{"id":451624,"date":"2026-05-29T19:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T19:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/451624\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T19:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T19:46:10","slug":"in-spider-noir-the-spiders-secret-weapon-is-a-very-competent-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/451624\/","title":{"rendered":"In ‘Spider-Noir,’ the Spider’s secret weapon is a very competent woman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s hard to believe we\u2019re approaching the end of May and the midpoint of the year, which means some of our favorite shows have come to a close, including \u201cThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert,\u201d which aired its final episode<\/a> on CBS last week. Our critics and columnists weighed in on Colbert\u2019s tenure as host of \u201cThe Late Show\u201d over the years, writing about why he was the risky but right choice<\/a> to host, his faith<\/a> and his next chapter<\/a>. And \u201cHacks,\u201d starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, dropped its series finale on HBO Max last night. Times culture columnist Mary McNamara and television critic Robert Lloyd took a moment to discuss the course of the show after five seasons<\/a>, the characters and why they found the finale satisfying. <\/p>\n

While those series have come to an end, a new television show, Prime Video\u2019s \u201cSpider-Noir,<\/a>\u201d arrived this week with a different take on a beloved superhero, Spider-Man. \u201cSpider-Noir\u201d stars Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly and his alter ego the Spider. Writer Carlos Aguilar spoke to Cage and co-star Lamorne Morris<\/a> about their spin on the comic book-based characters they portray, and this week, Karen Rodriguez, who plays Ben\u2019s secretary Janet Ruiz on the show, stopped by Guest Spot to talk about her character, working with the ensemble cast and how she gets a nice prize at the end of the season (be warned, a few spoilers ahead).<\/p>\n

You are reading Screen Gab newsletter <\/p>\n

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Also in this week\u2019s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a trio of newly arrived second seasons and a collection of films based on Homer\u2019s \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d that will get you in the mood for Christopher Nolan\u2019s epic arriving later this summer. Vacation screen time can\u2019t come soon enough. \u2014 Maira Garcia<\/p>\n

Turn on<\/p>\n

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times<\/p>\n

\"Two <\/p>\n

Asif Ali, Poorna Jagannathan and Saagar Shaikh in Season 2 of \u201cDeli Boys.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Sandy Morris \/ Disney)<\/p>\n

Season 2 of \u201cThe Four Seasons\u201d (Netflix), \u201cPatience\u201d (PBS) and \u201cDeli Boys\u201d (Hulu)<\/p>\n

There is a season, goes the song, and there is sometimes a second season. Here\u2019s your chance to turn (turn, turn) on your TV to three fine, finally returning series. Tina Fey\u2019s \u201cThe Four Seasons<\/a>\u201d demonstrates there\u2019s still life in this bumpy midlife friend-com about couples (in flux) who vacation together four times a year because apparently there are people who can afford to do that. (On this year\u2019s itinerary: the Catskills, the Jersey Shore and Italy.) It stars Fey, Colman Domingo, Will Forte and others, and even a little bit of Steve Carell, though his character died at the end of Season 1. (Flashbacks, baby.) \u201cPatience<\/a>,\u201d a charming British mystery, airing here as part of PBS\u2019 \u201cMasterpiece,\u201d stars charismatic autistic actor Ella Maisy Purvis as a neurodivergent amateur detective, assisting the police in York, England. This season replaces Laura Fraser\u2019s finally understanding detective investigator Bea Metcalf with Frankie Monroe (Jessica Hynes), a less sympathetic successor, but Mark Benton (whom you may know from Britbox\u2019s \u201cShakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators,\u201d or should) as Calvin Baxter is happily still around as the boss. Abdullah Saeed\u2019s hectic, hilarious \u201cDeli Boys<\/a>\u201d retails the further misadventures of brothers Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj (Saagar Shaikh)<\/a>, who last season stumbled unaware into their late father\u2019s drug business, fronted by a chain of convenience stores. New to the show this season are Fred Armisen as a casino owner, Andrew Rannells as a district attorney and Kumail Nanjiani as the lawyer for the brothers\u2019 Lucky Auntie (Poorna Jagannathan, majestic). \u2014 Robert Lloyd<\/p>\n

\"Three <\/p>\n

John Turturro, left, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in \u201cO Brother, Where Art Thou?\u201d<\/p>\n

(Melinda Sue Gordon \/ Universal Pictures)<\/p>\n

Odysseys (Criterion Channel)<\/p>\n

All hail original IP, which is great and all, but sometimes a 3,000-year-old story sticks around for a reason. Homer crystallized the impulse to return home after a long time away from all that is familiar. We\u2019ll watch Matt Damon make that journey in Nolan\u2019s \u201cThe Odyssey,\u201d hitting theaters July 17, but until then, Criterion builds anticipation with some of the most notable homeward journeys. Martin Scorsese achieves a kind of cosmic misfortune with 1985\u2019s \u201cAfter Hours,\u201d in which Griffin Dunne\u2019s yuppie only wants to escape Soho and go back to his apartment after a late-night date gone sour. You can bop to the Coens\u2019 tuneful \u201cO Brother, Where Art Thou?,\u201d a faithful Homeric translation, then check out the Preston Sturges satire \u201cSullivan\u2019s Travels,\u201d which inspired the Coens\u2019 title. But don\u2019t let David Lynch\u2019s \u201cThe Straight Story\u201d pass you by: It was the least name-checked of his films when the director died last year, but it\u2019s one of his most gentle and improbable triumphs, about a road trip via lawn tractor to a dying brother. \u2014 Joshua Rothkopf<\/p>\n

Guest spot<\/p>\n

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they\u2019re working on \u2014 and what they\u2019re watching<\/p>\n

\"Janet <\/p>\n

Janet Ruiz (Karen Rodriguez) in \u201cSpider-Noir.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Aaron Epstein \/ Prime)<\/p>\n

Being exceptionally competent at your job is a superhero power \u2014 so says this editor. In \u201cSpider-Noir,\u201d Rodriguez plays Janet, a secretary to private investigator Ben Reilly, a.k.a. the Spider. But Janet is not just someone who sits behind the desk answering phones and filing paperwork. She\u2019s as much a gumshoe as Reilly, walking into a police station with poise and ease to sweet-talk the officer into giving her crucial information on an investigation (all it takes is a good sandwich). Her ability to ask the right questions and find answers puts her on equal ground with Reilly and his best friend Robbie Robertson, the investigative journalist played by Morris, leading her to a rightful promotion at the end of series. Don\u2019t you love it when good old-fashioned hard work gets you ahead?<\/p>\n

While Rodriguez has been busy lately with her breakout role in \u201cSpider-Noir,\u201d she has also been at work on \u201cThe Hunting Wives,\u201d Netflix\u2019s hit drama in which she plays Deputy Wanda Salazar and is slated to return later this year. The actor spoke to us about going toe to toe with Cage, why she loved working with her various cast mates and what she\u2019s watching now. \u2014 M.G.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpider-Noir\u201d is a comic book adaption, but it\u2019s also a take on classic noir films. How did you prepare for your role as Janet given the mix of genres?<\/p>\n

I had a little more freedom because Janet is strictly based on the Girl Friday archetype from classic noir. So I first started with the scripts. Oren [Uziel]\u2019s vision for Janet was very precise in the writing, and from that arc I wanted to figure out why this particular woman in this particular world and what does she offer the environment that no one else can. Then I delved into \u201cThe Maltese Falcon\u201d (Janet was based off of Effie Perine), \u201cDouble Indemnity,\u201d \u201cHis Girl Friday,\u201d among others. And then I mixed it all in with Nick\u2019s take on Ben Reilly because so much of who Janet is absolutely informed by who Ben is. <\/p>\n

Janet is very no-nonsense, especially with Ben, even though he\u2019s her boss. What was it like \u201cmanaging up\u201d and playing off of Nick\u2019s acting? Have you ever dealt with a boss like that in real life?<\/p>\n

Well, I think that what\u2019s great about Janet is that she is no-nonsense but she also has a killer sense of humor and wit. I think it makes her someone who\u2019s very skilled at getting what she wants, a little sugar with the medicine. Nick is the ultimate scene partner \u2014 so prepared, so playful and most importantly, unpredictable. For Janet, Ben\u2019s antics are her obstacle in the scene and Nick always made sure Ben gave Janet plenty of obstacles. All I had to do was know Janet is the boss and the voice of reason, then listen and respond to him. We had a great time keeping each other on our toes and I\u2019m so grateful to have had that experience with him. No, I haven\u2019t had a boss like that!<\/p>\n

Janet shares a lot of scenes with different characters, like Robbie (Morris), Lonnie (Abraham Popoola) or even Frankie (Cary Christopher), the little boy who\u2019s friendly with Ben. She is very good at connecting with people. How was it creating a rapport with so many different cast mates and was there a scene or moment that stood out to you?<\/p>\n

Thank you for saying that! Her ability to connect with people is one of my favorite parts about her. And oh, I loved it. The ensemble acting of it all thrills me. It allows me to explore different facets of the character and it\u2019s just fun to collide with different actors. And this particular cast made it so joyful \u2014 they\u2019re all mega-talented but also super-focused and hardworking. We just wanted to make the best show we could. <\/p>\n

A moment that stood out to me \u2026 I loved seeing Janet\u2019s superpower in the scene with Lonnie, how her kindness and ability to make people feel seen makes her a powerful player in this world. And Abraham Popoola is just magnificent so it was a really fun day on set with him and Lamorne. <\/p>\n

In the end Janet and Ben become partners. Was that inevitable given her skills?<\/p>\n

I would like to think so! And I think Janet would too! But it still made me cry when I read the episode and when I saw the office door sign with both their names. I think for Janet, too \u2014 despite knowing she\u2019s worth it, it is still momentous to have Ben give her her due. <\/p>\n

Along with \u201cSpider-Noir,\u201d you\u2019ll be back on \u201cThe Hunting Wives\u201d for Season 2 later this year. Anything you can tease about what Wanda Salazar might be up to?<\/p>\n

You know Maple Brook is going to give her plenty to do! She\u2019s definitely going to have her hands full this season. And I\u2019m excited because I think fans are in for some shocking moments!<\/p>\n

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?<\/p>\n

\u201cPonies\u201d [Peacock]. Oh, and I\u2019ve been watching \u201cThe Comeback\u201d [HBO Max], Season 1-3. Lisa Kudrow forever. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s your go-to comfort watch, the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Office\u201d [Peacock]. \u201cBridget Jones\u2019s Diary\u201d [YouTube, Paramount+]. \u201cPride and Prejudice,\u201d 2005 vibes [Britbox, Prime Video].<\/p>\n

ICYMI<\/p>\n

Must-read stories you might have missed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s hard to believe we\u2019re approaching the end of May and the midpoint of the year, which means…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":451625,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[3376,15192,156,208410,424,15195,229858,229859,111,139,69,411,227939,520,6926,1963,197382,4468,437,686],"class_list":["post-451624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-actor","tag-ariana-madix","tag-entertainment","tag-islander","tag-life","tag-love-island-usa","tag-mr-polaroid","tag-new-film","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-peacock","tag-polaroid-camera","tag-relationship","tag-season","tag-series","tag-taskmaster","tag-thing","tag-tv","tag-week"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=451624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451624\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/451625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=451624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=451624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=451624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}