It's finally the weekend so you might be finding something to binge on for the next couple of days. Fall is here so that only means all our favorite fall shows are back. This week, shows like NCIS: Hawai'i, The Cleaning Lady, and Monarch are all on with some of your favorite Fil-Am actors.
NCIS: Hawai'i Season 2 with Vanessa Lachey
"Prisoners' Dilemma" was the second half of the crossover that started with NCIS Season 20 Episode 1. Vanessa Lachey is back as Jane Tennant and her team is ready to take on all the action this season.
The Cleaning Lady Season 2
Elodie Yung and Martha Millan are back as Thony and Fiona after an intense Season 1 finale of the Fox hit series. Hopefully we'll get answers whether Thony can save her son or if she's headed back to Manila.
Monarch Season 1
If you haven't yet caught up on Monarch, don't worry you're not that far behind. Don't miss Inigo Pascual in his debut American series as Ace Grayson. We can't wait to see how his character development evolves over the season.
Cover Photo Credit: Vanessa Lachey Instagram
The wait is over as the news of Fox's latest series, The Cleaning Lady is renewed for a second season. As the series was the network's highest-rated drama premiere the last couple years, it is also one of the Top 5 new broadcast drama this TV season and Hulu's most-streamed Fox debut. The drama series focuses on Thony, played by Elodie Yung, a Cambodian doctor who lived in Manila with her family, but came to the U.S. seeking medical treatment to save her son.
As much as Thony is a force of nature, a failing system forces her into hiding and becomes a cleaning lady for the mob. The drama begins as she starts playing by her own rules and refuses to be marginalized. Elodie is joined by Fil-Aussie actor, Martha Millan, Adan Canto, Oliver Hudson, Jay Mohr, Liza Weil, and Shiva Negar. The show takes on many social issues found today and brings a "sharp perspective brought on by the cast," the President of Fox Entertainment, Michael Thorn explains (Deadline).
There are many mentions of the Filipino culture throughout the season as executive producer Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars) not only wanted a diverse cast, but also to tell a story that's familiar for many Filipinos. Other Filipinos who contributed include Ruby Ibarra who been partnered up with the network to create new songs for the whole series alongside Mark Isham and Nick Isham; Manila born and raised, writer-director Marie Jamora directed Episode 6, "Mother's Mission" while actors and father/daughter duo Lou Diamond and Gracie Phillips guest stared on Episode 4 titled "Kabayan."
It's great to see more and more representation on mainstream media and the hope is that it continues. Until the next season premieres, binge watch or re-watch all 10 episodes on Fox or Hulu.
Cover Photo Credit: Martha Millan Instagram
If you tuned in this week's to one of Fox's most watched show, The Cleaning Lady, it highlighted many Filipino elements. Guest stars, father and daughter Lou Diamond Phillips and Gracie Phillips added to the family narrative of the show. The Fil-Am actors contributed to the Filipino elements of the show by speaking Tagalog and sharing relatable family stories.
This was the first time veteran actor Lou Diamond Phillips acted together with his daughter Gracie, telling TV Line it was "incredibly natural" for the both of them. “It was just so wonderful. I had no doubt that we would have instant chemistry and a shorthand to work with.” The father-daughter duo only had one scene together, but the entire episode led to that moment. His character, Joe is an anonymous bone marrow donor who backed out of the procedure for Thony's son, Luca. With a change of heart at the end because of a Filipino lullaby similar to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," it led to a reunion between him and his daughter.
The episode showed a few commonalities between the main characters and the Phillips' characters. Sometime we all need a reminder of where we came from and how we got to where we are. They talk about how Fiona's cooking reminds him of his Lola's, how their home is similar to his childhood home, and how the lullaby Thony sang to Luca was the same song his wife sang to Grace.
It's not often we see this much Filipino-ness anywhere on media so it's both surprising and fun to see. This episode still carried the overarching plot of the show, but it was refreshing to see how much thought went into making sure the details were right. Even the episode title name is named, "Kabayan" which means fellow country men.
Miranda Kwok created and produced the first primetime drama on Fox that stars an Asian woman. The show is based on an Argentinian series, “La Chica Que Limpia” but she pitched it to Fox to have Southeast Asian leads to break the stereotype. "What I wanted to do was … just show people that no matter who you are, where you’re from or what profession you’ve had, everyone deserves the same amount of respect and dignity.” Each episode so far brings new perspective on the immigrant story.
If you haven't yet seen The Cleaning Lady, catch it on Mondays on Fox at 9PM. It's worth a watch!
Cover Photo Credit: Gracie Phillips Instagram
This week's MYX News Hot List, new episodes weekly at www.myx.global/myxnews.
1. MYX MUSIC: Thankful For A New SB19 Music Video - P-pop boy group SB19 dropped their latest "SLMT" music video shot in El Nido, Palawan.
2. MYX ENTERTAINMENT: Love at First Stream Scores 6 MMFF Noms - The comeback movie of Cathy Garcia-Molina, "Love at First Stream" celebrated a blue carpet premiere with 6 Metro Manila Film Festival nominations.
3. MYX SPORTS: Asa Miller Skiis Into Winter Games - For the second time, the 21-year old skier Asa Miller will represent the Philippines in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.
4. MYX ENTERTAINMENT: Pinoy Stories Shine On "Cleaning Lady" - Fox's new ground-breaking show, "The Cleaning Lady" is bringing Southeast-Asian representation to the forefront both on and off the screen. Ruby Ibarra was also featured on the show's soundtrack!
5. MYX COMMUNITY: MYX Spins Odette Fundraiser - Over two days with 25 plus hours of music of 24 DJs and 1 singer streaming on twitch, "Operation Odette" powered by MYX has surpassed its goal in nearing 1 million pesos in donations. Thanks to everyone who supported this cause!
Donations are still being accepted. For more information, go to myx.global/operationodette.
Director Marie Jamora is diving into another TV series! She is set to direct an episode of FOX's new drama "The Cleaning Lady." What makes this even more special for Jamora is that it features a Filipino family and a Cambodian lead at the core of this episode. The episode is currently in pre-production and is set to premiere later this year.
A big advocate for representation, Jamora has founded CINEMA SALA, a screening and workshop series for Filipinx artists in the film and performing arts industries. Earlier this year, she made her television directorial debut in season 6 of OWN Network's "Queen Sugar." She recently also became a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), which was once a dream for her when she began her career.
Marie looks like she is moving full speed ahead and ready to achieve all the goals she has set out for herself. We're looking forward to seeing what's next for her.
Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, writer-director MARIE JAMORA has just gotten her television directorial debut with Ava DuVernay’s award-winning QUEEN SUGAR on the OWN Network. Marie was also named one of the “Five Visionary Asian-American Female Filmmakers” in Kore Magazine's 'New Hollywood' issue. Her short film, FLIP THE RECORD, screened at over thirty festivals worldwide, winning the Grand Jury Award for “Best Narrative Short” at Urbanworld and her first feature, WHAT ISN’T THERE (ANG NAWAWALA), premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival. She is an executive producer and the director of both seasons of FAMILY STYLE, an Asian food and pop culture show with Justin Lin's YOMYOMF and Warner Bros./Stage 13, released on HBO MAX.
Marie began her career directing music videos during the golden age of the Philippine rock scene, where she directed over 50 music videos. After graduating from Columbia University with an MFA in Film, she returned to Manila to direct commercials and television.
In 2016, with a desire to amplify Filipino stories and as a champion of Philippine cinema, Marie founded CINEMA SALA, a screening and workshop series for Filipinx artists in the film and performing arts industries. Cinema Sala has since partnered with ARRAY, Visual Communications, Outfest, CAPE, NALIP, and AFI Fest for their various screenings and events to showcase Filipinx works.
Marie became the first Filipinx director to be accepted into AFI's Directing Workshop for Women, where she wrote and directed HARANA, which was in competition at Bentonville, BlackStar, Urbanworld, and HollyShorts. It has just won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Narrative Short at the Sarasota Film Festival. Marie was also a part of the 2020 Warner Bros. Television Directors' Workshop and the Lifetime Director Shadowing Program. She is Directing Faculty at the American Film Institute.
Cover Photo Courtesy of Marie Jamora Website
