommy and that's Simone under the sheet?

© CBS All Access
In 2019, Taylor has a different problem with Eli. The arrangement with Taylor's friend Jade is going well, but Eli is starting to become overbearing, flat out asking Taylor if they can have a three-way. Taylor is uncomfortable with the idea but Jade overhears them and says she's fine with that. The three head to the shower and Eli seems to get all the benefits and after they hit the bed, Taylor shoos him away so she and Jade can finish. He obliges and prepares some pie and ice cream for them all but after more than 30 minutes, the women still have not come downstairs. Eli spies on them and sees Taylor looking at Jade like he hasn't seen her look at him for some time. Is Taylor actually in love with Jade? It gets worse when Eli learns the two have known each other for six months, not just a couple of weeks, and that throws him into an emotional tailspin. Taylor assures him that she loves him, she loves everything they have together, and he seems to buy it. But jealousy is sure to rear its ugly head once again, sooner rather than later.

This episode has certainly given us a lot to ponder.

What did you think of this episode? Start a conversation in the comments section below!

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Saturday, August 17, 2019

Why Women Kill S01E01: Murder Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry

© CBS All Access
Marc Cherry returns in great form
by Chuck Duncan

Way back in 2004, Marc Cherry became an overnight sensation when his new TV series Desperate Housewives premiered on ABC. The show was a rating smash and garnered its share of controversy with conservative groups who felt the show was immoral and launched boycotts of Disney and the show's sponsors. Cherry and Company got the last laugh as the series went on to a successful eight season run, ending in 2012. Cherry then created another show for ABC that seemed like another surefire hit, Devious Maids, but the network eventually passed and the series found a savior in the Lifetime cable network where it ran for four seasons beginning in 2013. It's been a couple of years since Cherry has had a new series on the air but he's back and firing on all cylinders.

Why Women Kill premiered on subscription service CBS All Access this week and it was a fabulous debut. The women of the title are played by Ginnifer Goodwin (Beth Ann), Lucy Liu (Simone) and Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Taylor), wives living in the same house in different eras: 1963, 1984, and 2019 respectively. Beth Ann and her husband Robert (Sam Jaeger) have just moved into a mansion in Pasadena, something they can now afford thanks to his job with NASA. Beth Ann feels terribly out of place and isn't impressed with her loud Italian neighbors ... but she puts on a good face.

© CBS All Access
Simone and her husband Karl (Jack Davenport) live in the same mansion which has just been redecorated in stereotypically (but normal for the era) gaudy 1980s style and Simone is ready to show the place off to her friends. She's taken aback though when she learns one of her 'closest' friends doesn't really like her and has not come to the party. In 2019, Taylor and her husband Eli are in the process of remodeling the mansion again -- and Taylor is not putting up with any of the contractor's shenanigans. This couple has an open marriage and Taylor is bisexual, having a female lover on the side. Their agreement is that neither will bring their hook-ups to the house, but an emergency call from Taylor's newest fling Jade (Alexandra Daddario) makes it necessary for her to have a safe space to get away from a stalker ex.


© CBS All Access
Of course with a title like Why Women Kill, there must be some reason that each of these women are the focus of the show. Beth Ann accidentally overhears her neighbor Sheila (Alicia Coppola) telling another woman at the grocery store that her husband saw Robert kissing a cute blonde waitress at the local diner. Beth Ann doesn't want to believe it -- he'd never do that because of what happened to their daughter, she tells Sheila (but we don't know what happened at this point) -- but she drives to the diner after Robert calls and says he has a late business meeting, and she sees him kiss the waitress. She confides in Sheila, who tells her to confront the girl, and Beth Ann finds the courage to do so ... and finds that she's really a sweet girl. Does she know Robert is even married? Beth Ann almost runs but April (Sadie Calvano) sees something is bothering Beth Ann and convinces her to sit and talk while it's slow at the diner. Beth Ann decides that April will be her new best friend ... but how will she deal with Robert, questioning aloud when he will die during an evening dinner of meat loaf.

Simone, after learning of her friend's hatred of her, finds an envelope on the dining room table with her name on it. Inside are a strip of photo booth pictures with Karl and ... another man. Not wanting to cause a scene, she drags Karl to the bathroom and shows him the photos, then realizes this is not a one-time thing. She tells him to discreetly go upstairs and begin packing while she makes an excuse that he's taken ill, and then he can leave after the party ends. But she later finds him in a stupor having taking a bottle of pills. She calls for an ambulance and while the neighbors gather she tells them all he fell and hit his head. But she sees the now former friend Wanda and realizes it was she who gave her the photos. A catfight breaks out and the EMTs have to break them up. Later, her friend Naomi's son Tommy (Leo Howard), who was a waiter at the party, came to check on Simone and admitted he saw the photos. She was horrified but broke down and he consoled her, giving her a tender kiss and telling her he'd been wanting to do that since he was 13. She asked how old he was now and he said 18 ... in two days: 'As much as it would cheer me up to commit a felony, I think you should go.' But Tommy assured her that he is ready to show her the love she deserves (in more vulgar and direct words). But she's still got Karl to deal with.

© CBS All Access
Taylor has a slightly different issue. It's not that her husband is cheating on her, but when she brings Jade home he is firm that she can stay a night, or the weekend, okay until Labor Day which is Monday. But Jade is stunning and it's obvious he's attracted to her ... and Taylor isn't blind. When they wake up the next morning, their disaster area of a house -- clothes are strewn everywhere -- is spic and span and breakfast is waiting. Eli is kind of enjoying having a 'wife' who actually cleans and cooks. Taylor is a lawyer and barely has time for anything while Eli struggles to write a new script. Jade, it turns out, is a huge fan of his movie and that only makes her more attractive to him. His friend says Eli needs to bring up the idea of a three-way with Taylor since they're both into Jade. Eli isn't sure Taylor would go for that but the notion is enticing. So far we don't know yet what exactly pushes Taylor to 'kill mode' but it's coming.

The episode opened with The Husbands giving their recollections of how they met their wives, talking about how happy they were until ... and the episode ended with The Wives questioning why a woman kills, and who does she kill: the other woman or the man who wronged her, perhaps the friend who exposed a dirty secret? And do we condemn her or sympathize with her? And most importantly -- does she get away with it? All good questions that will unfold over the next several episodes.

I wasn't sure how the show would be from watching the trailer which I felt was a bit flat, but the first episode was a hoot, blending that patented mix of drama and comedy Cherry does so well. The show also looks fantastic, presented in an extreme widescreen image, looking like a 1950s Technicolor CinemaScope 'woman's picture' by Douglas Sirk (Imitation of Life, All That Heaven Allows) accompanied by a whimsical musical score by Mateo Messina that feels heavily influenced by the work of Danny Elfman. The writing and the cast are all on point making Why Women Kill one of the most entertaining new shows of the year and I am fully on board for the rest of the ride.

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