Cinema News: Cozy up to a ‘Wicked’ special and a PBS telethon

November 7, 2025 | View in browser

A photo of two women seated on a stage embracing.

By Yvonne Villarreal, Robert Lloyd and Josh Rottenberg

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who has damaged their vocal chords trying to emulate Cynthia's Erivo's final "aaaaaaaaaaahhh" in "Wicked's" showstopping "Defying Gravity" number.

It's just a hop, skip and a jump down the yellow brick road before "Wicked: For Good," the concluding film in the two-part adaptation of the original stage musical that explores the diverging roads its two unlikely friends — Elphaba and Glinda, played by Erivo and Ariana Grande — take as they become the adversaries we originally came to know in "The Wizard of Oz." To pregame its arrival, NBC mounted a two-hour special, "Wicked: One Wonderful Night," that aired this week. Executive producer Ben Winston and Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the TV event that, at one point, had Erivo flying over the audience.

Also in this week's Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations are an assortment of films that capture the dysfunction, tenderness and maddening joy in the reunion of families for life events, and a telethon event that will remind you why public media is essential.

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After a stroke, Stellan Skarsgård feared his career was over. Then came 'Sentimental Value': The veteran Swedish actor found himself diminished just as his exposure was highest. In Joachim Trier's "Sentimental Value," he found fragility, forgiveness and a new kind of joy.

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

"WE ❤️ PUBLIC TELEVISION!" (PBS SoCal, PBS.org)

Among the many casualties of the current administration's robbing the poor to give to the rich, the loss of federal funding has left public television with a financial shortfall. And so our local flagship station, PBS SoCal, is mounting a telethon, Saturday , from 4 to 7 p.m. Celebrities who will be on hand to give testimony and perhaps take your pledge include Josh Groban, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ken Burns, Ziggy Marley, Lily Tomlin, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Marlee Matlin, Nicholas Ralph, Rick Steves, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Adam Arkin, Courtney B. Vance and Martha Plimpton, while Nashville PBS will add performances by Kathy Mattea, Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle and Ketch Secor. The event will re-air on Thanksgiving night, here and across the country, and will be available on the PBS app from Nov. 27 to Dec. 24. But you don't need an occasion to support public broadcasting — any day is a good day to put the community in community television. — Robert Lloyd

"Family Reunions" (The Criterion Channel)

With Thanksgiving looming and family dynamics about to be stress-tested nationwide, Criterion's "Family Reunions" collection serves up a full menu of togetherness, tension and emotional indigestion. The 12 films here explore the range of what can happen when relatives gather, offering connection, confession, meltdown and the occasional grace note. Thomas Vinterberg's "The Celebration" (1998) begins as a birthday banquet and turns into a shattering confrontation with long-buried secrets. Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" (1986) spans three New York Thanksgivings, tracing shifting loyalties, affairs and small acts of forgiveness. In Jonathan Demme's "Rachel Getting Married" (2008), Anne Hathaway's recently rehabbed Kym returns home for her sister's wedding and can't help detonating the fragile peace. Kenneth Lonergan's "You Can Count on Me" (2000) follows an overprotective sister and her drifting brother as they try to reconnect after years apart. Elsewhere, Noah Baumbach's "Margot at the Wedding" (2007) and Tamara Jenkins' "The Savages" (2007) turn sibling rivalries and aging parents into their own kinds of comic disaster. Whichever version of family dysfunction feels most familiar — or therapeutic — you'll find it here, just in time to help you survive the holidays. — Josh Rottenberg

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching

We know by now that something "Wicked" this way comes. In the lead-up to the Nov. 21 cinematic release of "Wicked: For Good," NBC put on a one-time-only, two-hour special, "Wicked: One Wonderful Night," to celebrate the musical phenomenon. The special, which was filmed in September at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, featured performances led by Erivo and Grande, who were also joined by cast members Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode. The TV event also included cast interviews, behind-the-scene moments and fan interactions — plus an opportunity to hear songs from the upcoming film. (Jonathan Bailey, who was recently named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine, participated in prerecorded segments.) While the extravaganza already had its linear airing on NBC, it is available to stream on Peacock. Over email, Winston and Neal, discussed why "Wicked" warranted a TV special, the challenge of executing the grand affair and the thrill of watching Erivo take flight. — Yvonne Villarreal

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These kinds of grand TV specials are not as prevalent as they used to be. Why do you think that is? And what about "Wicked" made it right for this kind of tribute and celebration?

Winston: I think these TV specials do happen quite a lot. Recently, we've been lucky enough to make a few, such as "Earth, Wind and Fire," "Everybody Loves Raymond Special," Brandi and Elton John album special. All originating from major pop culture moments. Wicked was an incredibly exciting one for us due to its massive reach and impact. The music, the performances — it has just penetrated the culture and transcended generations. So I think it was a really exciting project to sit down with and imagine what you do in a two-hour special that celebrates this phenomenon — not just the movie, but what this film means globally. I think we've created something really special that honors its legacy in a really beautiful way.

Neal: "Wicked" is one of those rare cultural touchstones with beloved IP, incredible talent, beautiful music and an unmatched fanbase that makes it the perfect anchor for a celebration of this scale. In a landscape where audiences have seemingly endless content choices across platforms, it takes something truly special to break through and create can't-miss, shareable moments that bring people together. "Wicked: One Wonderful Night" was designed to be a tribute worthy of that legacy and a gift to the fans who've made it a phenomenon.

What kept you up at night about this special — either in the planning of it or in the final hours ahead of shooting? 

Winston: Honestly, the biggest challenge was time. That's what kept us up at night. We only had the Dolby for two days of rehearsal before filming, and we had to fit in 11 performances, which is a massive undertaking. It was nerve-racking, no question. But with Cynthia and Ariana, you're dealing with two of the most extraordinary talents in the world, supported by an incredible creative team. Their professionalism and artistry are what made it so seamless. Somehow, those two days were enough to create something really beautiful.

Neal: To truly capture the magic of "Wicked," we knew the magnitude of the production would be massive — and it was. Our creative ambition was to celebrate this iconic franchise in a way fans hadn't seen before, and I'm confident we delivered.

What is your favorite segment of the special? 

Winston: Some of the sketches really made me laugh. There's a specific one with Jeff Goldblum, which was my personal favorite. It had that spontaneous, playful spirit that reminded me of the kind of comedy we used to do on "The Late Late Show with James Corden." But truthfully, any time you get to hear Cynthia or Ariana sing is just mesmerizing. They're two of the greatest voices of our time. Seeing them on the Dolby stage, under that stunning lighting and set design, was breathtaking. Every performance felt like a unique world of its own and was completely captivating.

Neal: It's impossible to pick just one. Anytime Cynthia and Ariana share the stage, it's pure magic. Their talent, chemistry and joy really shine.

Place me in the moment when you're watching Cynthia Erivo float above the audience — which she did a couple takes of — for the showstopping "Gravity" number. What's going through your mind? What are you watching for? How do you know you've got it?

Winston: There's definitely a "before" and "after" to that moment. Beforehand, as she's being rigged up, all I could think about was safety and making sure everything was secure. Thinking about any potential disasters and just praying everything is safe. You trust your incredible crew completely, but when one of the biggest stars in the world is about to fly across the audience, your nerves are definitely on edge.

But the moment she lifted off and started singing, it was electric. Performing a song that is that demanding vocally, while suspended in midair is no small feat, and she made it look so effortless. It stopped everyone in their tracks. The entire room went silent, just in awe of her power and emotion. It was one of those moments where you realize you're witnessing something extraordinary, the kind of performance people will remember for a long time. It was a hugely emotional moment for everybody.

Neal: I was watching that moment from backstage and knew we had it when I heard cheers erupt from the audience. Their reaction was utter surprise and tremendous delight.

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

Winston: I recently watched "Mobland" [Paramount+] and thought it was absolutely sensational. And on the documentary side, I've really been into "Starting Five." This latest season on Netflix is particularly strong. Both are so different, but each completely drew me in.

Neal: Game 7 of the World Series. Go, Dodgers!

What's your go-to "comfort watch," the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?

Winston: Probably "Back to the Future" [Netflix]. It's not the most original answer, but it never fails. And when it comes to TV, if I'm not sure what to put on, I'll always go with "[The] West Wing" [HBO Max].

Neal: It's not Saturday in my house if we're not watching "Saturday Night Live." We all need laughter in our lives, and that show will always do it for me.