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To the short list of ‘classic’ nuclear horror on Blu-ray we can now add the one that hits closest to home. Lynne Littman’s harrowing film stays small-scale and Big Emotion, enduring a slow extermination for an innocent family. A little California town loses contact with the rest of the world, and hope fades as the awful reality sinks in. Jane Alexander, Lukas Haas, and William Devane star in a TV movie so affecting that Paramount gave it a theatrical release. The disc has two commentaries and a selection of 20th anniversary features.

Testament

Blu-ray

Viavision [Imprint] 170

1983 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 90 min. / Street Date October 26, 2022 / Available from [Imprint] / au 34.95

Starring: Jane Alexander, William Devane, Ross Harris, Roxana Zal, Lukas Haas, Philip Anglim, Lilia Skala, Leon Ames, Lurene Tuttle, Rebecca De Mornay, Kevin Costner, Mako, Lila Kedrova.

Cinematography: Steven Poster

Production Designer: David Nichols

Art Director: Linda Pearl

Costume Design: Julie Weiss

Film...

Producers of the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony honored almost all of the expected people who died this past year. Who was not featured during the emotional In Memoriam segment Sunday night on CBS? Prominent performers and character actors such as Frank Bonner, Sean Connery, Michael Constantine, Abby Dalton, James Hampton, Bruce Kirby, Norman Lloyd, Helen Reddy and Jane Withers were not part of the 49 people included.

While over 100 celebrated television people died since last year’s event in mid-September of 2020, the segment generally only makes room for less than 50. Among those featured Sunday night: TV Academy Hall of Fame members actor Ed Asner, production designer Roy Christopher, actress Cloris Leachman, writer/producer William Link and actress Cicely Tyson. Current nominee Michael K. Williams (“Lovecraft Country”) and “Saturday Night Live” veteran Norm Macdonald sadly passed away this month as well.

SEECelebrity Deaths 2021: In Memoriam Gallery

The 49 people featured...

Producers of this Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony have some difficult decisions to make about who to honor during the emotional In Memoriam segment. Cedric the Entertainer will host the 2021 Emmys for CBS at 8:00 p.m. Et; 5:00 p.m. Pt. A total of 34 presenters have been announced so far.

Our list below includes almost 100 people who made a strong contribution to television and have died since mid-September of 2020. Only about 40-45 of these people will probably be in the video segment. Certain to be featured will be TV Academy Hall of Fame members actor Ed Asner, production designer Roy Christopher, actress Cloris Leachman, writer/producer William Link and actress Cicely Tyson. Current nominee Michael K. Williams (“Lovecraft Country”) sadly passed away this month as well.

SEECelebrity Deaths 2021: In Memoriam Gallery

Ed Asner (actor)

Dana Baratta (writer/producer)

Anne Beatts (writer)

Ned Beatty (actor)

William Blinn (writer)

Frank Bonner (actor)

Perry Botkin,...

John Sacret Young, the author and producer best known for his work on “China Beach” and “The West Wing,” died on June 3 after a 10-month battle with brain cancer. He was 75.

Young co-created “China Beach” with William Broyles Jr., serving as executive producer and showrunner on the much-lauded show about American combat nurses during the Vietnam War. Young received five Emmy and four Writers Guild Award nominations for his work on the ABC drama series, which ran from 1988-91, with star Dana Delany receiving two Emmy trophies and co-star Marg Helgenberger winning one. Young served as a mentor to many young crew members and took pride in elevating women’s careers behind the camera despite the overt and implicit sexism of the time.

He worked on an array of other projects after “China Beach,” including “Keys,” “VR.5,” “Orleans,” “Thanks of a Grateful Nation,” “Sirens,” “King of the World” and “Level...

John Sacret Young, a writer, producer, director and author who worked on such series as China Beach, The West Wing and Firefly Lane, has died . He was 75.

A spokesperson for his family said Young died June 3 in L.A.’s Brentwood area after a 10-month battle with brain cancer.

Born on May 24, 1946, Young began his work in TV as a researcher-turned-writer on 1970s NBC anthology series Police Story. He later adapted Philip Caputo’s A Rumor of War into a CBS miniseries, earning his first Writers Guild Award.

For his work as the co-creator, executive producer and showrunner of ABC’s Vietnam War chronicle, China Beach, which examined the experiences of American combat nurses, Young was honored with five Emmy nominations, as well as four WGA noms, claiming the WGA Award for Episodic Drama for the 1990 episode “Souvenirs,” which he also directed. During its four-season run, the series also won numerous other awards,...

John Sacret Young, the acclaimed writer and producer who co-created the Vietnam War medical drama China Beach, has died. He was 75.

Young, who earned seven Emmy nominations and won two Writers Guild Awards and two Humanitas Prizes, died Thursday in Los Angeles after a 10-month battle with brain cancer, CAA announced.

Young was also known for mentoring young writers and other crewmembers on his shows; the China Beach writers room included a host of future Emmy winners and nominees, among them John Wells, Carol Flint, Lydia Woodward, Paris Qualles and Ann Donahue.

“John was my mentor and my friend. He was ...

John Sacret Young, the acclaimed writer and producer who co-created the Vietnam War medical drama China Beach, has died. He was 75.

Young, who earned seven Emmy nominations and won two Writers Guild Awards and two Humanitas Prizes, died Thursday in Los Angeles after a 10-month battle with brain cancer, CAA announced.

Young was also known for mentoring young writers and other crewmembers on his shows; the China Beach writers room included a host of future Emmy winners and nominees, among them John Wells, Carol Flint, Lydia Woodward, Paris Qualles and Ann Donahue.

“John was my mentor and my friend. He was ...

Netflix has released the first trailer for its series adaptation of “Firefly Lane,” starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as lifelong best friends.

Based on the New York Times bestseller by Kristin Hannah, the 10-episode series tells the story of two inseparable best friends and their enduring, complicated bond, spanning four tumultuous decades. Here is the full series description:

The greatest love story of all can be between friends. When unlikely duo Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate (Sarah Chalke) meet at age fourteen, they couldn’t be more different. Tully is the brash and bold girl you can’t ignore, while Kate is the mousy shy girl you never notice. But when a tragedy brings them together, they are bonded for life — forever inseparable best friends. Together they experience thirty years of ups and downs — triumphs and disappointments, heartbreak and joy, and a love triangle that strains their friendship. One...

I’d stop reviewing possession flicks if they had ever stopped making them; well, I’m sure I’ll run out of good ones eventually, but today is not that day. The Possessed (1977) hit the small screen in the wake of demonic giants as a pilot for a series that never took off. What a shame - imagine if we had a Devil of the Week show terrorizing the youth of North America? But TV is littered with the also-rans, and this one is top notch hellfire.

Originally broadcast Sunday, May 1st as a segment of NBC’s The Big Event, The Possessed was up against ABC’s Sunday Night Movie and CBS’ Switch/Delvecchio. Obviously it didn’t generate enough interest to go to series, which is a damn shame because it’s teed up in very intriguing ways.

Let’s open up our faux TV Guide for some...

Oscar winners Melissa Leo, Ray McKinnon, and Emmy winners Jessica Collins, Camryn Manheim, Tim Busfield, and Patricia Wettig are among 19 cast in upcoming anthology series.

The Dolly music you love, the stories you’ve been waiting for. Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings is an anthology series that showcases the stories, memories, and inspirations behind her most beloved songs. New and classic Dolly music will score every episode. Each story will vary in tone, from love stories and inspirational tales to family dramas, westerns, and revenge comedies.

Each episode will begin with an introduction by Dolly talking/singing to the camera (as herself) about the meaning behind each song. Dolly will also star/guest star in some stories. Each episode is a standalone story and will have a different cast.

Produced by Magnolia Hill Productions and Sandollar Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television for Netflix, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings will premiere...

“Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” the Netflix anthology series showcasing memories and inspirations behind the country icon’s most beloved songs, has rounded out its cast.

Melissa Leo, Ray McKinnon, Andy Mientus, Katie Stevens and Michael Willett will star in “Two Doors Down,” in which a family’s “lifetime of secrets” comes bursting out during a chaotic but comedic New Year’s Eve wedding weekend. This episode is written by Mark B. Perry and directed by Wendey Stanzler.

Holly Taylor, Shane McGhie, Robert Taylor, Bellamy Young, Camryn Manheim and Mary Lane Haskell star in “Down From Dover,” in which a pregnant teenager finds support at a home for unwed mothers after being shunned by her father. This story is more complicated by the fact that the man the young woman loves is fighting in the Vietnam War. It was written by John Sacret Young and directed by Erica Dunton.

Patricia Wettig,...

Netflix has confirmed IndieWire’s report this weekend that the streaming giant has ordered a new series from Dolly Parton. The anthology series will use one of her songs as the basis for each episode, and Parton will serve as the series’ singer and songwriter, as well as an executive producer and an actor in the show.

“As a songwriter, I have always enjoyed telling stories through my music,” Parton said in a statement. “I am thrilled to be bringing some of my favorite songs to life with Netflix. We hope our show will inspire and entertain families and folks of all generations, and I want to thank the good folks at Netflix and Warner Bros. TV for their incredible support.”

Netflix ordered eight episodes for the first season, but no premiere date has been provided.

Parton has experienced great success adapting her music for television. Parton’s 2015 NBC TV...

NBC is developing a television movie based on Dolly Parton's classic song "Jolene."

Announced Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, the film will be written by John Sacret Young, whose credits include China Beach and The West Wing.

In January, NBC revealed it had partnered with the country icon to work on a number of family-oriented pictures. The first, Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors, has yet to be shot and stars Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder and Alyvia Lind.

"Jolene" was originally released in 1973; it is sung from the point of view of a woman...

NBC’s second movie based on a Dolly Parton hit tune will be Jolene. John Sacret Young (China Beach, The West Wing) is writing the script, said Sam Haskell, Parton’s longtime agent, who is exec producing Coat Of Many Colors, their first project under the multi-movie deal with NBC. Jolene is about a woman begging a beautiful woman not to steal “her man” just because she can. Haskell, Parton and the cast of Coat Of Many Colors, came to NBC’s day at the TCA Summer Press Tour…...

NBC will make a television movie based on the Dolly Parton song “Jolene.” The project was announced Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Thursday by executive producer Sam Haskell. The film will be written by John Sacret Young, creator of the television drama “China Beach” and a writer and producer on “The West Wing.” Also Read: NBC's Bob Greenblatt Breaks Down Donald Trump's Success: 'The World Likes a Star' NBC in January announced a deal to partner with Parton on multiple family-oriented projects. Haskell and Parton appeared at TCA to help promote the first project from the deal,...

China Beach

Created by William Broyles, Jr. and John Sacret Young

April 27, 1988 – July 22, 199, ABC

I never understood why more often than not, on lists of the greatest TV shows, greatest characters, or greatest anything TV connected, poor China Beach seems to get no love. How can a critically acclaimed show about an historic event so unforgettable be so often forgotten? With the cast recently reuniting for the first time in 25 years, there’s no better time to look back at one of my favorite series of all time. Hopefully, I’ll get the recently released box set for Christmas (and be able to finally get rid of that bootleg first season I’ve had for years).

I wasn’t a fan at first. When it originally aired, I was about 14 and initially thought ‘Who wants to watch a show about a war?’ A long, plodding hour-long drama on late night...

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Okay, I’ve struggled to get into Hr, the Lifetime pilot that has Alicia Silverstone as a Human Resources manager whose personality changes after a head injury. They’ve got my attention by adding Maulik Pancholy to the cast as a Middle Eastern employee who works in the I.T. department who might not be who he initially appears to be.

Maulik Pancholy

I’m going to need some help from anyone who understands British television on this story. Apparently, Catherine Tate is planning on reviving Nan, her curmudgeonly old lady character for a “TV recording” for the BBC. I’m guessing a “TV recording” is a live stage performance recorded for TV? Either way, it’ll be great to see Tate play one of her iconic characters again.

In Breaking Bad easter egg news, Sunday’s episode showed a real phone number. The number shown for the vacuum...

The ground-breaking television series “China Beach” was released on DVD with nearly all of its original soundtrack 25 years after the ABC drama’s debut. John Sacret Young, who created the series along with William F. Broyles Jr., said the collection of 21 DVDs has “95.7% of the original music intact.” He spoke during a 25th anniversary reunion of the cast at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles.

It's hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the debut of China Beach, in which Emmy winner Dana Delany made a huge impact on the small screen as Army nurse Colleen McMurphy, a complicated character experiencing the physical and emotional horrors of the Vietnam War firsthand and elbow deep. With the complete series now available in a DVD box set just in time for its silver anniversary, Dana takes a stroll down memory lane with ETonline to talk about the show's impact, how the defining role that initially daunted her eventually changed her life -- and how she almost lost the part to Helen Hunt.

Pics: Star Sightings

"The part was originally written [as a] Midwestern girl and she had blonde hair – I think 'the color of wheat' was the description of it, because she was from Kansas -- and I didn’t look like that," says Dana. "I certainly looked wholesome, and I think...

Tom Fontana, who won a Humanitas Prize for his work on St. Elsewhere during that show’s run, has been elected president of Humanitas, the nonprofit that supports and rewards TV and film writers whose works “entertain, engage and enrich the viewing public.” The longtime TV and film producer succeeds John Wells, who steps down Friday, the day the organization holds its annual awards ceremony at the Montage Beverly Hills (see those nominees here). “Tom Fontana is a writer and producer who has not only had tremendous commercial and critical success, but whose work exemplifies the ideals of Humanitas,” said executive director Cathleen Young. “We are thrilled to see him step into the presidency and eagerly anticipate supporting him in his new role.” Meanwhile, previous Humanitas trustees Hart Hanson (Bones), Ali LeRoi (Everybody Hates Chris) and David Shore (House) have been added to the board of directors, joining Wells, John Sacret Young,...

At its recent annual general meeting the Writers Guild Foundation elected Barbara Corday as its new President. Corday, who with her writing partner Barbara Avedon co-created the groundbreaking television series Cagney & Lacey, was the first woman to become president of a major television production entity (Columbia Pictures Television); she later become head of prime-time programs at CBS, again the first woman to do so. Most recently she was chair of the Film and Television production arm at the USC School of Cinema and Television. Corday replaces Chris Brancato, who has served the maximum number of terms. The board also elected seven new trustees to the board. The new trustees are: publicist Craig Bankey, screenwriter Lowell Ganz, agent Nancy Josephson, and television writer-producers Marta Kauffman, Bill Lawrence, Jan Oxenberg and David Shore. Trustees are elected for three year terms. Most Foundation trustees are members of the Writers Guild of America, west.

TNT has greenlighted Generations, a drama pilot from Robert Redford's production company Wildwood Enterprises. Written by John Sacret Young (The West Wing), the project centers on a Southern family and crosses back and forth through time to follow the lives of three generations of the same family who have lived in the same house. (The concept sounds somewhat similar to David Schulner's 2008 pilot The Oaks, which flashed back-and-forth among 3 different families that lived in the same house in different time periods, but that house was also haunted.). Young is executive producing with Redford and Bill Holderman. The project, which has been given a cast-contingent pilot order, is targeted to shoot in late spring/early summer. Generations has been in the works at TNT for awhile and  was first announced as part of cable network's development slate at the cable network's 2008 upfront. It joins 4 other recently ordered TNT pilots: Dallas,...

Updated: Add Subergatory to the list of ABC pilot pickups.

That’s “Subergatory.” So if you want to use that while playing Scrabble tonight, have at it.

The show is described as a satirical family comedy about life in the suburbs. A New York City girl moves to a cookie cutter community only to discover that life in the ‘burbs is more frightening than any horror movie she’s ever seen.

Emily Kapnek (Parks & Recreation, Aliens in America) is the writer and executive producer.

Update: TNT has picked up Generations to pilot. Here’s the storyline: This one-hour drama series...

NBC's The West Wing and HBO's Sex and the City bagged two nominations apiece in the television competition for the 57th annual Writers Guild Awards. The WGA's East and West coast branches announced TV and radio nominees Wednesday. Nominees for feature film categories -- which are usually a harbinger of screenwriting nominees in the annual Academy Awards derby -- will be unveiled Jan. 13. West Wing earned mentions in the WGA's episodic drama category for the episodes "Memorial Day", penned by John Sacret Young and Josh Singer, and "The Supremes", written by Debora Cahn. HBO's Six Feet Under was nominated for the episode "Falling Into Place", written by Craig Wright, while HBO's The Sopranos rounded out the category with a nom for episode "Long Term Parking", penned by Terence Winter. In the episodic comedy field, Sex and the City earned mentions for episodes "Splat!" written by Jenny Bicks and Cindy Chupack, and "The Ick Factor", written by Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky.

NBC's The West Wing and HBO's Sex and the City bagged two nominations apiece in the television competition for the 57th annual Writers Guild Awards. The WGA's East and West coast branches announced TV and radio nominees Wednesday. Nominees for feature film categories -- which are usually a harbinger of screenwriting nominees in the annual Academy Awards derby -- will be unveiled Jan. 13. West Wing earned mentions in the WGA's episodic drama category for the episodes "Memorial Day," penned by John Sacret Young and Josh Singer, and "The Supremes," written by Debora Cahn. HBO's Six Feet Under was nominated for the episode "Falling Into Place," written by Craig Wright, while HBO's The Sopranos rounded out the category with a nom for episode "Long Term Parking," penned by Terence Winter. In the episodic comedy field, Sex and the City earned mentions for episodes "Splat!" written by Jenny Bicks and Cindy Chupack, and "The Ick Factor," written by Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky.

Marlo Thomas has signed on to do a five-episode arc on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. Thomas will portray a judge who is known for speaking her mind and serves as a mentor to the show's assistant district attorney, played by Diane Neal. The first of Thomas' five episodes is scheduled to air next week in the drama series' regular Tuesday 10 p.m. slot. "We're huge fans of her work", said Law & Order: SVU executive producer Neal Baer, who called the character "a dynamic and savvy judge." In addition to the NBC drama series, Thomas will be seen in the upcoming Lifetime telefilm Deceit, written and directed by John Sacret Young, about a grieving widow who becomes a suspect in the disappearance of her wealthy husband. Deceit is set to bow March 15. Thomas, known for her 1960s sitcom That Girl, recently hosted the Lifetime special Our Heroes, Ourselves and the telefilm Two Against Time.

Two popular British TV dramas, Soldier, Soldier and the sci-fi series UFO, might be headed Stateside as new U.S.-produced series. Carlton America, the U.S.-based television arm of the United Kingdom's Carlton International Media Group, has partnered with leading U.S. producers to develop the drama formats for the States. Carlton has teamed with writer-producer-director John Sacret Young (The West Wing, China Beach) on Soldier, Soldier and with Pen Densham, Neil Kaplan and John Watson of Trilogy Entertainment Group (The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone) on UFO. Carlton America president and CEO Stephen Davis said Monday in announcing the deal that both dramas are being offered as formats to the major U.S. networks and talks are "actively under way."...