Celebrity Extra: Manny Jacinto
By Dana Jackson
Q: Why did Disney+ cancel “The Acolyte”? I thought it was supposed to be the next big thing. -- A.O.
A: You're correct in that there was a lot of buzz surrounding the newest series in the "Star Wars" universe, but unfortunately, it didn't translate into ratings. The people who did watch the show praised it, especially Manny Jacinto's performance as the Stranger. Alas, the finale of the first season became its last when the numbers just weren't up to Disney's expectations.
Manny Jacinto as the Stranger in "The Acolyte". Photo Credit: Courtesy of Disney+
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Q: When does the new "Matlock" series that stars Kathy Bates release? Also, is her character related to the original Matlock, played by Andy Griffith? -- C.U.
A: In the original series, Andy Griffith played a sharp criminal defense attorney named Ben Matlock. The upcoming series of the same name, starring Kathy Bates, is a reboot with a twist. Her character, also an attorney, is named Madeline Matlock, but there's no relation to Griffith's character.
According to USA Today, the show's executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman ("Jane the Virgin") says that she wanted to "write about how older women are overlooked in society." She explained, "I wanted the audience to enjoy being shocked by the underestimation."
Also similar to the "Matlock" we loved back in the '80s, the 2024 series features a new case that keeps you guessing the whole week. Madeline Matlock is "a fish out of water [and] a mastermind," according to Snyder Urman. "Just because you're older doesn't mean you can't be a bad b*tch," she emphasized.
Supporting Bates is a stellar cast that includes Beau Bridges ("Lessons in Chemistry"), Skye P. Marshall ("Good Sam"), and Jason Ritter ("A Million Little Things"). "Matlock" will have a sneak preview of its first episode on Sept. 22 on CBS and will continue on in its regular time slot of Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET, beginning Oct. 17.
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Q: When is the last episode of "The Talk"? I thought it was canceled, but I heard it's coming back this fall with new episodes. -- S.I.
A: Yes, CBS announced that the daytime talk show was being canceled after 15 years, but fortunately, it will include one last season of new episodes this fall before its "celebratory send-off" in December. These new live shows will air weekdays, beginning Sept. 9, with returning hosts Sheryl Underwood, Natalie Morales, Jerry O'Connell, Akbar Gbajabiamila and Amanda Kloots. The show was created in 2010 by Sara Gilbert ("Roseanne"), and she hosted along with Leah Remini, Holly Robinson Peete, Julie Chen Moonves, and Sharon Osbourne.
In a surprising turn of events, it's reported that a new daytime soap will take over the show's time slot next January. ("The Talk" originally took the place of the long-running CBS soap "As the World Turns" after it was canceled in 2009.) Created by Michele Val Jean (who has written for "The Bold and the Beautiful"), "The Gates" will center around an upper-class African-American family living in a gated community.
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