Downbeats

[managermike99]

Downbeats

60 min
Drama (Mystery/Musical)

A young attractive and extremely gifted Hispanic jazz musician Delfina tries to leave her troubled past in Philadelphia behind and moves to New Orleans to work and study in the famous jazz community. She immediately attracts the attention of a lonely accountant who draws her in to an affair that she had promised herself would not happen, at least so soon. When her past starts to seep through to the surface however it threatens to uproot Delfina once again. As she reveals to her lover in a moment of weakness this is not some witness protection, or running from drugs or a bad ex-husband, but rather something so horrific that her own parents have disowned her. Only the court appointed meds she takes daily help her through the days and nights, not to redemption, but just to living.

Cast
Season 1
Naya Rivera as Delfina Diaz
Nicky Katt as Det. Harold Billington
Timothy Spall as Gene (bar owner)
Mae Whitman as Willow (fellow student; friend)
Charles S Dutton as Sugar Braeden (jazz musician)
Tamara Belous as Dana Streider (fellow student; adversary)
Larry Wilcox as Dean Sage Sanders
Troy Byer as Sellia Diaz (Delfina's Mom)
Britne Oldford as Shawna Laviolette (fellow student; friend)
Garen Boyajian as Marcus St. Ours (episodes 1-11)

Crew
David Marshall Grant (Producer)
Brad Turner (Producer)
Kevin Dowling (Director)
Rob Spera (Director)
Stephen Cragg (Director)
Janusz Kaminski (Director)
Cyrus Voris (Writer)
Ethan Reiff (Writer)
Andrew Schneider (Writer)
Pamela Gray (Writer)
John Grisham (Writer)

[managermike99]

Britne Oldford (Ravenswood, The Flash) has signed on for a run in Downbeats, playing a much needed sympathetic friend and classmate for Delfina.

[managermike99]

1.01 - "Trebles" (2015) 0.7/2 2.60
Sep 22, 2015
Delfina moves from her troubles in Philadelphia to a new start in New Orleans, and her first job waiting tables at a jazz club called Downbeats. She falls victim to the ways of a local lothario, a high powered but lonely accountant (Marcus St. Ours) known to be the king of one night stands. Marcus leaves Delfina when she wakes in the middle of the night screaming and thrashing from her nightmares.

1.02 - "Woodshed" (2015) 0.8/2 2.92
Sep 29, 2015
Gene convinces Delfina to enroll in music classes during the day and introduces her to Dean Sage Sanders at the college. Marcus comes back to Downbeats with another woman on his arm causing an confrontation with Delfina. Delfina finds a friend at college (Willow) and an adversary (Dana) on the first day.

1.03 - "Lay Out" (2015) 0.8/2 3.14
Oct 6, 2015
A stressed out Delfina forgets to take her meds, and is saved by Sugar Braeden a jazz musician at the club. Delfina can't help herself and sleeps with Marcus again, only to find him snooping around her apartment. Dana makes a play for Dean Sanders affection. Sugar is robbed and assaulted walking home after his gig at Downbeats.

1.04 - "Third Stream" (2015) 0.7/2 2.90
Oct 13, 2015
A cop, Harold Billington comes to the club to interview Sugar and has a run in with Delfina. Gene gets a strange call from someone claiming to be Delfina's Mom. Delfina's new court appointed psychiatrist wants to increase her meds but the side effects will be crippling to her jazz career. In a pinch Delfina makes her first appearance on the Dowbeats stage.

1.05 - "Original" (2015) 0.7/2 2.82
Oct 20, 2015
Det. Billington comes to apologize to Delfina, but this time he has a run in with Marcus so never gets the chance. Gene and Sugar feel like they are conspiring when they begin to look into Delfina's past. Willow is upset with Delfina when she won't go drinking with her to unwind after an exam; and goes with Dana instead.

1.06 - "Chops" (2015) 0.7/2 2.91
Oct 27, 2015
Gene makes a call to his friend Sage Sanders about Delfina that he immediately regrets making. After another one night stand Marcus finds Delfina's meds and realizes that she has an extreme mental disorder. Instead of driving him away though Marcus begins to pay more attention to Delfina; and to her rival Dana at the same time. Sugar tries to teach Delfina a thing or two about jazz.

1.07 - "Double Time" (2015) 0.7/2 3.06
Nov 3, 2015
Most of her friends come out to see Delfina perform at the school concert; except for Gene which causes Delfina hurt. Delfina's Mom reaches out to her but is rebuffed. Marcus secretly films himself and Delfina having sex. Willow catches Sanders having sex with Dana. Det. Billington asks Delfina out for coffee and she accepts; until it angers Marcus and she stands him up.

1.08 - "Altered Scale" (2015) 0.7/2 3.02
Nov 10, 2015
A very upset client comes with a gun looking for Marcus at Downbeats. Sugar and Delfina work on a duet. Dana wants Sanders to do something to bring Delfina down a notch; he decides not to tell her about what he knows. Willow invites Delfina out for dinner, but when Willow's parents show up unexpected it causes Delfina to lash out. Billington goes to Downbeats to confront Marcus but ends up saving his life instead.

1.09 - "Inner Voice" (2015) 0.7/2 3.17
Nov 17, 2015
Billington takes a baseball bat to Marcus after he hits Delfina in a drunken rage. Dana finds out that Willow had an abortion and uses it anonymously online to shame her. When Sugar opens up to Delfina about his past alcohol abuse and estrangement from his children, instead of being sympathetic she is hostile; Gene confronts Delfina about her attitudes making the situation worse. Delfina's Mom reaches out to her again, and this time Delfina threatens to kill her if she ever shows up in New Orleans.

1.10 - "Free" (2015) 0.7/2 3.04
Nov 24, 2015
Gene bans Marcus from the club; then finds all his windows busted the next night. Delfina doesn't show up for work or school and only Willow is worried. Marcus goes after Billington with a gun.

1.11 - "Diatonic" (2015) 0.7/2 2.96
Dec 1, 2015
In a moment of weakness Sanders opens up to Dana about Delfina's horrible past. Delfina relives murdering her own child while having a psychotic break a decade ago. Delfina's Mom Sellia shows up at her doorstep and finds her daughter a total mess.

1.12 - "Open Voicing" (2016) 0.7/2 2.30
Feb 2, 2016
After some initial hopes at reconciliation Delfina and Sellia end up fighting, with Delfina refusing to try to reconcile the past and Sellia wanting to hear something more from her than "sorry". Delfina meets a new friend Shawna (Britne Oldford) and they hit it off; Delfina notices that Shawn cuts herself. Marcus turns up dead.

1.13 - "Rhythm Change" (2016) 0.8/2 2.84
Feb 9, 2016
Billington has to interview Delfina about the murder of Marcus; but then the case is taken away from Billington and given to an older detective Crosby. Crosby makes it clear that Billington and Delfina are both prime suspects, both separately and jointly. Sellia takes a job as a waitress so she can stay in New Orleans against Delfina's objections. Delfina tells Billington they need to take a break in their relationship; and she and Shawna grow closer. Dana makes a play for Billington but is rebuffed.


1.14 - "Timbre" (2016) 0.7/2 2.52
Feb 16, 2016
Sellia meets a man at work who asks her on a date. Willow confronts Dana and makes threats. Gene and Sugar have a disagreement about the line between mental disorders and personal responsibility that gets heated; and overheard by Delfina. Billington is suspended with pay pending Marcus' murder investigation. Shawna misreads her friendship with Delfina and makes a pass.

1.15 - "Tune" (2016) 0.8/3 2.91
Feb 23, 2016
Gene faces financial troubles that he tries to keep to himself; and borrows money from a loan shark. Sugar attempts to reconnect with his children; to no avail. Sellia's new man turns into a control freak. Crosby grills Delfina who begins to break down as her meds wear off; he also tries to use her psychiatrist against her in a bluff.

1.16 - "Voicing" (2016)
Mar 1, 2016
Crosby finds some compassion for Delfina. The department forces Billington back to work; at a desk job. Gene suggests to Delfina that working on a new piece and headlining the club would be good for her right now. Sellia's new man hits her during an argument. Word of Delfina's past goes viral on the internet, but when Willow confronts Dana she claims it was not her that leaked the information.

1.17 - "Up" (2016)
Mar 8, 2016
To blow off steam, Delfina, Willow, and Shawna try taking jazz dance classes, and then try kickboxing classes. Gene has trouble paying his club's debts and turns to Billington for advice. Crosby comes to the conclusion that Marcus' past may have come back to haunt him; while he does not close the case he puts it on the backburner. Billington is restored to active duty but his attitude has gone downhill.

1.18 - "Ballad" (2016)
Apr 19, 2016
Sellia reaches out to Delfina on the birthday of her child. Delfina takes the birthday extremely hard and falls into a funk that Shawna tries to break her out of. Billington struggles with being back in a routine; so he decides to take a hands on approach with Gene's loanshark problem. Sugar is flattered at first with a earnest fan; but it soon turns into a con. Dana struggles with her conscience and seeks counsel from a Minister.

1.19 - "Changes" (2016)
Apr 26, 2016
Another jazz club tries to recruit Delfina. Sellia fights back against her boyfriend and ends the relationship with a bang. Billington makes a deal with the loanshark Phillips. Sage Sanders oversteps his bounds when he asks Delfina to talk to a student group about mental health.

1.20 - "Monster" (2016)
May 3, 2016
Sugar decides to spend what amounts to most of his savings to record an independent album and asks Delfina to help. Billington decides to quit the force and strike out on his own as a private investigator. Gene and Sage's friendship hits the rocks over Sage's treatment of Delfina. Willow is arrested for shoplifting.

1.21 - "Syncopation" (2016)
May 10, 2016
Billington has a difference of opinion with Phillips and has to decide whether he really wants to be an investigator or a collector; he turns to Delfina to see if they can rekindle their relationship. Sugar has a heart attack while recording with Delfina and requires emergency heart surgery.

1.22 - "Out" (2016)
Season Finale
May 17, 2016
On his death bed doped up and in pain Sugar says some judgmental things about Delfina that mar his graceful passing in the night. Reeling by the loss of his friend Gene puts the club up for sale. Delfina decides to finish Sugar's album. Billington decides to go straight, news that is not well received from Phillips.

[managermike99]

David Cubitt (m/50) will receive a recurring role on Downbeats in the 2016-17 season as part of a crossover storyline that features him as attorney Mickey Haller from Hollywood RHD. The storyline will focus around Haller and his half-brother Detective Harry Bosch buying at least a stake in the Downbeats Jazz Club.

[managermike99]

Downbeats; 2016-17 Season Preview

Liberty television returns to sultry New Orleans for season 2 of its most controversial show ever Downbeats which will air on Tuesday at 9:00pm/8:00pmCST. The network looks to build on its season 1 numbers and is aiming for a 1.0 demo this season with a strong lead in from another female led show Tuesday's Gone. However, unlike the Amanda Peet show, Downbeats is very serious as the main character is recovering from having killed her own child during a psychotic break. That backstory has caused strong opposition to the show from many different venues but the network stands behind the message of promoting mental health awareness.

Season 2 will begin predicated on a change in ownership of Downbeats, having been sold by Gene and bought by Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch as a cross story from Hollywood RHD. David Cubitt's Mickey Haller character will appear in a story arc that will take up most of the first half of the season. There are no plans to have Harry Bosch make an appearance at this time. Sugar and Marcus of course have both passed away, but Delfina's Mom will play a bigger role and the past as well as plans for the future will all surround Delfina's mental condition. Andre Franklin joins the cast as Strummer Franklin, a regular performer at Downbeats known as much for his abrasive personality as his chops.

Competition at the 9pm Tuesday slot which Downbeats also appeared last year will be ABC's sit-coms Fresh Off the Boat & The Real O'Neals; FOX has Scream Queens (with follow ups from Kicking & Screaming and Prison Break), and the other networks all have new dramas with CBS-Bull; CW-No Tomorrow; and NBC-This is Us. Given that landscape you can see how Liberty executives are looking for a step up to at least a 1.0 demo for the show and if not you could see a lineup switch to bring in another show that would better benefit from relatively weak competition.

Behind the scenes Brad Turner has exited the show to concentrate on Wayward Pines, leaving David Marshall Grant to do all the heavy lifting. He is getting some help this year from Diane Frolov who has joined the show. World renown author John Grisham however has stepped up his involvement in the project and is now credited as an executive producer along with PLS Media's own Emit Besler. Grisham also had a heavy hand in the writing of some story arcs for season 2. Speaking of writing, with the inclusion of the Hollywood RHD and Mickey Haller crossover, Michael Connelly joins the credits as a writer. The show will rely on the same directors as last season; Kevin Dowling, Rob Spera, Stephen Cragg, Janusz Kaminski, and in addition Allison Anders and Bethany Rooney have been added to the corps. The primary writers remain the same, however Andrew Schneider has taken over as lead writer from Cyrus Voris.

Season 2

Production Companies

MapleStar Entertainment

Entertainment One Television

After Portsmouth

Crew
David Marshall Grant (Producer)

Diane Frolov (Producer)

John Grisham (Executive Producer/Writer)

Emit Besler (Executive Producer)

Kevin Dowling (Director)
Rob Spera (Director)
Stephen Cragg (Director)
Janusz Kaminski (Director)

Allison Anders (Director)

Bethany Rooney(Director)

Andrew Schneider (Head Writer)

Cyrus Voris (Writer)
Ethan Reiff (Writer)
Pamela Gray (Writer)
Michael Connelly (Writer)

Cast
Naya Rivera as Delfina Diaz
Nicky Katt as Det. Harold Billington
Timothy Spall as Gene Cohen 

Troy Byer as Sellia Diaz
Mae Whitman as Willow Woods 

Britne Oldford as Shawna Laviolette

Andre Holland as Strummer Franklin

Recurring/Guest

David Cubitt as Mickey Haller (Hollywood RHD crossover)

Sean Cullen  as Tony Phillips (loan shark)

Tamara Belous as Dana Streider (fellow student; adversary)
Larry Wilcox as Dean Sage Sanders

[managermike99]

Downbeats
Season 2
Episode Guide

2.01 - "Blue Skies" (Sep 27/2016) 0.7/3  2.66

Gene breaks the news to his staff that he has sold the bar to a couple of investors from out in Hollywood; a cop Harry Bosch and a lawyer Mickey Haller. Haller arrives and after kicking the tires wants to make some changes that will mean more profits but less traditional jazz ambience. Gene has trouble transitioning from owner to manager of Downbeats. Haller brings in a new act, Strummer Franklin, a performer known as much for his abrasive personality as his chops. Delfina, Shawna, and Willow move into their new apartment; and its a real dump.

2.02 - "It Don't Mean A Thing" (Oct 11/2016) 0.7/2 2.49

When Delfina rejects Sellia's attempts to further their reconciliation, the Mom reaches out to Delfina's psychiatrist and tries to convince her that Delfina should be ordered to spend more time with her. Billington attempts to buy his way out of his agreement with Phillips but when he can't come up with enough scratch he turns to Gene for financial help. Haller and Delfina have a public spat in the club getting her fired; only to have him pursue her to return after Gene convinces him the reason was their mutual attraction.

2.03 - "Ain't Misbehaving" (Oct 18/2016) 0.7/3 2.68

After sleeping together Haller finds out about Delfina's secret past from another source, causing him to once again lose his patience with Delfina. Delfina is forced to attend therapy sessions with her mother Sellia; and she begins to realize that her Mother is also still trying to recover and reconcile her own hurt and guilt over losing her only grandchild. Willow and Shawna both compete for the attention of a cute neighbor across the hall. Franklin's jealousy over Delfina's natural talents causes him to strike out by eradicating some of Downbeats memories of Sugar. Billington reaches out to Haller to help him get a foothold with lawyers as an investigator.

2.04 - "Rag Time"

Haller calls in some favors to get a newspaper critic to write a story about his club. However, Haller's concerns over the behavior of his staff causes Haller himself to become his own worst advocate, and its up to Franklin, Gene, and Delfina to save the review. Since Shawna and Willow have no desire to enter a serious relationship they decide that they can both date Collin from across the hall; as long as neither speaks about it to the other (a plan which is painfully obvious to Delfina won't work). Billington receives his first big case; a messy divorce surveillance.

2.05 - "After You've Gone"

In order to bring in more revenue, Haller turns the club into a fight club by hosting a mixed martial arts cage fighting card; against the wishes of all his staff. Haller announces to the staff that he has decided to stay in town until Christmas and then leave to return to work in Los Angeles. Delfina is crushed by Haller's leaving and makes the mistake of asking Franklin for advice. Gene's investment in Billington begins to payoff; until the two realize they have very different views of their arrangement. Sellia attempts suicide.