Michael Ontkean

Originally telecast over Canada's CTV network on January 29, 2002, A Killing Spring was a one-shot attempt to revive the popular Joanne Kilbourn Mysteries series (aka Criminal Instincts), starring Wendy Crewson as the ex-police-detective-turned-university-lecturer created by Gail Bowen. Missing from this feature-length whodunit is Joanne Kilbourn's longtime co-star Victor Garber, though Shane Doyle fills in admirably as the "official" representative of the law. In this one, Joanne Kilbourn returns to Lanholm College, where she had once been a professor, when the Dean of Journalism is found dead, evidently the result of autoerotic suffocation during "rough sex." Although she risks losing an important internship, Joanne insists upon investigating the death, and in the process unearths a hotbed of moral depravity and academic backstabbing. Throughout, there is one person who is willing to commit murder rather than allow Joanne to expose his innumerable peccadillos -- and the result, inevitably, is two additional corpses. In the United States, A Killing Spring was picked up by the Lifetime cable channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An upwardly mobile CCT executive finds his life and career suddenly spinning out of control after he uncovers a vast corporate conspiracy in this thriller starring Marcus Graham, Thomas Kretschmann, and Alexandra Paul. Will Patterson (Graham) was set to become a powerful executive at the time he stumbled into a far-reaching corporate cover-up, but now his life has completely fallen apart. Thankfully, despite his bleak outlook, Will has a lovely and dedicated crusader (Paul) on his side who's willing to help him navigate the treacherous waters on the horizon. When Will travels to the jungles of Indonesia to locate a tribe that has been forced off of their land by CCT, the stage is finally set for a deadly confrontation. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A husband and wife are initially thrilled to have moved to an idyllic, leafy town, but its apparent perfection -- no crime, noise, or violence -- gradually unnerves them. Even the town's male fraternity is unusually staid, which leads our protagonists to believe that something sinister is at work in their ostensibly blissful little burg. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

Michael Anderson directed this Canadian coming-of-age adventure that generates nostalgia for rural America at the turn of the century. Farmer John Lee (Michael Ontkean) and wife Sarah (Leslie Hope) have two children, Jay Berry (Corey Sevier) and crippled Daisy (Katie Stuart). Hoping to buy a pony, Jay Berry works during the summer at the town's general store, run by Gramps (Wilford Bramley). After a train wreck, circus monkeys escape. Jay Berry spots them and sees an opportunity to earn extra money by collecting the reward. But how can he catch them? Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Mary Swann, an Ontario farmer's wife, lead a fairly dull existence until she demonstrated a remarkable talent for poetry and became the darling of the literati. Tragically, she was ruthlessly slain by her own husband who then committed suicide. Mary's closest friend Rose is devastated by the death and so runs a small museum to keep Mary's memory alive. Sarah Maloney is a writer who wants to write a biography about Swann. Learning that a competitor has similar plans, Sarah hastily leaves Chicago and heads northward where she meets Rose. The ensuing friendship between the disparate women provides the film with some interesting comparison/contrasts. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Based on steamy novel by Danielle Steel and originally aired as a two-part miniseries on NBC television, this drama looks at the complex personal and professional life of a famed actress/director ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this two-part made for TV movie, a woman (Valerie Bertinelli) fights for the custody of her sister's son after the sister is murdered by her husband.. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

Mike Nichols lends some comic structure to Carrie Fisher's best-selling confessional novel concerning a woman's struggles with drug addiction and mother-daughter rivalry (subjects Fisher admits to understanding all too well). Meryl Streep, in her most full-blown comic performance up to that point, plays Suzanne Vale, a popular movie actress well on her way to a Hollywood crack-up. Suzanne suffers from blackouts and memory lapses, and awakens in the beds of men she doesn't remember; she is a barely-functioning wreck on the set of her latest movie. When a coke dealer who delivers stops by her dressing room between takes, she swiftly finds herself being rushed to the hospital, suffering the effects of a narcotics bender. While in detox, Suzanne attempts to piece her life and career back together, but her confidence is shattered when her mother arrives at the rehab clinic -- Doris Mann, a famed film icon from the 1950s and 1960s (Shirley MacLaine). Doris is soon soaking up the adulation and applause of Suzanne's fellow recovering drug addicts. Upon Suzanne's release, she must compete with her mother for attention and fame as she tries to walk a thin line as a recovering drug abuser. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The groundbreaking and influential Twin Peaks series originally ran on the ABC network for the short time between April 1990 and June 1991. Created by film director David Lynch (Blue Velvet) and writer Mark Frost (Hill Street Blues), it gained an enormous following of viewers while challenging genre conventions and changing the standard of television programming. The story begins with Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of the FBI arriving in the small town of Twin Peaks, WA, to investigate the murder of a popular high school girl named Laura Palmer. When the first season ended without answering the pressing question of "Who killed Laura Palmer?", the loyal audience had to wait all summer until next season to find out. However, the series proved to be more than just an engaging soap opera or juicy murder mystery. The dark supernatural subject matter was offset by moments of absurd humor, and the haunting musical score from Angelo Badalamenti was well suited to the cinematically rendered images. The creators succeeded in blending a very human drama into a humorous and entertaining crime show against a small-town background of eccentric characters and places. Offering plenty of symbolism, the series became highly discussed for exposing the darkness underneath apple-pie America, among other issues. For a series that gains layers of meaning with repeated viewing, it was also accused of alienating casual viewers. Some of the audience just lost interest during the second season, after the central mystery was solved. Nevertheless, the eerie mood and unusual themes of Twin Peaks continue to influence numerous television series from Northern Exposure to The X-Files. A rebroadcast on the Bravo cable channel in the late '90s added the Log Lady opening introductions to each episode of the series. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

The first official episode of Twin Peaks, entitled "Traces to Nowhere," originally aired on April 12, 1990. Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of the FBI continues to investigate the mysterious death of Laura Palmer. He interrogates James Hurley (James Marshall), Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook), and Mike Nelson (Gary Hershberger), and James is released from jail. Meanwhile, Bobby's secret girlfriend, Shelley Johnson (Madchen Amick), finds blood on the shirt of her abusive husband, Leo Johnson (Eric Da Re). Big Ed Hurley (Everett McGill) tells Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) that his drink was drugged the previous night at the Roadhouse, and he believes Jacques Renault was tending bar. At the Great Northern Hotel, Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) begins her pattern of flirting with Agent Cooper. Also at the Great Northern, Catherine Martell (Piper Laurie) and secret lover Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) reveal their scheme to take over Packard Sawmill. After being released from their cell, Bobby and Mike swear to get revenge on James. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Originally broadcast on April 19, 1990, the memorable and pivotal second episode of Twin Peaks, "Zen, or the Skill of Catching a Killer," contains the infamous surreal dream sequence with the Little Man From Another Place (Michael J. Anderson). On Saturday night, sleazy businessman Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) and his immature brother, Jerry Horne (David Patrick Kelly), visit the brothel One-Eyed Jacks for a night of debauchery. Meanwhile, Bobby (Dana Ashbrook) and Mike (Gary Hershberger) meet Leo (Eric Da Re) in the woods for a drug deal. The next morning, Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) decides to teach Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) and his crew about Tibet. In order to gain perspective on the identity of the "J" name referred to in Laura Palmer's diary, Cooper reads "J" names aloud along with their connection to Laura, then throws a rock at a bottle. The bottle breaks after the name Leo Johnson is read. Also that morning, Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle) and Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn) run into each other at the Double R diner. At the morgue, the angry pathologist Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) has arrived to inspect the body, and he wastes no time insulting the residents of Twin Peaks, especially Sheriff Truman. That night, Pete Martell (Jack Nance) complicates Catherine's plans to burn the mill when he sneaks a key to Josie Packard (Joan Chen). Finally, in an unforgettable montage, Cooper has a dream involving the One-Armed Man, the Little Man From Another Place, and Killer Bob in a red-curtained room. He wakes up believing he knows who killed Laura Palmer. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

The fourth episode of Twin Peaks' first season, "The One-Armed Man," was originally broadcast on May 3, 1990, and directed by Tim Hunter (River's Edge). Deputy Andy Brennan sketches Sarah Palmer's visions of Killer Bob, resembling the Bob in Agent Cooper's dream from episode two. Another of Cooper's visions appears at a nearby motel, where Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) finds the One-Armed Man (Al Strobel). Ben Horne and Catherine are also at the same hotel, making plans to burn the mill, while Josie spies on them. Agent Cooper questions the One-Armed Man, who claims to be named Philip Michael Gerard, about his connection to BOB. At the Double R Diner, Norma Jennings (Peggy Lipton) gets word that her husband, Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey), is up for parole, and he is granted release after she defends him in court. Audrey Horne begs her father for a job at his department store, where Laura Palmer once worked. She plans to conduct her own secret investigation with the additional help of Donna Hayward. Leo Johnson's bloody shirt is found in Jacques Renault's apartment, while Leo and Ben make plans concerning the mill. Later that evening, Donna and James Hurley look for the other half of the gold heart necklace that they had buried. This episode features the voice of series creator David Lynch as Cooper's hard-of-hearing supervisor, Gordon Cole. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide