Latest news with #JurneeSmollett
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Smoke' Review: Jurnee Smollett and Taron Egerton Lead Apple TV+'s Flawed but Fascinating Firefighting Mystery
I'm sure I have, at some point, referred to Jurnee Smollett as a 'fiery' actress. The Lovecraft Country and Friday Night Lights star does wild-eyed, fierce intensity in a way that is both captivating and reliable. But this is getting a bit ridiculous. More from The Hollywood Reporter Why Seth Rogen Wants Vin Diesel to Join 'The Studio' Season 2 As Shoppers Cut Back on Spending, Live TV Streaming Services Aim to Attract Subscribers with No-Contract Deals Laura Day Predicts the Future for A-List Stars and Fortune 500 Firms, Just Don't Call Her a Psychic Smollett got to stand just on the outside of the unconvincing climactic CGI fire in last year's otherwise exceptional feature, The Order. Before that, she acted opposite burning crosses (Lovecraft Country) and torches (Underground). Now she gets full inferno immersion in Apple TV+'s new drama series, Smoke, an extraordinarily well-acted, formally inconsistent adaptation of the podcast Firebug. At nine episodes, the Dennis Lehane-created show is too long and frustratingly repetitive, but it unfurls a fascinating mystery, features one of the summer's best ensemble casts and floats big ideas that don't always come through cleanly in the execution. Smollett plays Michelle Calderon, detective in a Pacific Northwest police force. Burnt (metaphorically, not literally) by a recently ended affair with her boss (Rafe Spall's Steven Burk), and still burnt (emotionally, not literally) by a fire started by her mother when she was a kid, Michelle is assigned to partner with arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton). Dave, a former firefighter, needs the help, because there are two serial arsonists — called the Divide & Conquer arsonist and the Milk Jug arsonist — active in the city, and his kindly boss, Greg Kinnear's Harvey Englehart, is getting impatient. Getting slowly impatient, mind you, because the D&C arsonist has apparently already set 200+ fires and irritation is only beginning to set in. Folks care a bit less about the Milk Jug arsonist, who has been preying on the city's lower-income neighborhood, though we're quickly introduced to a suspect: a sad-eyed, mumbly fast-food worker named Freddy (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine). Kept busy with the two arsonists, the new partner and a precarious marriage to Hannah Emily Anderson's Ashley, Dave does what any sensible person would do: He starts to write a book about an arson investigator with a new partner chasing a serial arsonist. Soon, both Dave and Michelle's obsessions escalate and games of cat-and-mouse ensue. It's a series packed with twists, including an initial reveal that's really the whole premise of the podcast and series. Chances are pretty good that you'll figure this twist out well before it's formally unveiled, at least an episode later than might have been ideal. There's a breathless later twist that isn't exactly 'guessable' and a key final twist that the series doesn't execute in visual terms as well as it should. Yes, I'm being vague here, but the truth is that Smoke works not because it's surprising, but because it's pleasurable watching these characters' respective wheels spin. Due to the presence of Lehane, Egerton and Kinnear, Smoke is likely to be compared to 2022's very solid limited series Black Bird, which won a well-deserved Emmy for Paul Walter Hauser. The Apple TV+ show that Smoke ultimately has more in common with is Alfonso Cuaron's Disclaimer, an exploration of what happens when we attempt to narrativize real life — and impose the binary of hero/villain onto complex human behavior — masquerading as a revenge drama. Smoke is all about definition and self-definition, which you'll probably figure out from the choice to begin each episode with the definition of various not-difficult-to define words like 'creativity,' which is 'bringing something into existence; producing through imaginative skill.' Michelle is being defined by outside factors, be it the criminal acts of her mother, the power of the man she's sleeping with, or — because of various bigots in her own profession — her race and gender. Dave doesn't even have those elements to define him. His backstory is seemingly sad, but vague. His achievements at his job are negligible, his success in marriage is limited. But as he attempts to write himself as the hero of his own story, he sees a path to glory or possibly notoriety. The hard-boiled narration from Dave's book — 'Fire doesn't give a fuck about your wallet or the size of your gun or the size of the dick you wish was the size of your gun.' — steers a story that consciously keeps viewers aware that it's… well… a story, at a fictional remove from a nonfiction podcast. Even its location is imaginary, an omnibus Pacific Northwest setting with Vancouver playing a state that's amalgamated as 'Orrington' on license plates and legal documents. 'Orrington,' a not-so-subtle portmanteau, is one of those Everyplace/No Place settings in the vein of whatever-sunless-locale-Seven-takes-place-in. Like several key details of Dave's character in particular, the location draws attention to the artificiality of the story being told, even as curious viewers can go online and find actual documentation of the podcast's real-life basis. The performances are split between naturalistic and attuned to heightened genre conventions. Egerton, for reasons that will quickly be obvious, has the most complicated task, swinging from grounded and good-natured to edgier oddness that has an unsettling resemblance to vintage Christian Slater. Dave never quite projects as an 'actual' person and this is a performance that could only work in a show with this sort of self-conscious approach. Here, it functions perfectly, especially opposite Smollett, who digs deep to find the pained center of a woman trying to reshape herself physically — especially in the first episode, she's putting in a lot of workout time — and professionally. Put Kinnear in the understated category, quietly heartbreaking as one of several men whose commitment to work has come at the expense of his ordinary humanity, while Spall aggressively swings between likably decent and repugnant, seemingly more for narrative than logical reasons. The cast gets a huge boost at midseason with the arrival of John Leguizamo, equally broadly funny and vulnerable as Dave's disgraced former partner, and Anna Chlumsky, hilariously scornful as a law enforcement outsider who gets brought into the story's chaos. Special praise is due to Mwine, who may give the show's best performance. There are aspects of Freddy's character — a victim of the foster system with a variety of unspecified social difficulties — that feel right on the verge of several stereotypes. But Mwine conveys a lost, angry and fundamentally lonely man so hauntingly that I frequently wished that Lehane and company gave him more to do. There are stretches, especially in the season's second half, where Smoke starts directly stating and then repeating its themes in ways that both spoil at least one twist and often made me wonder if those underlined points had actually been illustrated or justified by the show. Those were the moments that suggest Smoke might have been improved with a six-episode season, or nine episodes with less redundancy and more room to delve into this fictional city's economic inequalities and the challenges of modern firefighting. It's notable that even though I'm a resident of a Los Angeles still reeling from the city's January fires, up until the finale very little in Smoke made me reflect on those fires. That's further evidence of the show being at once real and yet insulated or isolated from reality. When you have a story this twisty, with dialogue as sturdy as Lehane tends to deliver and stars like the fiery Smollett, such limitations tend not to doom even an imperfect show. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
UPI
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Famous birthdays for July 7: Jack Whitehall, Ringo Starr
TV // 1 day ago Smollett tried to find the 'eyes' of her complex 'Smoke' investigator NEW YORK, July 5 (UPI) -- Jurnee Smollett told UPI that sage advice from a screen icon helped her find the look and voice of her character in the new drama, "Smoke."
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Smoke' showrunner reveals why he dropped that major twist in Apple TV Plus' new true crime thriller
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Apple TV Plus just dropped the first two episodes of "Smoke," its new true crime thriller starring Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett, this morning. So there's a good chance you haven't seen it yet. If you haven't, then be warned — there are spoilers ahead. But if you have seen the two-episode premiere or listened to "Firebug," the true crime podcast this show is loosely adapted from, then you know the shocking reveal from the end of episode 2: Taron Egerton's character, David Gudsen, is an arson investigator who is also a serial arsonist. To be fair, the show's official trailer doesn't entirely hide this. It avoids showing the reveal directly, but it's clear that Detective Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) thinks her new partner could be a prolific arsonist. So when I had a chance to sit down with showrunner Dennis Lehane ("The Wire," "Black Bird") to discuss the true crime limited series, I asked him about the choice to drop what would normally be a major reveal so early on in the show. For his part, Lehane simply doesn't want to deceive audiences just for the sake of shock value. Especially when, if you've already listened to "Firebug" anyway, you know who the arsonist in "Smoke" is likely to be. We tried the third episode. We tried the second. We tried the first. And second just worked. Because it's not about the twist at all. It's about how deep does this rabbit hole of this guy's mind go, and what are we going to find at the end of it? "Smoke" showrunner Dennis Lehane "Audiences are so smart now, man," Lehane rightly pointed out. "I hate shows when I'm sitting there, and I figured it out — I figure [it] out in episode 2, and you're telling me in episode 6? It's annoying." However, that doesn't mean that the plan was always to go with a reveal at the end of the two-episode premiere. In fact, Lehane and the show's creative team tried multiple options. "We tried the third episode. We tried the second. We tried the first. And second just worked. Because it's not about the twist at all. It's about how deep does this rabbit hole of this guy's mind go, and what are we going to find at the end of it?" As someone who has seen "Smoke" and certainly thinks there are more than a few missteps in the miniseries' nine-episode run, I have to agree with the decision to go with a reveal at the end of episode 2. For starters, any further really would feel like the show is just dragging it out. But given the premiere's two-episode structure, it also leaves you on a high note. You walk away from the episode desperate to see what's next now that you know the cat-and-mouse game between Calderone and Gudsen is afoot. As I've already mentioned on more than one occasion, "Smoke" is a true crime thriller miniseries based on the true crime podcast "Firebug." That podcast examined the life and crimes of John Leonard Orr, one of the most prolific arsonists in history. In this show, showrunner Dennis Lehane has opted for a fictional stand-in, Pacific Northwest arson investigator Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton). Along with Detective Michell Calderone (Jurnee Smollett), he's part of a team chasing down a pair of serial arsonists. But as you now know, one of the people they're chasing is really Gudsen, and the show is, to quote Lehane, "not about the twist at all." Instead, this show is a deep dive into the mind of more than a few twisted individuals as they investigate a spate of arson cases that lead to more than a few deaths. Stream the first two episodes of "Smoke" on Apple TV Plus now 'The Life of Chuck' star discusses screening film with director Mike Flanagan, his favorite performances from the Stephen King adaptation and more I just saw one of my favorite movies in theaters for its 40th anniversary — but you can stream it for free right now Tom Hardy's 'MobLand' just wrapped up with a stunning finale — and I can't wait for a season 2
The Review Geek
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Smoke Episode 4 Preview: Release Date, Time & Where To Watch
Smoke Smoke is a gritty crime drama set in the rain-soaked forests of the Pacific Northwest. Taron Egerton plays Dave Gudsen, an arson investigator with a haunted past and a flair for storytelling. He's working on a novel, but it's the fires that won't leave him alone. Alongside him though is Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) who plays a sharp, no-nonsense detective and ex-Marine who doesn't tolerate ego or excuses. Together, they're pulled into a string of escalating fires that point to not just one—but two serial arsonists. As the pair dig deeper, personal baggage starts to surface. If you've been following this one, you may be curious to find out when the next episode is releasing. Well, wonder no more! Here is everything you need to know about Smoke Episode 4, including its release date, time and where you can watch this. Where Can I Watch Smoke? Smoke is available to stream on Apple TV+. This is an exclusive original series, meaning this is the only place you're going to be able to watch this show. However, now that Apple is available as an extension on Amazon Prime Video, you can also get a subscription to Apple TV+ that way too! Smoke Episode 4 Release Date Smoke episode 4 will release on Friday 11th July at approximately 12am (ET/PT) / 5am (GMT). Of course, it's really dependent on how quickly Apple upload new episodes. Expect this to be pretty close to the release time though. Smoke Episode 4 is also available with subtitles from release, with the chapters scheduled to clock in at around 42 minutes long. How Many Episodes Will Smoke Have? Season 1 of Smoke is scheduled for 9 episodes, so we've got 5 more episodes to go after this one. Expect the story to continue developing, with plenty of drama still to come! Is There A Trailer For Smoke? There is indeed! You can find a trailer for Smoke Season 1 below: What do you hope to see as the series progresses? What's been your favourite moment of Smoke so far? Let us know in the comments below!
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Smoke review – no TV show has ever been worth sticking with more
I never want to include spoilers, but sometimes they cannot be avoided. So, because I want you to stick with the new miniseries by Dennis Lehane, starring Taron Egerton (the pair reuniting after their great success with 2022's Black Bird), and enjoy the myriad benefits it will reap, I urge you to ignore any misgivings you have about the first two episodes of Smoke. Most of them will fall away. The tonal inconsistencies, the apparent self-indulgence of Lehane with his protagonist's hobby, the dabs of bad characterisation – just keep the faith. If you can't, then Google the true crime podcast on which Smoke is based and work out what must be happening from there. I'm not giving you the title because you'll be ruining a lot of fun for yourself. It is not as though sticking with it will be too much of a hardship, even if you do have loads of questions. At its inception, Smoke is at the very least a solid police procedural. Egerton plays Dave Gudsen, a former firefighter who became an arson investigator after a traumatic callout put an end to his original career. When two serial arsonists start setting fires all over his patch and his searches for them stall, a detective from the local police department, Michelle Calderon (Jurnee Smollett), is brought in to help. She is in effect being punished for ending an affair with her captain (Rafe Spall) and is eager to catch the bad guys and restore her standing. Further complications to her private life include a mother in jail for an act first suggested by Calderon's flashbacks to a terrifying experience in her childhood, then confirmed by her attendance at her mother's parole hearing, in the face of deep hostility from her siblings. We meet one of the main suspects long before she and Gudsen do. Freddy Fasano (a mesmerising performance by Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, which should see him clean up at awards time as thoroughly as Paul Walter Hauser did after Black Bird) is a cowed fry cook at a fast food outlet. Among other things, Lehane and Mwine make him a study in dreadful loneliness, whose ramifications spread like the fires set around the neighbourhood. One of the arsonists uses the 'divide and conquer' method – setting alight crisp aisles (So fatty! So flammable!) in supermarkets before starting bigger fires elsewhere so the emergency services are stretched thin. It suggests someone with a working knowledge of the department's resources, so Gudsen and Calderon begin the long task of matching firefighters' absence records with the days previous fires occurred and homing in on the possible perpetrator. Smoke becomes a cat and mouse game, with the opposing sides circling each other in ways that become increasingly extreme, but never quite tip over into preposterous. It is hugely entertaining, though it is a shame that the main story slightly swamps Freddy's and gives Mwine less to do as time goes on. But Egerton serves up an increasingly layered, clever performance as Gudsen, hitting every ball Lehane and the true story on which Smoke is based throw at him out of the park. It will certainly set him up for further and deserved success. Let's hope it does the same for Mwine. Hang in there, and enjoy. Smoke is on Apple TV+ now.
