In Case You Haven’t Heard: ‘South Park,’ ‘Westies,’ And James Remar

“South Park” continues to pair hilarity with controversy, the USA Network cancels a TV show after four seasons and director James Gunn comes to the defense of a certain superpowered alien from Krypton in this edition of “In Case You Haven’t Heard.”

As far as episodic TV goes, nothing gets me more excited than a well-done cop show. There have been two spin-offs so far from Amazon Prime’s “Bosch,” a show about an uncompromising police detective played by Titus Welliver. Welliver heads up the cast in “Westies.” According to Collider, Welliver plays Glenn Keenan, a Vietnam vet and gritty beat cop. The story is set in the early 1980s in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen and follows the Westies, a real-life Irish street gang as they try to carve out a piece of the action despite being a much smaller force than the New York mob’s Five Families.

Welliver calls his character deeply corrupt and very dark but also nuanced. Joining him in the cast are JK Simmons, Tom Brittney, Jessica Francis Duke and Sarah Bolger. “The Westies” will drop on MGM + sometime in 2026. 

In case you are not on social media or just haven’t heard, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone went there in the season premiere of Season 27. They discussed the episode during Comic-Con as well as their struggles with Paramount to get the show on the air, as it was seen.

During the episode, the writers showed a naked commander-in-chief walking through the desert and did not blur over any private parts — albeit cartoonish private parts. The writing team said they argued back-and-forth with Paramount for four days about what they would show on the air and what they wouldn’t but, in the end, Parker and Stone were unrelenting and got their way. The writers say they are fully expecting to be sued by a certain Oval Office resident. 

The USA Network has announced it has canceled “Resident Alien”, despite the show carving out a nice following over its four seasons. The announcement was made right before the season four finale last week. The sci-fi comedy is about an alien who is also a doctor in a small town who tries to conceal his identity. The show is based on a book of the same title. Executive Producer Chris Sheridan says he wasn’t totally caught off-guard by the decision and, for what it’s worth, says the last episode is his favorite of the whole series.

“There will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness.” That is director James Gunn addressing criticism of his film “Superman” being “woke.” Gunn asked what about the movie is woke, adding that Superman is an immigrant and his creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were sons of immigrants. Gunn acknowledged there is an immigrant angle but that the film is primarily about kindness and reality.

James Remar is open to returning as Richard, Samantha’s boyfriend on “… And Just Like That.” Remar was last seen as the boyfriend on season four of “Sex and the City.” Remar says as an actor he’s always mulling offers, but he does have one question: Does he have to get naked again? James Remar is now 71, so I think we’re all hoping the answer to the naked question is a resounding “NO!”

Remar is also known for his roles on “Dexter” and most famously, in my opinion, “The Warriors.” “… And Just Like That” can be seen on HBO — like you didn’t already know that.

Editor’s note: For more movie and entertainment talk, join host Pete Schwaba weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. for “Nite Lite” on the Civic Media radio network.