“Whitechapel,” “American Horror Story” and “The Walking Dead” among top choices for Halloween-related viewing
From left, Phil Davis, Rupert Penry-Jones and Steve Pemberton of "Whitechapel" - BBC America Photo
My three top choices to get the Halloween goosebumps going for the Halloween television viewing season are as follows:
- BBC America delivers some pre-Halloween chills with the U.S. premiere of the series “Whitechapel” at 9 p.m. Wed., Oct. 26.
“Whitechapel” is set in modern day East London where the police are trying to solve murders that echo cases from the past, including those involving Jack the Ripper and the 1960s crime twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
The six part series, from the producers of “Downton Abby,” stars Rupert Penry-Jones (“MI-5,” “Persuasion), Phil Davis (“Sherlock,” “Bleak House”) and Steve Pemberton (“The League of Gentleman).
- “American Horror Story” continues its bloodcurdling run at 9 p.m. Wed. Oct. 26 on FX, with the first of two “Halloween” episodes: Part 1 features the line between the living and the dead blurring on Halloween and two of the house’s previous residents giving the Harmons decorating advice. Part 2, airing at 9 p.m. Wed., Nov. 2, involves Tate coming face-to-face with his past and Ben and Vivien being haunted by one of the house’s newest guests.
Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton and Jessica Lange star in “American Horror Story.”
- “The Walking Dead,” which has just been renewed for a third season, airs its third spine-chiling episode of its second season at 8 p.m. Sun., Oct. 30 on AMC, in which the group desperately awaits Shane’s return as he finds himself trapped in a school surrounded by zombies, while Daryl and Andrea search for someone in the woods.
Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and Steven Yeun star in “The Walking Dead.”
– Melissa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter: @MelissaHayer
Other various Halloween-related viewing options include:
- “Ghost Adventures” airs at 8 p.m. Fri., Oct. 28 on the Travel Channel – Zak, Nick and Aaron have come to Letchworth to unlock “The Village of Secrets.”
- “Iris Johansen’s The Killing Game,” based on the bestselling crime novel of the same name and starring Laura Prepon (“How I Met Your Mother”), airs at 7 p.m. Sun., Oct. 30 on Lifetime Movie Network.
- “Martha Stewart’s Haunted House” re-airs at 9 a.m. Mon., Oct. 31 on the Hallmark Channel, actor Justin Long is a guest.
- “The Sing-Off” airs at 7 p.m. Mon., Oct. 31 on NBC and features an opening medley of “This Is Halloween,” “Werewolves of London” and “Ghostbusters.”
- “Watch What Happens Live” airs at 10 p.m. Mon., Oct. 31 on Bravo – live Halloween party hosted by Andy Cohen in the Bravo Clubhouse.
- The Sundance Channel is offering some movies to whet your Halloween appetite, including “Dream Home,” airing at 10:30 p.m. Fri., Oct. 28, which centers on the story of a newlywed couple who wanted the American dream but end up in the middle of a nightmare. Gary and Jessica have moved into a suburban home in the rural countryside when Jessica begins to have strange, haunting visions of a mysterious woman wandering the halls and the shady locals hint at a morbid and tragic back story to the house; and “One Missed Call,” which airs at 9 p.m. Sat., Oct. 29, and is about college student Beth Raymond, whose friends have all been dying in droves and the one connecting factor between all of the incidents is that just before their deaths, each of the victims received a message in which they heard themselves being killed. Beth receives her own terrifying phone call and has only three days to solve the mystery and cheat death.
- If you’d like some humor instead of horror, ABC’s Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 25 and 26) night comedies, including “Last Man Standing” (7 p.m. Tues.), “The Middle” (7 p.m. Wed.),” “Suburgatory” (7:30 p.m. Wed.), “Modern Family” (8 p.m., Wed.) and “Happy Endings” (8:30 p.m. Wed.) have Halloween themes.
- NBC’s Thursday (Oct. 27) night comedies featuring Halloween episodes include “Community” (7 p.m) “Parks & Recreation” (7:30 p.m.) and “The Office” (8 p.m.)
- Additionally, “The Simpsons’” 22nd annual installment of “Treehouse of Horror” airs at 7 p.m., Sun., Oct. 30, on Fox.
(Information on programs provided by BBC America, FX, AMC, Sundance, ABC, NBC, Fox, Travel Channel, Lifetime Movie Network, Hallmark Channel and Bravo.)
From left, Atticus Shaffer, Patricia Heaton, Jake Netter, Devon Laos, Andrew J. Fishman, Mason Cook and Aidan Potter of "The Middle" - ABC Photo
Lifetime Movie Network’s “Secrets in the Walls” average thriller
Jeri Ryan stars in "Secrets in the Walls." - Lifetime Movie Network Photo by Ken Woroner
One of the ways to avoid ending up in a horror movie is to never buy a big, beautiful, old house because it’s for sale at an irresistible price.
Of course there’s a reason the price is so irresistible – the house is haunted.
But, of course, if the house isn’t bought, a horror story wouldn’t be able to be told.
In Lifetime Movie Network’s “Secrets in the Walls,” Jeri Ryan plays single mom Rachel Easton. Rachel moves into this “great deal” of a house with her two daughters Lizzie (Kay Panabaker) and Molly (Peyton Roi List).
Before moving, youngest daughter Molly had already displayed signs of otherwordly sensitivities and quickly picks up on the haunted goings-on in the house.
But it’s oldest daughter Lizzie who is directly affected, and Rachel enlists her spiritually-attuned friend Belle (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) to help save her family.
Though mostly predictable, this movie still kept me interested with a few surprises and solid acting by the cast.
If you want a little bit of a scare before Halloween, give “Secrets in the Walls” a look.
“Secrets in the Walls” premieres at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 on Lifetime Move Network.
– Melissa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com
Lifetime Movie Network’s “The Devil’s Teardrop” is an adept drama
Natasha Henstridge and Tom Everett Scott in "The Devil's Teardrop" - Lifetime Movie Network Photo
In Lifetime Movie Network’s “The Devil’s Teardrop,” Washington, D.C. is plagued by a serial killer who’s left a ransom note demanding $20 million or there will be more deaths.
The movie, based on a novel by New York Times best-selling author Jeffrey Deaver, doesn’t keep you sitting on the edge of your seat, but is a capable mystery with believable characters and solid acting by leads Tom Everett Scott (“Southland”) and Natasha Henstridge (“Eli Stone”).
Scott’s character, retired FBI agent and handwriting specialist Parker Kincaid, gets called back in to assist in solving this case by Special Agent Margaret Lukas (Henstridge).
Kincaid is a divorced father of two whose ex-wife Joan, (Rena Sofer “NCIS”), begins fighting him for custody of their children just when he starts helping with the investigation.
Scott is proficient in his role of being a responsible and loving father as well as a clever crime solver.
Henstridge is also effective as a skilled special agent with a tragedy in her past.
“The Devil’s Teardrop” airs Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network.
– Melissa Hayer
Rosie Perez to star in Lifetime Movie Network’s “Lies in Plain Sight”
Rosie Perez - AP Photo
Academy Award nominee Rosie Perez (“Fearless”) is set to star in Lifetime Movie Network’s “Lies in Plain Sight.”
The film will start production this month in Los Angeles and is scheduled to premiere this fall on Lifetime Movie Network, according to a news release.
Co-stars in the movie include Benito Martinez (“Saving Grace”), Chad Michael Murray (“One Tree Hill”), Christoph Sanders (“Ghost Whisperer”), Martha Higareda (“Street Kings”) and Yul Vasquez (“The A Team”).
“Lies in Plain Sight” is the story of Ava and her blind cousin Sofia (Higareda), who were inseparable as children. Ava remains Sofia’s loyal companion through her adoloscent years.
When Ava commits suicide, Sofia rushes home to her father Hector (Martinez) and Ava’s parents Marisol (Perez) and Rafael (Vasquez) to find answers.
But as she looks into Ava’s life, questioning her past boyfriends Ethan (Murray) and Christian (Sanders), the more Sofia realizes that their childhood was filled with dark secrets.
