The It List: Kim Cattrall returns to TV in 'Filthy Rich,' Carrie Underwood drops first Christmas album, Harry and Meghan appear on 'Time 100' and the best in pop culture the week of Sept. 21, 2020
The It List is Yahoo’s weekly look at the best in pop culture, including movies, music, TV, streaming, games, books, podcasts and more. During the coronavirus pandemic, when most of us are staying at home, we’re going to spotlight things you can enjoy from your couch, whether solo or in small groups, and leave out the rest. With that in mind, here are our picks for Sept. 21-27, including the best deals we could find for each. (Yahoo Entertainment may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page.)
WATCH IT: Kim Cattrall is Filthy Rich in this sudsy new family drama
Imagine a show that combines Succession and Empire, with a little of The Righteous Gemstones thrown in, and you’ve got Filthy Rich. The former Sex and the City star plays Margaret Monreaux, matriarch of a New Orleans family that has made a fortune on the Christian TV network they founded, Sunshine. Margaret herself hosts a talk show. At the start, Margaret’s husband, played by Gerald McRaney, is killed when his private plane crashes — during a dalliance with another woman, no less. Soon, the family’s secrets begin to come out, beginning with the fact that Eugene Monreaux fathered three unknown children with three different women while married. The now grown kids want their cut of the fortune in order to sign non-disclosure agreements but, of course, the widow doesn’t want to give them as much money as they want. Cue the suspicions about the crash, the elaborate family home in flames and at least one slap across the face, all while the characters strut around in sequined dresses and, in Margaret’s case, a mink coat.
While Cattrall's signature character would certainly wear one of those, the actress has said that the two women differ greatly. “I don’t see Samantha in [Margaret at all],” she told Haute Living this month. “I don’t think she has the swagger of Samantha. She doesn’t use sexuality in any shape or form. Samantha’s was a sexual power alley, and that’s not a card that Margaret uses. She’s not comfortable with it. All of her energy goes into her work and her family. There's a confidence, but she is not a cougar.” — Raechal Shewfelt
Filthy Rich premieres Monday, Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. on Fox.
CELEBRATE IT: Holy Batman Day, Batfans! DC Comics pays tribute to Gotham’s Dark Knight with a wave of activities and merch
It’s the one day of the year where you might actually see Gotham’s grim Dark Knight crack a smile. On Sept. 19, DC Comics is celebrating Batman Day, and fans will have a chance to show their Bat-pride in a myriad of ways. If you’re on your morning commute, for example, fire up Waze and hear Batman: The Animated Series star Kevin Conroy direct you to a donut shop pit stop — while also jamming out to Spotify-organized Superhero and Supervillain playlists. For social media addicts, the DC Comics Twitter account will serve as the gateway to a series of riddles devised by the Riddler himself. You can also register for a Virtual Run, watch how-to videos on how to design your own cape and cowl and download free digital comics and activity kits. And, of course, you can purchase or pre-order enough Bat-themed merchandise to fill even the largest of utility belts, from Lego sets to old-fashioned comic books where his adventures began. — Ethan Alter
Batman Day is Sept. 19; visit the official site for details.
STREAM IT: Gugu Mbatha-Raw becomes first Black Miss World in Misbehaviour
A straightforward tale of beauty pageant triumph, Misbehaviour ain’t. Yes, the story — written by Rebecca Frayn and Gaby Chiappe and directed by Philippa Lowthorpe — does highlight the incredible, history-making journey of Jennifer Hosten (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the Grenadian who became the first Black woman ever to win the Miss Universe pageant in 1970. But it’s also a story of how a determined collective of women (co-stars include Keira Knightley and Jessie Buckley) turned the world of beauty competitions on its head as the Women’s Liberation movement rose to prominence in London. Not coming off all that great: the late comedian and Miss World host Bob Hope, portrayed as a smarmy womanizer by Greg Kinnear. Check out an exclusive sneak peek above. — Kevin Polowy
Misbehaviour debuts Friday, Sept. 25 on VOD services including Amazon Prime and FandangoNOW.
WATCH IT: Buckle up for a Chris Rock-led season of Fargo
Noah Hawley’s celebrated anthology series returns for its fourth season, and hands Chris Rock his most dramatic role to date. The funnyman plays a ‘50s era Kansas City crime boss whose crew has an epic rumble with a local mafia family. — E.A.
Fargo Installment 4 premieres Sunday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m. on FX.
WATCH IT: Lena Olin and Bruce Dern provide an acting masterclass in The Artist’s Wife
Tom Dolby’s small-scale drama provides a portrait of two artists as older masters. Working together for the first time, veteran actors Lena Olin and Bruce Dern play a longtime married couple whose once-solid relationship is unmoored by a serious health crisis. When celebrated painter Richard (Dern) finds his career and reputation suffering following a dementia diagnosis, his spouse, Claire (Olin), tries to give him space to continue his work. But her mounting frustration with his outbursts, coupled with her desire to revive her own art career, thrust their marriage into crisis mode. While that narrative isn’t exactly new, The Artist’s Wife is first and foremost an actors’ showcase, and the two stars draw on their shared decades of experience to create a vivid portrayal of this couples’ plight. This exclusive clip from the film — in which Claire confronts Richard over an impulse online purchase — highlights their carefully-drawn performances. — E.A.
The Artist’s Wife debuts Friday, Sept. 25 in select theaters (check Fandango for ticket and showtime information) and on VOD services.
WATCH IT: Join Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the Time 100 special
The royal defectors drop their titles, simply going as "Harry and Meghan," to participate in ABC’s Time 100 special. While the list still names the most influential people, for the first time it will be announced in a TV event. (With the coronavirus pandemic, the traditional summit and gala couldn't happen.) The entertainment-filled one-hour special will be a star-studded affair beyond California's new residents Harry and Meghan with Trevor Noah, Sandra Oh, Kumail Nanjiani, John Legend as well as performances by Halsey, Jennifer Hudson and The Weeknd confirmed to help spotlight 2020's top leaders, creators and everyday heroes. — Suzy Byrne
Time 100 airs Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 10:02 p.m. ET on ABC.
WATCH IT: Seahorses and Giraffes and Snow Owls, oh my! The Masked Singer is back
The Masked Singer was truly ahead of its time, enforcing mask-wearing and sequestering long before those actions became a pandemic necessity. Now, the show returns in a dystopian world that seems even more surreal than that time when Sarah Palin performed “Baby Got Back” in a bear suit, to provide escapist entertainment just when we need it the most. Season 4’s cast of mystery celebrity cosplayers includes the Mushroom (surely of the psilocybin variety?) and — in a series first — a duo, the two-headed, conjoined Snow Owls (because #2020). — Lyndsey Parker
The Masked Singer Season 4 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. on Fox.
WATCH IT: Miranda July’s third feature, Kajillionaire, is one of the year’s best movies
Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future already established Miranda July as one of contemporary cinema’s most unique voices, but her third feature, Kajillionaire, represents a bold leap forward. Part heist movie, part social commentary and part coming-of-age comedy, the film follows the Dyne clan — parents Robert (Richard Jenkins) and Theresa (Debra Winger), and their grown child, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood) — as they pursue an off-the-grid Los Angeles lifestyle maintained by mail fraud and other light crimes. During the course of the movie, they befriend L.A. newcomer, Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), who forms a special bond with Old Dolio that drives the movie towards its surprising climax. Kajillionaire is filled with multiple sequences that stir the heart and activate the tear ducts, including a surreal stay in a gas station restroom that suddenly becomes the gateway to the entire universe. If you’re on the movie’s wavelength, you’re in for an out of this world experience. — E.A.
Kajillionaire opens in theaters Friday, Sept. 25; check Fandango for ticket and showtime information.
HEAR IT: Public Enemy returns to fight the power
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted hip-hop pioneers are back on Def Jam for their first album in more than two decades, and their social-justice message is as timely and needed as ever. P.E.’s. comeback album, What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?, boasts a mind-blowing all-star lineup — including Mike D and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., Cypress Hill, George Clinton, Nas, Rapsody, Black Thought, Questlove and Ice-T — and is led by the fiery anti-Trump single “State of the Union (STFU)." — L.P.
Download/stream What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? on Apple Music.
STREAM IT: Console Wars reveals the Genesis behind the epic early '90s Sega vs. Nintendo battle
"Coke or Pepsi?" may have been the defining question of the '80s, but for '90s kids it was "Sonic or Mario?" While Nintendo's princess-rescuing plumber reigned supreme when the first NES hit U.S. shelves in 1985, Sega owned the 16-bit revolution as their speedy Genesis mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, raced past the Super Nintendo. The subsequent battle for the hearts and minds of gamers is chronicled in the new CBS All Access documentary Console Wars, based on Blake J. Harris's comprehensive 2014 book. Featuring interviews with Sega and Nintendo executives and plenty of vintage '90s footage, this doc is sure to push all of your nostalgia buttons. — E.A.
Console Wars premieres Wednesday, Sept. 23 on CBS All Access.
HEAR IT: Carrie Underwood gives us reason to celebrate
It’s not even October yet, but the American Idol champion and recent ACM Entertainer of the Year winner is already ringing in the holiday season, because we could all use a little cheer right now. The country superstar’s first Christmas album, My Gift, features a mix of originals as well as classic carols like “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “The Little Drummer Boy” and “O Holy Night,” and boasts appearances by John Legend and Underwood’s oldest son, Isaiah Fisher. — L.P.
Download/stream My Gift on Apple Music.
BUY IT: Funko marks the 65th anniversary of Disneyland with a new line of retro Pops
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not exactly the happiest of times for the Happiest Place on Earth. Fortunately, the good folks at Funko are here to celebrate Disneyland’s 65-year history with a new line of vinyl Pops that immortalize the theme park’s many characters and attractions. Mickey himself — paired with Sleeping Beauty’s iconic castle — is on hand to welcome you to the Disneyland 65 collection, which also features Mr. Toad in his wild ride, Donald Duck riding the Matterhorn and Alice and the Cheshire Cat taking a ride in those whirling teacups. If you’re looking for other ways to show your Disneyland love, Funko also has apparel like sweaters, backpacks and lunchboxes, and a slew of celebratory pins. — E.A.
Funko’s Disneyand 65 collection is available on Entertainment Earth and Hot Topic.
READ IT: Jessie James Decker serves up a cookbook
Two years after releasing her first book, a mashup of style tips, recipes and advice she called Just Jessie: My Guide to Love, Life, Family, and Food, Decker is back with a straight-up cookbook. It features her instructions for crafting the perfect cocktail, yummy blueberry pancakes and other breakfasts, and delectable entrees, whether they’re for salad fans, meat-lovers, kids or the health-conscious. The “Lights Down Low” singer also offers helpful lists standard for most celeb cookbooks these days, such as the staples she keeps in her pantry and her go-to dinner ideas, including her shortcut jambalaya. Of course, the many recipes are adorned with photos of the star spending time with her husband, former NFL player Eric Decker, and their three young children. — R.S.
Just Feed Me: Simply Delicious Recipes From My Heart to Your Plate is available Tuesday, Sept. 22 on Amazon.
WATCH IT: I Can See Your Voice might be your new favorite TV trainwreck
Masked Singer judge Ken “I Know Exactly Who This Is” Jeong is pulling double-duty Wednesday nights on Fox, joining co-host Cheryl Hines and Adrienne “The Flamingo” Bailon for a presumably bonkers new talent/game show called I Can See Your Voice. The panel will somehow try to discern the difference between good and bad singers — without hearing them warble a single note. Each episode will culminate in a duet with a musical superstar, resulting in, as a Fox press release put it, “an amazing musical collaboration or a totally hilarious trainwreck.” It all sounds very confusing, and we have no idea how this is going to actually work… but hey, we love a good trainwreck, so sign us up. — L.P.
I Can See Your Voice premieres Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. on Fox.
WATCH IT: Virtually attend the New York Film Festival to get early looks at American Utopia and Nomadland
Just as the Toronto International Film Festival winds down, the New York Film Festival kicks into gear with a lineup that mixes virtual screenings with in-person events for those in the New York City area. Several TIFF titles will be screening at NYFF, including Spike Lee’s rousing filmed version of David Byrne’s rocking Broadway show, American Utopia; Chloé Zhao’s beautifully lyrical Nomadland, starring Frances McDormand as a modern-day nomad; and Sam Pollard’s timely documentary, MLK/FBI, about the federal agency’s continued harassment of the Civil Rights leader. NYFF will also mark the U.S. premieres of some of the best offerings in international cinema, among them Small Axe, a series of six short films directed by Steven McQueen; Christian Petzold’s mesmerizing modern-day myth, Undine; and Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke’s period drama, Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue. Visit the NYFF website for the full program, which also includes retrospective screenings of art-house favorites and a separate collection of experimental films. — E.A.
Visit the New York Film Festival website to view the schedule and purchase tickets.
HEAR IT: Sufjan Stevens rises to the occasion
Like Bob Mould, indie-rock darling Stevens was inspired by the current political climate and the general chaotic state of the nation for his eighth studio album, The Ascension. The LP boldly kicks off with the 12-minute epic “America” (with its chilling refrain of “Don't do to me what you did to America)” — but that song sets an overall hopeful tone for the 15-track record, suggesting that we can all ascend from darkness one day. — L.P.
Download/stream The Ascension on Apple Music.
PLAY IT: Celebrate 35 years of Koopa-stomping action with Super Mario editions of Jenga and Monopoly
Sorry Mario: Your princess may be in another castle, but at least Hasbro has your 35th anniversary board games in stores right here, right now. Team up with Luigi, Toad and Peach to take down Bowser in Super Mario Jenga, which adds some new gameplay wrinkles — like power-ups and special abilities — to the familiar tower of tiles that you try to avoid toppling. The toy company also has an all-new Monopoly edition that celebrates the many Super Mario games made over the past three decades, from the classic NES platformer to the recent Switch open-world odyssey. Build Toad houses and royal castles on the various worlds you visit in order to collect all the gold coins you can before hitting the “Game Over” screen. — E.A.
Super Mario Jenga and Monopoly are available on Amazon.
HEAR IT: Bob Mould is in a Blue mood
The college-rock legend, of Hüsker Dü and Sugar fame, describes his new solo album Blue Hearts as the “rawest and most confrontational work” of his long solo career. Tackling topics like climate change (“Heart on My Sleeve”) and the festering hatred and division in this country (“American Crisis,” “Forecast of Rain”), the record is, suffice to say, a massive departure from the 59-year-old Mould’s exceedingly cheerful previous LP, Sunshine Rock. But it’s proof that punk-rock fury need not — and should not — diminish with age. — L.P.
Download/stream Blue Hearts on Apple Music.
— Video produced by Gisselle Bances