Playing the best friend to Kate Winslet’s titular Mare Sheehan character, Nicholson won an Emmy in 2021 for her heartwrenching performance as the mother of (spoiler alert!) the young boy revealed as the killer Sheehan was investigating.
More details about how her character will factor into Task are under wraps. But we know that the new season follows Ruffalo’s ex-priest-turned-FBI agent — a performance that earned him an Emmy nod — as he leads another task force that will clash with the DEA.
Mark Ruffalo plays FBI agent Tom Brandis in the HBO series “Task.”
It’s the first time that the worlds of Task and Mare have officially collided, though both shows were created by Berwyn writer Brad Ingelsby and filmed in the Philadelphia area. There’s also some overlap in their creative teams, from production and costume design to dialect coaching. (Ingelsby recognizes the importance of getting the signature Delco accent just right.)
“We weren’t trying to separate Task from Mare. In fact, we were actually going the other way and saying, ‘No, it’s OK to use the same streets,’” said Ingelsby, who received an Emmy nomination recognizing his writing for the Task finale. “If there’s something architecturally that can connect the two worlds, let’s wrap our arms around it.”
“Task” and “Mare of Easttown” writer Brad Ingelsby in his office in Berwyn, Pa.. on July 17, 2025.
Mare was initially developed as a limited series, but talk of a potential second season has persisted in the years since its release. Ingelsby has said the door is always open for a continuation of the show and earlier this year, Winslet reportedly said recent conversations with HBO were promising enough that she believes there’s a “strong likelihood” filming could begin in 2027.
It’s not yet clear whether Winslet could make a cameo in Task when the two shows crossover.
Following a banner year for TV shows set in Philadelphia, the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary and HBO drama Task received multiple Emmy Award nominations on Wednesday.
Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey both received acting nominations, in outstanding lead and outstanding supporting categories, respectively.
The finale, “A Still Small Voice,” received particular attention: Ingelsby was nominated for outstanding writing for a drama series and editors Keiko Deguchi and Amy E. Duddleston were nominated in the picture editing category. The episode “Crossings” was recognized as well, with director of photography Alex Disenhof nominated for outstanding cinematography for a one-hour series.
Additionally, director Salli Richardson Whitfield was nominated for directing the action-packed episode “Out Beyond Ideas of Wrongdoing and Rightdoing, There Is a River.” She was also nominated in the same category for directing an episode of HBO’s The Gilded Age.
Ingelsby told The Inquirer in an email that the Task team is “deeply honored” by the recognition.
“Task exists solely because of the remarkable people who have believed in it and helped bring it to the screen. Thank you to HBO for shepherding it into the world so beautifully,” Ingelsby wrote. “I’m especially happy to see our cast leaders Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey nominated for their extraordinary performances.”
“This recognition represents the entire Task team,“ he said, ”in front of and behind the camera who poured their enormous talent and hearts into bringing this story to life.”
He added: “We are busy at work shooting Season 2 right now, and this is a very nice reason to pause for a moment and celebrate.”
Fresh off concluding its fifth season, the Emmy-winning powerhouse Abbott Elementary returns to the awards ceremony with seven nods, including outstanding comedy series and outstanding casting. West Philly’s Quinta Brunson, Abbott’s star and creator, was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role as Janine Teagues and outstanding writing for a comedy series for the episode “Team Building.” Brunson won an outstanding lead actress Emmy for the same role in 2023 and an outstanding writing award for the Abbott pilot in 2022.
Joining Brunson in acting nominations are Janelle James, who plays the chaotically unpredictable principal Ava Coleman and is nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. Tyler James Williams, who plays neurotic teacher Gregory Eddie, is nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy.
“Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson watches the Phillies play the Atlanta Braves during a taping of the show on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. in Philadelphia.
Abbott Elementary also received a nod for outstanding directing for a comedy series, recognizing Randall Einhorn for his effort filming the “Ball Game” episode during a live Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park last August. Phillies fans will remember it as the night Kyle Schwarber made MLB history with four home runs, while Abbott fans will recall suspecting the mysterious janitor Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis) was secretly the Phanatic.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” Brunson wrote on Instagram. “Congratulations to the hardworking cast and crew of Abbott. I am grateful for each and every person that makes this production move.”
In the supporting actor category, Williams will compete with West Philly native Colman Domingo, who was nominated for his role as the sharp and sassy Danny in Tina Fey’s Netflix comedy, The Four Seasons. This is Domingo’s second consecutive year as a best supporting actor nominee. The show’s second season, released in May, was filmed partially at the Jersey Shore and revealed that Domingo’s character is also from Philadelphia.
Domingo received a second Emmy nomination this year for the final season of HBO’s Euphoria, in the category of outstanding guest actor. He played the tenderhearted and justifiably furious addiction sponsor Ali to Zendaya’s lovably tragic character, Rue. In 2022, Domingo won the supporting actor Emmy for the same role.
The actor was just in Philadelphia on July 4, when he received a Philadelphia Freedom Award from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. Now on vacation in Europe, he’s celebrating the double Emmy nods that highlight his acting skills in both comedic and dramatic roles.
“I think the diversity of work is what I’ve always hoped for, to have these opportunities to flex very different muscles,” Domingo told Deadline on Wednesday. He added that he believes the finale of Euphoria “is some of my best work” and he “gave it everything I had.”
Another Philly son got a nomination this year: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator Rob Mac (formerly McElhenney) stars in and executive produces the Emmy-winning Welcome to Wrexham, about the Welsh soccer team he co-owns with Ryan Reynolds. The show is in the running for outstanding unstructured reality program, which it has won twice before. (Mac’s Always Sunny costar and wife, Kaitlin Olson, also received a nomination for her guest appearance in Hacks.)
Leading in Emmy nominations were The Pitt, the emergency room drama set in Pittsburgh, with 25 nods, and Hacks, the comedy costarring Eagles superfan Hannah Einbinder, receiving 24. The daughter of a diehard Eagles fan from Doylestown, Einbinder is nominated again for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. She won the award last year and made headlines for ending her speech with “Go Birds, f — ICE, and free Palestine.”
Hosted at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards will air 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, on NBC.
Bill Wine, 81, of Philadelphia, three-time Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award-winning film and TV critic, retired tenured associate professor of TV and film at La Salle University, onetime freelance TV critic for the Daily News, freelance writer, playwright, and popular lecturer, died Sunday, June 14, of complications from Parkinson’s disease at his home in Chestnut Hill.
The son of two part-time amateur actors and a lifelong devotee of theater, film, TV, writing, and teaching, Mr. Wine was a film critic for WTXF-TV, Channel 29, for 12 years and KYW radio for 17 years. Known for his pithy, witty, and often acerbic reviews, and a breezy conversational style of writing, he worked at Channel 29 from 1990 to 2002 and KYW from 2001 to 2018.
“Bill Wine was a character out of a Neil Simon comedy, more Oscar than Felix,” said Carrie Rickey, former Inquirer movie critic. “You didn’t have to wait long for the punchline.”
Mr. Wine’s film reviews on Channel 29 were often funny and entertaining.
At Channel 29, Mr. Wine was nominated for eight regional Emmy Awards for commentary and writing, and won three. He appeared regularly on the station’s Ten O’Clock News, in primetime movie preview and review programs, and later on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on Good Day Philadelphia.
By 1990, he had already written hundreds of freelance film reviews for the Daily News and Courier-Post, done radio reviews for WPEN, and taught a variety of classes about film and writing for a decade at La Salle. So, despite no previous TV experience, he was hired at Channel 29 over 60 other film critic applicants.
“I had never been on TV, but I wasn’t nervous,” he told the Daily News in 2001, “because I had been standing in front of 100 students for 10 years.”
Mr. Wine worked at at WTXF-TV, Channel 29, for 12 years.
He started at KYW radio in 2001 and usually aired reviews and reports on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sometimes, he watched three movies in one day. He left Channel 29 in 2002 and KYW in 2018 only after both companies eliminated their local film critic position.
“When I started [writing film reviews], it was before the internet,” he told The Inquirer in 2018. “A lot of people [now] feel like, ‘Who the heck is a movie critic to come on in a minute and to dismiss something that took hundreds of people and millions of dollars to create?’”
In the 1970s and ‘80s, he wrote articles and reviewed films, TV shows, books, and plays for WPEN, The Inquirer, Courier-Post, Philadelphia Magazine, and other outlets. In 1975, he wrote dozens of freelance TV columns called “On the Air” for the Daily News.
Mr. Wine wrote dozens of columns as a freelance TV critic for the Daily News in 1975.
He spent three years in California in the 1970s working on plays and film and TV scripts. He hobnobbed with famous writers, producers, and actors in Los Angeles, staged one of his own plays, and was a winning contestant on a new TV game show.
He wrote 11 plays over the years, and several made it to the stage. “Now the people who disagree with my reviews can come and find out if I’m as dumb as they think I am,” he told The Inquirer in 2002.
He aired reviews on WIP radio and lectured often at libraries, schools, community centers, theaters, and other venues about his favorite films, adapting books to film, and other topics.“He could be wickedly funny, especially when delivering a pan of a movie,” his family said in a tribute. “One of his favorite quotes was: ‘I had a bad seat. It was facing the screen.’”
Mr. Wine was a prolific playwright who enjoyed table readings with family and friends.
Mr. Wine earned a bachelor’s degree in math at Drexel University and a master’s degree in communications at Temple University. He helped design La Salle’s nascent Communication Department in the 1980s, and school officials called him one of their “Founding Fathers.” He also taught briefly at Drexel, and came close to earning a doctorate at Temple.
In 2001, he was featured in a Daily News story about “celebrity professors” and said: “You have to remind yourself that this is television, not the classroom. You mention, say, ‘film noir’ on TV, and you get a memo.”
William David Wine was born June 21, 1944, in Germantown. He grew up in West Oak Lane and Cherry Hill, attended Central High School, and graduated from the old Cherry Hill High School.
A story and this photo of Mr. Wine about his time as a professor at La Salle appeared in the Daily News in 2001.
As a boy, he devoured newspaper movie reviews and fell in love with film after seeing Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller Rear Window. He got positive reviews of his own freelance movie review when he was at Temple, and he knew then, he said later, that writing about movies was his creative niche.
He married Dina Lichtman, and they divorced later. He married Suzanne Monsalud in 1981, and they had daughters Simone and Paulina, and lived in Germantown, Wyncote, and Chestnut Hill.
Mr. Wine and his wife, Suzanne, married in 1981.
Together, Mr. Wine and his family traveled to Paris and London, and he and his wife honeymooned in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He doted on his daughters and sometimes took them to his La Salle classroom, the Channel 29 TV set, and movie screenings.
Friends, former colleagues, and former students called him “a force of nature,” “smart and gifted,” and “a rare combination of kindness, professionalism, and humor.” His daughter Simone said: “His humor, warmth, and presence made life brighter.”
Mr. Wine played tennis, third base on adult softball teams, and pickup basketball into his 70s. He followed the Phillies, 76ers, and Eagles closely, and hit tennis balls with Hall of Famer Rod Laver at a publicity event in Los Angeles.
Mr. Wine and his family made memorable trips to Paris, London, and elsewhere.
“He was a wonderful father and a dedicated teacher,” his wife said. “He was a real Philadelphian, and we complemented each other.”
His daughter Paulina said: “Dad, I think you cracked the code. We’ll see you at the movies.”
Editor’s note: This story contains spoilers for season one of “Task.”
The cast and crew of the HBO crime drama Task will descend on Manayunk next week to begin filming Season 2, according to notices posted around the neighborhood and on a local Facebook group.
The company Random Productions wrote that filming is scheduled for July 7-9, when certain streets will be closed to accommodate trailers, equipment vehicles, cast, and crew members. Parking restrictions, however, will begin earlier on specific blocks, starting Sunday, July 5.
“We will try to keep these closures as minimal as possible and will not prevent residents from accessing driveways or parking lots,” the notices state.
Actors Tom Pelphrey (left) and Mark Ruffalo, from HBO’s “Task,” do interviews before the Philadelphia Eagles game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Philadelphia.
What fans need to know
The Mark Ruffalo-led series from Mare of Easttown creator and Berwyn resident Brad Ingelsby will again center on the dogged and empathetic FBI agent Tom Brandis, this time as he spearheads a new task force where, as the logline reads, “the deeper the operation runs, the harder it is to tell who’s the target.”
Brandis’ rival this season will be Philadelphia DEA agent Eddie Barnes, played by Mahershala Ali, the Oscar winner who starred in Moonlight, Green Book, and the 2019 HBO crime show True Detective. (Season 1 saw Brandis face off against robber Robbie Prendergrast, played to critical acclaim by Ozark actor Tom Pelphrey, who grew up in Howell Township, N.J.)
Joining Ali as fellow DEA agents are Pillion and Harry Potter actor Henry Melling, who will play a hothead named Brennan Boylan; The Assassination of Gianni Versace star Edgar Ramirez, cast as second-in-command Miguel Contreras, described as a “devoted family man … torn between duty and guilt”; and Star City actor Adam Nagaitis, playing loyal agent Luke Clemmons.
On the FBI side, 1923 actor Aminah Nieves will play Nataly Zamora, who Deadline described as “a no-nonsense FBI agent and dedicated young mother who fights hard to protect the community that raised her.”
It’s not yet clear whether other cast members from Season 1 will return. That includes Silvia Dionicio and Phoebe Fox, who played Brandis’ daughters, and Andrew Russel, their incarcerated brother who killed their mother accidentally during a schizophrenic episode. The emotional and bittersweet finale concluded with Brandis testifying at his son’s trial and affirming that he would be welcome home whenever he’s released.
Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) hugs his family after his son Ethan’s parole hearing in the “Task” finale.
Season 1 received millions of viewers — and, of course, a strong Philadelphia following — with the finale alone reaching an audience of 4 million in the U.S. within three days of airing. HBO has said that Task was one of its “top three fastest-growing, debut seasons.” Viewership overall outpaced Ingelsby’s Emmy-winning Mare of Easttown, which broke HBO viewership records in 2021 and may return for a second season. (It’s likely that Task, too, will receive Emmy Awards attention when nominations are announced July 8.)
Returning to Task behind the scenes are South Philadelphia native Jeremiah Zagar, who was a director and executive producer on Season 1; the son of late Philadelphia mosaicist Isaiah Zagar will serve as executive producer. Ruffalo will again executive produce the show, alongside Ingelsby and others, including Mare of Easttown executive producer Mark Roybal.
The first season of Taskfilmed in and around Philadelphia, including Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties, and further out into rural Pennsylvania. Creator Inglesby has proudly said that the show is a Delco story, and his team aims for authentic portrayals of the region, down to the signature Delco accent.
Part of that effort means hiring local crews and background actors. In Season 1, the production hired 777 Pennsylvanians as cast and crew for 177 days, investing $230 million in the regional economy.
Actor Mark Ruffalo (right in black suit) shoots for the HBO series ‘Task’ at the Delaware County Government Center and Courthouse on June 17, 2024.
Last fall, Task received a record-breaking $49.8 million tax credit from Pennsylvania, the highest amount the state has ever granted a single production. HBO estimates that Season 2 will bring some 3,700 jobs to the state and the studio expects to invest an estimated $194.1 million in Pennsylvania’s economy as it pays for local crews and hotel accommodations, among other expenses.
Kensington-based casting agency Heery Loftus has led local casting efforts for the show, most recently announcing a call for “Latino men who can portray organized crime figures” and “men and women of all ethnicities who can portray law enforcement personnel.”
A premiere date for Season 2 has not yet been announced.
“Task” showrunner Brad Ingelsby and star Mark Ruffalo on set.
What Manayunk residents need to know
Per two notices from Random Productions, “No Parking” signs will be posted on these streets during these dates:
Sunday, July 5 at 6 p.m. to Wednesday, July 8 at 11 p.m.:
Cresson Street between Cotton Street and Gay Street
Monday, July 6 at 6 p.m. to Wednesday, July 8 at 11 p.m.:
Grape Street between Silverwood Street and Cresson Street
Levering Street between Cresson Street and Silverwood Street
Cotton Street between Cresson Street and Main Street
Main Street between Cotton Street and Levering Street
Grape Street between Main Street and Cresson Street
Levering Street between Main Street and Cresson Street
Wednesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. to Thursday, July 9 at 10 p.m.:
Dupont Street between High Street and Smick Street
Baker Street between Dupont Street and Green Lane
Baker Street between Dupont Street and Mallory Street
These streets will be closed during these dates and approximate times:
Tuesday, July 7 from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Wednesday, July 8 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
Grape Street between Silverwood Street and Cresson Street
Cresson Street between Cotton Street and Gay Street
Thursday, July 9 from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.:
Dupont Street between Smick Street and High Street
Please note: This breakdown of parking restrictions and street closures may not be comprehensive as the company released multiple neighborhood notices.
Sporting orange swim trunks and not much else, Gunter was one of 12 new men who entered the show on episode 18 of Love Island USA.
It’s all part of Casa Amor, the mid-season twist where OG contestants split off into two villas and are forced to explore new connections. Gunter, 25, was one of a dozen men and six women who’ve been introduced to the show in the last two nights.
He was also one of the men chosen to stay: Those 12 men were quickly cut to six in the same episode.
Proving Philly is the center of the universe — even on a remote Fijian island and even at Casa Amor, Gunter was quick to tell North Philly native Melanie Moreno that he went to Drexel.
In a prior episode, Moreno, 24, told her most consistent connection, Sincere Rhea — who’s from Cape May — that her dream first date for them would be to walk through Penn’s Landing.
But with Rhea away at the other villa with new arm candy and the OG women forced to explore connections with their own new crop of islanders, Gunter stood out.
He chose to kiss both Moreno and Jen Terry as part of a challenge and later won the women over by talking about family life and his cooking chops.
“I want my wife sipping red wine on the countertop while I’m cooking,” he said. “I love to chef. Y’all will never go hungry with me around.”
While attending college in Philly, where he majored in sports studies, Gunter achieved virality for his likeness to Hurts.
Two years ago, in a TikTok reshared by accounts including ESPN, Gunter’s then-girlfriend (now-former Division I golfer and prominent sports broadcaster and social media personality Emma Carpenter) said he’d get mistaken for Hurts “everywhere we go.”
Gunter told The Inquirer at the time that the comparisons started coming around his sophomore year — along with stares and photo requests — but he welcomed the attention for the most part.
“I think it’s funny. And I mean, he’s not a bad guy to be compared to,” he said. “It’s an awesome comparison to be mistaken for that guy.”
Even Drexel’s Lacrosse program got in on the fun, posting on Instagram in 2023: “All we’re saying is that we’ve never seen @_ronniegunter and @jalenhurts together.”
Born and raised in Minnesota before heading Northeast for school, Gunter lives in New York these days, where he works as a program director for the nonprofit Harlem Lacrosse.
So far, no one on Love Island has made any comments about Gunter’s resemblance to Hurts. But there’s a lot more island time to play out.
Devan Kaney is saying goodbye to Philadelphia, at least for now.
Kaney anchored her final Fox 29 sportscast over the weekend and and is leaving town for a yet-to-be-announced job opportunity in a bigger market. Though she hinted she would still appear on Fox’s airwaves.
“I’m so grateful for the support all of my colleagues at Fox 29 have given me during my time there, but especially in the last few months,” Kaney said.
“As much as I would have loved to return as the sideline reporter, they never reached out,” Kaney said, “and I’ll be covering a different NFL franchise moving forward.”
Kaney had been with Fox 29 since 2023, serving as a part-time sports anchor and reporter. She also appeared on Good Day Philadelphia and featured prominently on the station’s Eagles coverage.
She’ll be replaced in part by former 6abc sportscaster Jamie Apody, who just landed an expanded role at Fox 29 and will anchor the station’s Saturday 10 p.m. newscast.
“I was absolutely not expecting Jayson Werth,” Kaney told The Inquirer earlier this month. “He’ll just drop the most insane stories, and it’s awesome to work with him.”
Mike Schmidt returned to the Phillies television booth Thursday night, but not to call the game.
The Phillies legend walked away from NBC Sports Philadelphia this season after 12 years as a part-time announcer, but jumped back in the booth Thursday night to spend the fourth inning with Tom McCarthy, John Kruk, and fellow Hall of Famer George Brett.
It was a fascinating way to spend 20 minutes, especially considering the many ways Schmidt and Brett are linked. Two of the best third baseman in the history of the game, taken one behind the other in the 1971 MLB draft. Brett had 1,596 career RBIs, while Schmidt had 1,595 (Brett “hired someone to go back through his career and find an RBI” Schmidt once jokingly claimed).
And of course, there’s the 1980 World Series, where the Phillies defeated the Royals and Schmidt was named MVP, which Brett said was “hard to swallow.” They were both named the respective MVPs of their leagues that season, with Brett ending the season with a batting average of .390.
George Brett and Mike Schmidt, seen here ahead of Game 1 of the 1980 World Series.
“By the way, I had .260 in the bag,” Schmidt joked. “I went 0-10 in the last series and dropped down to .250.”
“I feel so bad for you, Mike. You only had 50 home runs that season,” Brett shot back.
For the record, Schmidt ended the 1980 season with 48 home runs and 121 RBIs.
Schmidt and Brett compared stats, busted chops, and shared a life-long friendship borne through intense competition on the field.
“I hated him. I didn’t like him at all,” Brett said, noting Schmidt beat him “every time I played against him.”
At one point, Phillies announcer Ben Davis, positioned in the dugout during the game, chimed in to note that between Schmidt, Brett, Phillies manager Don Mattingly, and Mets announcer Keith Hernandez, there were 31 Gold Gloves and 9,723 hits in the building.
“Who’s that talking?” Brett jokingly replied before taking a shot at himself.
“They always say you got 3,000 hits. I say, ‘No, I made 7,000 outs,’” Brett said, turning to Schmidt. “How many outs do you think you made?”
“Well, I know I made 7,000 strikeouts. I mean, I can count those,” Schmidt said.
The two even joked about their current roles. Brett serves as the Royals’ vice president of baseball operations, while Schmidt complained he can’t get a title with the Phillies.
“John Middletown, if you’re listening, give Mike a title,” Brett said. “I’m Mike Schmidt, and I own this stadium.”
So why was Brett in town for a Phillies-Mets game? To help Schmidt promote his “Play Sun Safe” skin cancer awareness campaign, something he’s been passionate about since being diagnosed with melanoma in 2013. As part of his partnership with the Phillies, 12 sunscreen stations have been placed across Citizens Bank Park during games.
As interesting as the pairing and the history was, the broadcast did lose focus of the game at times. Thankfully, McCarthy and company refocused after Derek Hill drove in Bryson Stott to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth.
Phillies head to national TV, but Kruk will still be around
John Kruk will jump to NBC Sunday to call the Phillies on national TV.
The Phillies have Friday night off, but NBC Sports Philadelphia won’t be broadcasting the team again until Monday.
Saturday night’s game will air on Fox, with Joe Davis and John Smoltz calling the game and Ken Rosenthal reporting from Citizens Bank Park. Chris O’Connor, the brother of Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Timothy O’Connor, who was shot and killed during a Chester County traffic stop in March, will throw a ceremonial first pitch.
NBC will take over for Sunday Night Baseball, with Kruk back on the network to broadcast the game alongside play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti and former Mets pitcher John Franco.
While Benetti is the voice of baseball on NBC, the network decided to turn to a rotating crew of analysts to call each game, one representing each team on the field. It’s largely a response to the biggest complaint networks hear when broadcasting baseball games — fans just want to hear their local announcers.
It’s the second game Kruk has called for NBC this season, though the first — an April loss to the Atlanta Braves — only streamed on Peacock. Hopefully this time Kruk will be a bit luckier for the Phillies. Having Zack Wheeler (6-1, 2.01 ERA) on the mound should help.
The Phillies will be back on Peacock July 5 when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates, but they won’t be alone. Peacock will exclusively stream 13 baseball games that day as part of an event NBC is calling “Star-Spangled Sunday.”
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Phillies news
Andrew Painter has a 1-8 record and 7.06 ERA, and opponents are batting .404.
The show, initially an adaptation of a 1981 film directed by Alan Alda, released its second season in May with its ensemble cast, including Fey, Colman Domingo, Will Forte, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani, and Erika Henningsen. Each season sees the friend group travel together on four trips throughout the course of one year, going as far as Italy and Puerto Rico and as near as upstate New York and the Jersey Shore (where they filmed in Ocean Grove and Point Pleasant Beach).
Created by Fey and fellow 30 Rock writers Tracey Wigfield and Lang Fisher, The Four Seasons has been credited for its realistic and heartwarming portrayal of middle-aged couples in long-term relationships and friendships.
Fey and Domingo, from Upper Darby and West Philly, respectively, direct some episodes as well. Like their on-screen friendship, the actors have gotten closer as they’ve worked together on the show, they told The Inquirer last month.
“We grew up so geographically close together. I was like on the very edge of the last street in Upper Darby, and across the street was Cobbs Creek Park,” said Fey, adding that they’re the same age.
Tina Fey as Kate and Colman Domingo as Danny in Season 2 of the Netflix comedy series “The Four Seasons,” which premiered May 28.
“I feel like you can see [our friendship] on screen, because it’s actually what has happened personally for us as well, as we got to know each other and each other’s families, each other’s hearts,” said Domingo. “The Jersey Shore location felt very personal for us, because I feel like we grew up there and it brings up [memories].”
In Season 2, the group is grieving the death of their friend Nick (Steve Carrell) and navigating major life changes, like in the case of Domingo and Calvani’s characters. Danny and Claude move to Italy after deciding not to have children. In the finale, however, the couple decide to move to Danny’s hometown of Philadelphia to care for his aging mother. (Initially, Danny tries convincing his mom to live with them in Italy, but when she hears there’s no Wawa in the country, she simply replies, “Then there’s no Beverly in Italy.”)
Will Season 3 see the cast spending any time in Philly? The itinerary hasn’t been announced, but we’re holding out hope.
Cocreator and writer Tina Fey in “The Four Seasons.”
Calvani, in the Netflix announcement, suggested that Season 3 might feature Danny and Claude’s “other, hotter” friend group; Calvani said he hopes to “explore our gay friends” and Domingo added that it would be fun to “take the straights on that vacation.”
One potential new addition to the show is Doctor Who actor David Tennant, who made a cameo in the Season 2 finale as a love interest for Kenney-Silver’s character, Anne. Wigfield hinted at the idea of more story lines with Tennant’s character, but his involvement isn’t official just yet.
“Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield have a magical way of blending heart and sharp humor, making us feel like part of the inner circle,” said Netflix’s vice president of U.S. comedy Tracey Pakosta in the announcement. “Audiences have fallen in love with these characters and this legendary cast’s electric chemistry.”
Amy Poehler had somewhat of a rude welcome when visiting Philadelphia.
“The only time I’ve ever been called a c-word to my face [was] at the Philadelphia airport [with Tina Fey],” the Parks and Recreation actor said, laughing, on the latest episode of her podcast, Good Hang.
Poehler’s crime? Saying no to an autograph flipper.
“Tina turned to me and she goes, ‘Welcome to Philly,’” Poehler added, referring to her close friend, the Upper Darby native and collaborator on last year’s “Restless Leg” comedy tour.
Her guest on the podcast, West Philly native Colman Domingo, seemed to empathize but also rose to the defense of his hometown.
“[Philly’s] a city of underdogs. Tina and I, we always talk about that,” said Domingo, who stars in Netflix’s The Four Seasons, on which Fey is a showrunner. “We’re like, there’s something, that Philly in us.”
Fey, who grew up taking trips to Wildwood, has the characters in Season 2 of The Four Seasons taking their summer vacation at the Jersey Shore, as a nod to her Philly roots. Domingo, who attended Temple University, also vacationed down the Shore, frequenting Margate and Cape May.
Domingo also recalled several Philly-specific memories from his childhood on the podcast, claiming that his parents “used to always throw the best parties.”
“We lived in a rowhome in Philadelphia, and [in] the basement, we had a bar down there,” he said, adding that dancing was a big part of those house parties.
“We dance like, do you remember that show Dancin’ on Air? With Kelly Ripa? They don’t move like that anymore. We moved like we were trying to hurt somebody.”
Tina Fey as Kate and Colman Domingo as Danny in Season 2 of the Netflix comedy series “The Four Seasons,” premiering May 28.
And just in case Poehler needed more convincing that Philly is largely a decent and fun city, Domingo made sure to name-check another famous West Philadelphian: Will Smith.
“He was actually very friendly, everybody really liked him,” said Domingo of his fellow Overbrook High School alum.
Domingo, whose latest release is Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, definitely has more convincing to do.
“Philly makes Boston look like London, England,” said Poehler, referring to her Massachusetts hometown. “Philly is wild. [The Phillie Phanatic] is an insane person.”
From the retro opening to the “Roundball Rock” theme to the 1990s-style graphics, everything NBC put together was pitch perfect. Even the retro scorebug captured the feel of NBC’s heyday covering the league in the 1990s and early 2000s, though back then the network didn’t keep the score on the screen out of fear of driving viewers away during blowouts like Tuesday night.
ROUNDBALL ROCK INTO BOB COSTAS CALLING PLAY-BY-PLAY! Feels like the old days. 👏
In their first season broadcasting NBA games since 2002, NBC assembled a who’s who of former talent for Tuesday’s broadcast. Bob Costas, calling his first NBA game in 24 years, ably weaved back and forth from nostalgia to the action on the court, at least until the Spurs put the game out of reach in the third quarter.
“It’s been nothing but pain for the Sixers tonight,” Costas said alongside longtime NBA analysts and former coaches Mike Fratello and Doug Collins.
Costas also managed to squeeze the line “Two great Dicks” into the broadcast, referencing famed sportscaster Dick Enberg and former NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol.
“Two great Richards,” Costas jokingly added.
Bob Costas knew right away what happened when he paid tribute to "two great Dicks" at NBC in Dick Ebersol and Dick Enberg during the Spurs blowout over the 76ers.
Initially, NBC planned to bring back Marv Albert, but the iconic NBA announcer had some health issues related to his voice and was unable to participate.
Former NBC host and reporter Ahmad Rashad (who once played a preseason game for the Sixers alongside Charles Barkley) also wasn’t part of the broadcast. It’s not clear why Rashad wasn’t in South Philly alongside his former colleagues Tuesday night, but Costas gave him a special shoutout during the broadcast.
“One of my favorite people I ever worked with in any sport,” Costas said. “Great company, terrific sense of humor. A lifelong friend.”
The connections past and present were everywhere. Sixers point guard Kyle Lowry, among the few players on the court old enough to have watched the NBA in the 1990s, was drafted by NBC analyst Mike Fratello when he was still head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2006.
Heading into halftime, Spurs point guard Dylan Harper was interviewed by longtime NBC reporter Jim Gray, who interviewed Harper’s father, five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, many times over the years.
“It really is Throwback Tuesday now,” Costas joked during the broadcast. “We’re now talking to the sons of guys we covered.”
Doug Collins should be calling more NBA games
Doug Collins speacks to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ashlyn Sullivan ahead of Tuesday’s Sixers-Spurs game.
As far as the nuts and bolts of the broadcast, Collins was on top of things all night. In the first quarter, the former Sixers player and head coach quickly pointed out after a Wembanyama block it was the 24th game this season he’s had at least three blocks, leading the NBA.
Later in the first half, when Costas mentioned the Thunder as one of the few teams that might challenge the Spurs in the playoffs, Collins quickly noted San Antonio won four of their five games against Oklahoma City this season.
During the second half, with the game well out of reach for the Sixers, Collins recalled back to his own coaching days trying to get thrown out of a game he could no longer watch.
“One of the old-time referees ran by the bench, stopped me, and said, ‘Listen, I know what your doing. You’re trying to get thrown out. You’re going to stay here and watch the same crap I’m watching,’” Collins recalled. “I couldn’t even get thrown out!”
In recent years, Collins has divided his time between homes in Arizona and West Chester, where he’s able to watch his grandchildren play basketball. Collins said he’d love to come back and call more games, but some health issues with his feet and legs have held him back.
Interestingly, a lot of Sixers fans probably missed NBC’s throwback coverage, since NBC Sports Philadelphia’s broadcast was a strictly 21st century production featuring regular announcers Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby. But most viewers probably changed the channel by the third quarter anyway.
Scott and Abdelnaby will be back Wednesday to call the Sixers’ game against the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Sixers standings
Eastern Conference
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Upcoming Sixers TV schedule
Wednesday: Jazz at Sixers, 7:30 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Saturday: Sixers at Hawks, 6 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV)
Monday: Sixers at Cavaliers, 7 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Tuesday, March 10: Grizzlies at Sixers, 7 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Thursday, March 12: Sixers at Pistons, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime Video)
Saturday, March 14: Nets at Sixers, 1 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Sunday, March 15: Trail Blazers at Sixers, 6 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
