{"id":81487,"date":"2022-02-20T14:01:56","date_gmt":"2022-02-20T08:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/law-and-order-returns-so-does-madea\/"},"modified":"2022-02-20T14:01:56","modified_gmt":"2022-02-20T08:31:56","slug":"law-and-order-returns-so-does-madea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/law-and-order-returns-so-does-madea\/","title":{"rendered":"Law and Order Returns, So Does Madea"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Last week, a very exciting Super Bowl aired, and during that Super Bowl countless commercials for the new \u201cLaw & Order\u201d were featured. Usually they are only advertising big shows weeks down the road, but here we are, and here \u201cLaw & Order\u201d is. But don\u2019t worry, Dick Wolf\u2019s immortal crime-and-court classic isn\u2019t the only thing to debut this week, with a lengthy new Abraham Lincoln documentary, the latest Tyler Perry-led \u201cMadea\u201d sequel and another few episodes with shambling zombies all coming home.<\/p>\n

On with the television!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n
\"Law
Sam Waterston as D.A. Jack McCoy in \u201cLaw & Order\u201d (Michael Greenberg\/NBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cLaw & Order\u201d<\/strong>
Thursday, February 24 at 8 p.m., NBC<\/p>\n

Dun-dun. <\/em>That immortal noise began every episode of \u201cLaw & Order,\u201d which ran for 20 glorious seasons on NBC and inspired countless spinoffs and continuations (still ongoing). Now, the original flagship series is back, 12 years after the last season aired (mostly because another planned spinoff, \u201cFor the Defense,\u201d fell apart). There\u2019s a dimension of \u201cAvengers: Endgame\u201d to this new series, or at least one of those crazy crossover episodes of television, as original stars Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson are joined by new actors like Jeffrey Donovan and characters from other Dick Wolf-universe shows, including \u201cFBI\u201d and \u201cChicago Med.\u201d But even if you haven\u2019t kept up with all of these other shows, having \u201cLaw & Order\u201d back, more than a decade after it went off the air, should be more than exciting enough. [Cue glorious saxophone solo<\/em>] [REVIEW<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"winter<\/figure>\n
\"Celebrity
CBS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cCelebrity Big Brother\u201d<\/strong>
Wednesday, February 23 at 8 p.m., CBS<\/p>\n

Listen, there\u2019s not a lot wrapping up this week! But \u201cCelebrity Big Brother\u201d is. The third season of the American version of the show starred marginal celebrities\/house guests like former \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d cast member Chris Kattan, \u201cDiff\u2019rent Strokes\u201d actor Todd Bridges, \u201cAmerican Idol\u201d contestant Todrick Hall and NSYNC member Chris Kirkpatrick. Is watching a bunch of strangers on the periphery of fame trapped in a house more entertaining than being trapped in your own house? That\u2019s for you to decide! [TRAILER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"winter<\/figure>\n
\"no-exit-image\"
20th Century Studios\/Hulu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cNo Exit\u201d<\/strong>
Friday, February 25, Hulu<\/p>\n

Talk about a delicious premise: Darby Thorne (Havana Rose Liu) escapes court-mandated rehab to visit her sick mother. On the way, she gets waylaid by a powerful winter storm. While hanging out in a dinky rest stop waiting for the storm to pass, she discovers an abducted girl in the back of one of the cars. That triggers a desperate struggle for Darby to uncover who is responsible and then to find a way out. The trailer evokes wintery whodunits like \u201cThe Hateful Eight\u201d or \u201cThe Thing,\u201d and the original 20th Century movie was developed and produced by the great Scott Frank, who was responsible for Netflix\u2019s \u201cGodless\u201d and \u201cThe Queen\u2019s Gambit\u201d (amongst many other things). This could be the sleeper thriller you\u2019d brave a winter storm to watch. [TRAILER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"winter<\/figure>\n

\u201cAbraham Lincoln\u201d<\/strong>
Sunday, February 20 at 8 p.m., History Channel<\/p>\n

\"Abraham
History Channel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is the first night of a three-night, eight-hour exploration of the life of Abraham Lincoln (Graham Sibley portrays the Great Emancipator in dramatic reenactments). Based on author and historian\u2019s Doris Kearns Goodwin\u2019s \u201cLeadership: In Turbulent Times\u201d (she also serves as one of the producers), the event miniseries features new interviews with Barack Obama and others. Another of Kearns Goodwin\u2019s Lincoln histories served as the basis for Steven Spielberg\u2019s Oscar-winning \u201cLincoln,\u201d which is a pretty good pedigree. And given the time and complexity of the miniseries, it should delve into the president\u2019s life (and untimely death) with even greater depth and introspection. Sounds like a pretty good way to spend the Presidents Day weekend, right? [TRAILER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"winter<\/figure>\n
\"Forky
Disney\u2022Pixar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cForky Asks a Question\u201d<\/strong>
Disney+<\/p>\n

The buzz for this summer\u2019s \u201cLightyear\u201d is starting to intensify (pun very much intended), with a new trailer that dropped right before the Super Bowl. So why not use the excitement surrounding the upcoming movie as an excuse to indulge in a more esoteric corner of the \u201cToy Story\u201d universe? \u201cForky Asks a Question,\u201d one of the original series that launched Disney+, features Forky (voiced by Tony Hale) asking various \u201cToy Story\u201d characters questions like \u201cWhat is money?\u201d (Hamm answers that one, of course) and \u201cWhat is art?\u201d (tackled by pompous porcupine Mr. Pricklepants). Written and directed by unsung Pixar legend Bob Peterson, who co-directed \u201cUp,\u201d \u201cForky Asks a Question\u201d is laugh-out-loud funny and occasionally quite profound, with delightful animation (it has the basic aesthetic of a public television science program form the late 1970s). And the best part of \u201cForky Asks a Question\u201d? You can watch all the episodes in around a half hour (total). How great is that? [WATCH<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\"winter<\/figure>\n

\u201cLast Week Tonight With John Oliver\u201d<\/strong>
Sunday, February 20 at 11 p.m., HBO<\/em><\/p>\n

Welcome, welcome, welcome! John Oliver has escaped the existential vacuum of the void, is back in the studio and is ready to break down the biggest topics of the week in a way that is both hilarious and deeply unsettling. And honestly, given the state of the world, we need him now more than ever. [INTERVIEW]<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Walking Dead\u201d<\/strong>
Sunday, February 20 at 9 p.m., AMC<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Walking Dead\u201d continues its slow walk to the grave. Confusingly billed as \u201cthe final season, part 2 of 3\u201d (the third part will undoubtedly air as part of AMC\u2019s big Halloween programming push in October), this latest batch of episodes consists of six episodes and goes until late March. (Jon Amiel, the director of underrated thrillers like \u201cCopycat,\u201d directs the first episode of this bunch.) What new horrors will the survivors face in this set of episodes? And how many of those horrors will be zombie-related versus human-related remains to be seen? But chances are things are going to get worse before they get better (or simply end). [EXPLAINER]<\/p>\n

\u201cCat Burglar\u201d<\/strong>
Tuesday, February 22, Netflix<\/em><\/p>\n

Building on the success of the interactive \u201cBlack Mirror\u201d movie \u201cBandersnatch,\u201d this new animated project, described as edgy and in the style of classic cartoonist Tex Avery, is co-written by \u201cBoJack Horseman\u201d alum Mike Hollingsworth. (\u201cBlack Mirror\u201d mastermind Charlie Brooker is a producer.) This time around, the interactive element involves a mechanism wherein the answers to trivia questions will dictate how you navigate the story. [TRAILER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Proud Family: Louder and Prouder\u201d<\/strong>
Wednesday, February 23, Disney+<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Proud Family\u201d is back. The original series, created by Disney animator Bruce W. Smith, originally ran on the Disney Channel from 2001 to 2005. This new series, which was developed by Smith and Ralph Farquhar, debuts on Disney+ and as such is freer and more complex. Things that were merely subtext before (like one character\u2019s homosexuality) are more explicit this time around, with tough topics being addressed honestly and openly. Oh, and it\u2019s still very funny and the updated animation is terrific. The premiere includes the first two episodes, which will be more than enough to hook you back in. It\u2019s good to have them back. [TRAILER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u201cTyler Perry\u2019s A Madea Homecoming\u201d<\/strong>
Friday, February 25, Netflix<\/em><\/p>\n

2019\u2019s \u201cA Madea Family Funeral,\u201d was meant to be the farewell to Tyler Perry\u2019s Madea character. (Did you know there are 12 films in the Madea cinematic universe? Because there are!) Creator Tyler Perry quietly walked back those plans in 2021 and here we are. \u201cA Madea Homecoming,\u201d based on Perry\u2019s play \u201cMadea\u2019s Farewell Play\u201d (the first Madea film based on a play since 2013), again has Perry writing, directing and starring. If you\u2019re a fan of the franchise, chances are this will hit the spot. And that franchise is ever-expanding \u2013 the movie is also meant to serve as a backdoor pilot to a forthcoming Madea prequel series headed to Showtime. Can\u2019t stop, won\u2019t stop. [TRAILER<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week, a very exciting Super Bowl aired, and during that Super Bowl countless commercials for the new \u201cLaw & Order\u201d were featured. Usually they are only advertising big shows weeks down the road, but here we are, and here \u201cLaw & Order\u201d is. But don\u2019t worry, Dick Wolf\u2019s immortal crime-and-court classic isn\u2019t the only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":81488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101,3,105,106],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/1645345917_Law-and-Order-Returns-So-Does-Madea.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81487"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81487"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81487\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centralrecorder.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}