Cinema News: A dramatic reboot of a ’90s sitcom ends

December 12, 2025 | View in browser

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By Robert Lloyd, Maira Garcia and Yvonne Villarreal

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who can't afford to enter the bidding war to buy Warner Bros. Discovery while trying to budget for the holidays.

The battle between Netflix and Paramount over the future of Warner Bros. Discovery was the talk of Hollywood this week. And our Hollywood Inc. cohorts have been working overtime covering what the impending sale signals for the industry and the concerns that swirl around it. But if you need a break from all the hubbub about the hostile takeover, the Golden Globe nominations were also announced this week, with "One Battle After Another" leading the film side and "The White Lotus" the topping TV. Our awards expert Glenn Whipp, though, cautions that the show's rehabilitation efforts after its ethics scandal haven't been promising — or as he puts it, the Globes may be back, "[b]ut regarding ethical practices, today's for-profit Globes may well be worse than ever."

In other news from this week, "Bel Air" reached its series finale, bringing Peacock's dramatic reimagination of the beloved sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" to a close after four seasons. Cassandra Freeman, who played Aunt Viv, stopped by Guest Spot to talk about the show's swan song.

Also in this week's Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a series chronicling a teen demigod's battles with mythological creatures and the retro period drama that significantly influenced pop culture and helped build the profile of AMC network.

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As Dick Van Dyke turns 100, a PBS documentary fetes an artist who's easy to celebrate: The new documentary 'Starring Dick Van Dyke' honors the actor as he turns 100 through interviews with former castmates and contemporaries.

Noah Baumbach doesn't love L.A. But in 'Jay Kelly' and other films, he is fascinated by it: With 'Greenberg,' 'Marriage Story' and now his Hollywood dramedy 'Jay Kelly,' the Brooklyn native continues to be genuinely (not satirically) interested in L.A.

Another Taylor Swift documentary? For fans who spent thousands on Eras, reliving it is priceless: The pop star released 'The End of an Era,' a six-episode documentary series about her massive tour, and a second concert film Friday, but fans say the influx of content is never too much.

6 actors on striking 'the most difficult balance,' from fatherhood to the artistic process: Jacob Elordi, Jesse Plemons, Benicio Del Toro, Will Arnett, Wagner Moura and Stellan Skarsgård open up about fame, work/life balance and how they prepare for roles.

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" (Disney+)

The second volume in the "Percy Jackson" book series, "The Sea of Monsters," is now the second season of the Disney+ series. As with the first, "The Lightning Thief," there was a movie version, too, which, based on the first film, I am going to guess was not as good as this show, which is very good. Judging by the first four episodes, it's darker than its predecessor, and wetter, with nods to "The Odyssey" and the Argonauts. Camp Half-Blood, where demigod kids spend their summers is threatened from without, by the rebel factions of the Titan Kronos, and within, by autocratic new activities director Tantalus (Timothy Simons). The show wittily combines Greek mythology, modern culture (e.g., "It was a sphinx who told me — on 77th Street") and teenage relations; heroes Percy (Walker Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) and Grover the satyr (Aryan Simhadri) are all a year older now, joined by Percy's just-discovered half brother, a sensitive Cyclops named Tyson (Daniel Diemer), who has excellent hearing and a gift for mechanics. Like the road movie at the heart of the first season, there's a quest involved, this one over water in search of the Golden Fleece. Plus the Gray Sisters, who share an eye between them (and drive a cab), Laestrygonian giants, Stymphalian birds, Scylla and Charybdis, a chariot race and TV's handsomest title sequence. — Robert Lloyd

"Mad Men" (HBO Max, AMC+)

Few shows have had enduring appeal quite like Matthew Weiner's 1960s drama about the advertising business, which made Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss into bona fide stars. It demonstrated that basic cable can create prestige TV as well as any premium network. Funny enough, all seven seasons of "Mad Men" were recently added to HBO Max, where it debuted with a few hiccups. Because the series is streaming in 4K, meaning the aspect ratio is larger, aspects of production we weren't supposed to see, like a crew manning a vomit machine, were visible, among several other issues. (The oopsies have now been fixed; evidently the wrong version was sent.) Nonetheless, all the buzz about the issues compelled me to revisit the show — it had been years, probably since it ended in 2015, that I'd watched it. Guess what? It holds up — the writing is crisp and zingy, the acting superb and the attention to historical detail borders on perfection. It's time to stir up an Old Fashioned and get watching. — Maira Garcia

Guest spot

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

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After four seasons, "Bel-Air," Peacock's dramatic reboot of the hit '90s sitcom "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," concluded this week. And it's young characters — Will (Jabari Banks), Carlton (Olly Sholotan), Hilary (Coco Jones) and Ashley (Akira Akbar) — weren't the only ones embarking on new chapters and moments of transition in their coming-of-age journeys. The heads of the Banks household, Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes) and Aunt Viv (Freeman), have returned to the beginning stages of parenthood with the arrival of baby Nicky, and find themselves taking stock of what they want at this stage in their lives. Over email, Freeman discussed what it was like sharing scenes with the actor who originated the Aunt Viv character, taking cues from her alter ego and the kind of project she'd like to tackle next. —Yvonne Villarreal

You had the unique opportunity of sharing screen time with Janet Hubert, who originated the role of Aunt Viv in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." What was that experience like for you?

To work with Janet was a dream come true; she is an artist through and through, and overall a kind, and truly generous spirit. When you're like that, to act with it becomes such a simple process. Looking into her eyes was an acting lesson of surrendering to the moment second by second. We really didn't talk about how we both have played these matriarchs, funny enough. Off camera, we were mostly singing, playing, dancing. We also sent a video text message to Will Smith to say he was missing out on all the fun, and how grateful we are that he brought us back together! I asked every season if Janet could return, and Will Smith definitely played a part in encouraging her to come back on the show, and she did so with an open heart in mind!! I can't say enough, how magnificent it was to everyone!

While Viv and Phil have returned to the beginning stages of parenthood, they're also thinking about what they want just as their older children are confronting change. They decide to move to West Adams and Viv is starting her own artistic foundation. What intrigued you about what your character was grappling with in these last episodes — and how did it parallel or shape your own journey of saying goodbye?

I think it worked because we got to witness her finally being in the driver seat of her own life. We witnessed her stop relying on other people to give her joy, and now she's the architect of creating the life she wants, by having that foundation and by moving into a house that gives her more comfort in the final episode. You see everyone helping with the baby, and pitching in and ensuring she's not sacrificing her entire life and passion. This is very parallel to my life. I have my own company on the side called Creatricity. It's a company that centers connection, creatives and commerce. My husband, my nanny, my son's extended family, along with our neighborhood and friends are very much a part of his life.

The parallel we share is, on the show, you don't see Viv sobbing about the new chapter ahead, and that's because she has so much to look forward to. But I do think when everything is quiet and settled, she'll have immense grief of letting go and surrendering to the new unknown. That is very much me. I shed a tear here and there, but what I really felt [was] the weight of saying goodbye. Grief is a surprising process, and turning the page to new chapters are full of excitement, but thankfully this goodbye was all happy tears, full of gratitude.

The series ends with a cameo from Will Smith, engaged in a heart-to-heart with his fictional alter ego. What went through your mind when you got to that part in the script?

When I read the final page of the script, I really thought about how generous of a gift it was for Will Smith to bring this show back in the way that he did. The way that he collaborated with the whole team to allow this new interpretation to come to reality was really amazing. I also thought what a beautiful artistic exercise for everyone to look back at when they were 18 years old, and really marvel at how fast 30 years have gone by — and have you embraced and accepted the life you wished for at that age? And if not, can you do it now, for the next 15-20 years ahead? It was such a beautiful, philosophical, funny, and endearing moment. I hope everyone takes in that moment, and look at the young tender parts of themselves, and say, "Good job, we're not done living life yet."

Who was the TV matriarch that left a lasting impression on you? And what have you come to understand about what goes into playing one?

Not surprising, the TV matriarchs in my mind are Phylicia Rashad from "The Cosby Show" and Janet Hubert from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"! They were both such strong women who were fiercely protective of their family. What I began to realize is that people don't understand how scary it is to be a mom, and how the anger comes from a place of grief because you know you can't protect your kids from everything. And now that torch was handed to me. I really kept asking the creators of the show to give me moments of being messy, scared and vulnerable. Strength is interesting when you see how people have to overcome their own vulnerabilities and fear. This character had to overcome her impostor syndrome, thinking she needed to be in the backseat of her life, and thinking she was too old to start again, or too old to be sexy. I'm overwhelmingly grateful that they gave this character so much room to live a life as a woman in modern America, versus just being the trope of the mom who's a mama bear.

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

On Tubi is a new show that I think is pretty brilliant called "Damascus"! Janet Hubert actually is on the show as a future-forward therapist, and Okieriete Onaodowan is a star in the lead role! It's great storytelling. It's a little sci-fi philosophical dramady and it's timely. His character gets to live out multiple lives by doing an immersive type of therapy. It's a roller coaster ride! I love all things sci-fi, so I think it's a must-watch show.

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

"Golden Girls" [Hulu, Disney+] and "Frasier," the original one [Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, Prime Video, Pluto TV]. I love watching "Golden Girls" — best friends till the end, holding onto the hope of new love. The jokes are still funny today, and the delivery of those jokes are genius. It's definitely a comfort watch. And "Frasier" is so hilarious, and high comedy that people teach classes on. The writing of that show is beautiful. I think that's why I so desperately want to do a rom-com next. I used to be a stand-up comedian and that side of me really wants to come back out and play.