A&E JUNE 2016 PREMIERE HIGHLIGHTS Our Coverage Sponsored by Surreal Eyewear
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“ROOTS” (World Premiere)
• Premieres Monday, May 30, Tuesday, May 31, Wednesday, June 1 and Thursday, June 2, at 9:00PM-11:00PM (ET/PT); 4 x 2 hour episodes
• ROOTS is a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family’s will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship and inhumanity. A four-night, eight-hour event series developed by HISTORY, from A+E Studios, ROOTS will be simulcast on A&E, Lifetime and LMN, in addition to HISTORY. Spanning multiple generations, the lineage begins with young Kunta Kinte, who is captured in his homeland in The Gambia and transported in brutal conditions to colonial America, where he’s sold into slavery. Throughout the series, the family continues to face adversity while bearing witness and contributing to notable events in U.S. history – including the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and eventual emancipation. The story of Kunta Kinte and the women and men who came after him echoes through the history of millions of Americans of African descent, and reveals powerful truths about the universal resilience of the human spirit.
• The stellar cast includes Forest Whitaker (“Fiddler”) ; Anna Paquin (“Nancy Holt”); Laurence Fishburne (“Alex Haley”); Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“Tom Lea”); Anika Noni Rose (“Kizzy”); Tip “T.I.” Harris (“Cyrus”); Emayatzy Corinealdi (“Belle”); Matthew Goode (“Dr. William Waller”); Mekhi Phifer (“Jerusalem”); James Purefoy (“John Waller”) and introduces Regé-Jean Page (“Chicken George”) and Malachi Kirby (“Kunta Kinte”).
• PART 3: George falls in love with cockfighting and carousing. He becomes such an accomplished trainer of gamecocks that he earns the sobriquet of “Chicken George.” George marries a preacher’s daughter, Matilda, and fathers many children. From Kizzy, George has inherited the strong traditions of family and a desire to be free. He rationalizes his bond with Tom Lea by convincing himself that one day he can buy freedom for his family. When Tom Lea loses a reckless wager with an Englishman, he sells Chicken George to save his farm. Chicken George is dragged off to England.
• PART 4: Chicken George returns to the Lea farm after 20 years to discover that his family was sold off to Benjamin Murray, a respected engineer at the North Carolina Federal armory. George is reunited with Matilda but finds his youngest boy, Tom, a master blacksmith, is now the leader of the family. Tom nurses a cold rage against his father, blaming him for abandoning the family. George meets up with a young, hot-headed slave, Cyrus, and they join the Memphis Colored Battery. After the war, Tom searches for his father and, inspired by a vision of Kunta Kinte, rescues George. Once home, Tom leads his family off the Murray farm, embarking on a new life. True to Kunte’s hope, the family finally finds freedom and has kept the family and their traditions intact. In 1976, Alex Haley, a seventh-generation descendant of Kunta Kinte, authors the Pulitzer Prize winning Roots: The Saga of an American Family.
-ORIGINAL SERIES-
“DEVIOUS MAIDS” Season 4 Premiere!
Lifetime’s critically-acclaimed hit series DEVIOUS MAIDS (#DeviousMaids, #DeviousArmy), returns. With a special appearance by Eva Longoria in the season four premiere, murder and mayhem collide once again in the mansions of Beverly Hills’ wealthiest and most powerful families in ten all new-episodes. Executive produced by Marc Cherry and Longoria, DEVIOUS MAIDS follows a close-knit group of friends, Marisol (Ana Ortiz), Rosie (Dania RamÃrez), Carmen (Roselyn Sánchez) and Zoila (Judy Reyes), who are bonded together by their jobs, life struggles and the melodramatic universe that engulfs their employers.
This season, Marisol finds herself acting as a support system to Evelyn (Rebecca Wisocky) in the wake of a big life change. Meanwhile, Rosie's positive and sunny disposition leaves much to be desired by her new boss, Genevieve (Susan Lucci) who is acclimating to a household without Zoila’s honest and acerbic humor. Carmen continues to pursue her singing career until her cousin Daniela (Sol Rodriguez) comes to town and shakes things up. Marisol also finds herself in a new relationship, which eventually becomes a complicated triangle when her old flame Jesse reappears.
The series also stars Tom Irwin, Grant Show and Nathan Owens. Joining in recurring roles are Longoria’s Desperate Housewives cast mate James Denton, Carlos Ponce, Ryan McPartlin, Stephanie Faracy and Elizabeth Rodriguez. Kathryn LaNasa also makes a guest appearance this season, joining her real-life husband, Grant Show.
ONCE MORE UNTO THE BLEACH (#401)
• Airs Monday, June 6 at 9:00PM-10:00PM (ET/PT)
• Lives are changed forever following the explosion at the Powell mansion.
ANOTHER ONE WIPES THE DUST (#402)
• Airs Monday, June 13 at 9:00PM-10:00PM (ET/PT)
• Rosie finds herself entangled in the aftermath of the latest murder in Beverly Hills. Marisol makes a shocking discovery about Genevieve. Carmen worries about her ability to control Daniela when she begins displaying a wild streak. Meanwhile, Zoila becomes uneasy after discovering her neighbor’s relationship with his mother is a little too close for comfort. Evelyn's desire to move on from Adrian has her reaching new lows.
WAR AND GREASE (#403)
• Airs Monday, June 20 at 9:00PM-10:00PM (ET/PT)
• Genevieve’s war on Marisol is taken to new heights. Carmen attempts to be "friends" with Daniela, but struggles when Danni's behavior spirals out of control. Zoila's friendship with Frances continues to build. Adrian cuts off Evelyn's funding, throwing a wrench into her plans to divorce him. Meanwhile, Rosie and Jesse have a new visitor to deal with.
SWEEPING WITH THE ENEMY (#404)
• Monday, June 27 at 9:00PM-10:00PM (ET/PT)
• Marisol deals with a new roommate. Daniela and Carmen’s relationship takes a turn when an unexpected visitor arrives. Zoila gets setup on a blind date, as Genevieve also makes a new friend. Rosie's suspicions of foul play grow stronger.
“UNREAL” Season 2 Premiere!
From Co-Creators Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, and starring Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer, the provocative drama UnREAL gives a fictitious behind-the-scenes glimpse into the chaos surrounding the production of a dating competition program.
Set against the backdrop of the hit dating competition show Everlasting, Season 2 of UnREAL is led by flawed heroine Rachel Goldberg (Appleby), who returns as supervising producer, renowned for her skills manipulating her relationships with, and among, the contestants to get the vital dramatic and outrageous footage that the program’s dispassionate executive producer, Quinn King (Zimmer), demands. What ensues once again is an eye-opening look at what happens in the outrageous world of unscripted television, where being a contestant can be vicious and being a producer is a whole other reality.
Returning as series regulars are Craig Bierko as Everlasting’s creator, Chet, who is on a quest to reclaim his full power on set; Josh Kelly as Jeremy, Everlasting’s director of photography; and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman as Jay, a field producer whose ambitions run far beyond the show. Everlasting’s new suitor Darius Hill, an All-American football star, will be played by B.J. Britt.
WAR (#201)
• Airs Monday, June 6 at 10:00PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• Quinn has recently promoted Rachel to produce season 14 of “EVERLASTING” and Rachel sets out to change history by casting the first African American suitor. When Chet arrives back on set to reclaim control of the show, Rachel and Quinn find the new suitor being swayed by Chet and his new vision.
INSURGENT (#202)
• Airs Monday, June 13 at 10:00PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• Quinn and Chet start producing two different versions of ”EVERLASTING,” forcing the crew to choose a leader as new alliances are formed. Rachel feels her promotion slipping away as the crew is divided and takes matters into her own hands, yielding unexpected results for everyone.
GUERILLA (#203)
• Airs Monday, June 20 at 10:00PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• (Individual episode synopsis is currently not available.)
TREASON (#204)
• Airs Monday, June 27 at 10:00PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• (Individual episode synopsis is currently not available.)
-ORIGINAL DOCU-SERIES-
“LITTLE WOMEN: NY”
In this completely re-vamped version of Little Women: NY, we'll continue to follow the adventures of some of our favorite characters from Season 1 along with some exciting new faces who will be joining the group to shake things up.
Possessing big hearts, big minds and even bigger personalities, they will take us on a truly special emotional and physical journey this season. From the emotional turmoil of Jason coming out to his family, to Lila being plagued with severe medical problems, to Dawn undertaking a truly taxing investigation into the identity of her birth parents, there will be no shortage of heart throughout the season.
Will Jason and Jordanna ever be as close as they once were? Can Jazmin and Dawn's relationship ever be repaired? And, most importantly, how will the addition of these new cast members change the ever-precarious dynamics and alliances of this close group of friends?
IT’S GO TIME (#206)
• Airs Wednesday, June 8 at 10:02PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• The pressure is on when DJ asks Jason to move in with him. Meanwhile Dawn learns more about Lila’s scandalous love life. When Lila and Dawn confront Katie about PJ, they could never have imagined what would happen next.
THE NEWEST LITTLE PERSON (#207) Season Finale!
• Airs Wednesday, June 15 at 10:02PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• Baby Kinzley has finally arrived! Meanwhile, Dawn reveals one of Lila's deepest secrets to the others behind her back, and Jazmin makes one of the toughest decisions of her life.
Series Premiere! “GOLD MEDAL FAMILIES”
The road to the Olympics starts at home, where extraordinary athletes and their families sacrifice everything for their dreams of glory in the new Lifetime docuseries, GOLD MEDAL FAMILIES. The series showcases six Olympic hopefuls and their families, revealing the extraordinary lengths, economic hardships and personal sacrifices they all go through to get their elite athlete to the podium of the World Games.
• Premiering Tuesday, June 28, at 9:00PM-10:02PM; & 10:02PM-11:02PM (ET/PT.) Back-to-back episodes will air on four consecutive Tuesdays this summer. (Eight-one hour episodes.)
The families featured include:
• Gold Medalist Gymnast, Aly Raisman, 21, Needham, MA, is the most decorated U.S. gymnast from the 2012 London Games. The three-time captain has the opportunity to become the first U.S. gymnast to make back-to-back Olympics in more than 15 years and the first gymnast in history to win a medal in consecutive Games. Aly’s parents, Lynn and Rick, garnered international attention when a video of them watching their daughter in the stands went viral as they continue to root for her every step of the way. As the oldest of four siblings, Aly has a big support base in her family but understands the pressure associated with making an Olympic team. As hard as it is to get to the top, it’s even harder to stay there.
• Diver, Steele Johnson, 19, Carmel, IN, is one of the favorites to take gold in diving and men’s synchronized platform at the games this summer. Steele’s close-knit family, parents Bill and Jill and siblings Race and Hollyn, have invested financially and emotionally into Steele’s road to Rio with no backup plan. As devout Christians, the church is also an important support system for the Johnson family through this journey.
• Boxer, Jajaira Gonzalez, 19, Glendora, CA, was born with boxing in her blood. Her father, Jose, was a street boxer in Guadalajara before coming to the US, and her brothers Joet and Jousce are boxing powerhouses in their own right. With her younger brother JonJairo officially walking away from boxing and her youngest brother Jason living with cerebral palsy, Jajaira is more determined than ever to make a name for herself in the women’s boxing world. While training with her family, Jajaira also plays her part in helping to support them, cleaning houses alongside her mother Sofia, to help make ends meet. Boxing means everything to the Gonzalez family who will do anything to get to the Olympics.
• Diver, Jordan Windle, 17, Morrisville, NC, is constantly compared to his mentor and diving legend, Greg Louganis. At age two, Jordan was adopted from a Cambodian orphanage by Jerry Windle, who later went on to marry Andres Rodriguez. Jordan’s two dads have both made numerous sacrifices, leaving lucrative jobs and moving so Jordan could work with one of the best coaches out there. After investing thousands into diving fees and travel costs, will all the family’s financial and emotional investment into Jordan’s Olympic dreams pay off?
• Rhythmic Gymnast, Nastasya Generalova, 16, Los Angeles, CA, will be the first Olympic Rhythmic Gymnast of color, if she makes it to Rio. Her mother, Olga, a former Russian trained gymnast herself, is a single mom who works numerous jobs to make ends meet for her and Nastasya. While other athletes have parents, coaches and even masseuses as part of their entourage, Nastasya is often alone on competition days since Olga is usually working and can’t afford to join her. At 13, Nastasya made the USA National Team where she caught the attention of Taylor Swift and was featured in the music video for “Shake It Off.” But as soon as the shoot was done, Nastasya went back to the gym to practice for her chance at victory.
• Swimmer, Sean Greishop, 16, Austin, TX, is a top ranked Junior Swimmer in the USA. If he wants to get to Rio, Sean will have to take on champions Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Sean’s parents Neil and Anne uprooted Sean and his two brothers, Ryan and Jack, from El Paso to Austin so Sean could work with a renowned coach. But with the trials just a few months away, Sean was recently hit with the massive surprise of his coach resigning. All three Greishop boys rely heavily on Anne’s support, so there’s often competition among the family for the attention of their parents.
—MOVIES-MOVIES-MOVIES—
“YOU MAY NOW KILL THE BRIDE” (USTV Premiere)
• Premieres Saturday, June 4, at 8:00PM-10:02PM (ET/PT)
• Nicole and Mark get engaged, but his stepsister believes she has a claim on him and is willing to do anything to be his bride.
• Tammin Sursok, Ashley Newbrough and Rocky Myers star. (2016)
“HIS DOUBLE LIFE” (USTV Premiere)
• Premieres Sunday, June 5, at 9:00PM-11:02PM (ET/PT)
• Inspired by true events. Five years after her husband was killed in a tragic car accident, Linda starts to rebuild her life and gets re-married, to her late husband's business partner Greg. When her daughter Scarlett returns home from college, she notices her new stepfather is behaving oddly and suspects that he might be having an affair. She follows him and seems to confirm her suspicions when he meets up with another woman. Things get scarier, though, when a day later on the news, the same mysterious other woman is reported dead. Scarlett starts to wonder... who is this man living in their home?
• Emmanuelle Vaugier, Brian Krause, Christine Prosperi, Santiago Segura star. (2016)
“KILLING MOMMY” (USTV Premiere)
• Premieres Saturday, June 11, at 8:00PM-10:02PM (ET/PT)
• When their mother announces her plans to remarry and sell the family estate, twin sisters Juliana and Deb have different reactions to the news. Juliana feels her mother will continue to support her, while Deb begins to threaten her mother’s happiness to the point of threatening her life.
• Yvonne Zima, Claire Rankin and Rob Stewart star. (2016)
“MOTHER MAY I SLEEP WITH DANGER?” (World Premiere)
• Premieres Saturday, June 18, at 8:00PM-10:02PM (ET/PT)
• When theater major Leah, brings home the special someone in her life to meet her mom, Julie, the family is met with a surprise when Pearl comes to the door. Julie tries to embrace the idea of Leah’s new love interest, but she can’t shake the feeling that something is very wrong. Julie’s suspicions lead to a startling discovery about Pearl that puts Leah in serious danger. Will Julie be able to save her daughter from an eternity of heartache before it’s too late?
• Stars Leila George, James Franco, Ivan Sergei, Tori Spelling, Emily Meade, Nick Eversman, Zoe Bleu, Amber Coney, and Gabrielle Haugh. (2016)
“CENTER STAGE: ON POINTE” (World Premiere)
• Premieres Saturday, June 25, at 8:00PM-10:02PM (ET/PT)
• A valued patron tasks Johnathan Reeves with taking the American Ballet Academy (ABA) in a new direction that combines contemporary styles with ballet. Reeves enlists his top dancers/choreographers Tommy, Cooper and Charlie to recruit modern and ballet dancers to compete at a Dance Camp training intensive with the winners gaining entry into the ABA. Tommy’s lead recruit is Bella Parker, the younger sister to renowned ballerina Kate. Bella, a natural modern dancer but whom struggles with ballet, is at first reluctant but decides to enter the program to try and prove herself and get out from under her sister's shadow. Alongside other top dancers, including Gwen, will Bella have what it takes to make the cut?
• Stars Peter Gallagher, Sascha Radetsky, Kenny Wormald, Nicole Muñoz, Ethan Stiefel, Barton Cowperthwaite, Maude Green, and Chloe Lukasiak. (2016)
