57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 26, 2020

Ray Donovan: So OG Bridget was pregnant and knocked up by Succession Daddy when she jumped off the roof? Somehow that death got even darker. But no one asked the question I would have asked, did she actually jump or was Succession Daddy getting rid of two problems at once? But after two or three seasons, is the show going back to California? Bridget says she wants to go home. Ray did follow her there. Terry was just there to train a boxer which faded away. Mickey and Bunchy just came to this coast to avoid the law. The whole Donovan tribe could migrate back west. Hey, maybe Connor is just hanging out in the house alone this whole time. I would not mind the move back because the setting was much better there.

Dare Me: Oh wow, finally an entertaining scene with the two half-sisters in therapy with their daddy. More of that please. Less lip biting, too, please. Really more proof, she dies by the end of the season, probably by her own hand.

Shameless: Wait, is the chick would go through great lengths to set up Frank because he got her boyfriend and just casually mentions she is taking a vacation? I thought for sure that was another ploy by her to get back at Frank. Maybe that will come next episode. But if going on two dates at once, a big sitcom clichéd plot, is the best the show can come up with now, maybe it is a good thing they announce next season will be it last (until it is inevitably rebooted in five years). Okay, Mickey as bridezilla was pretty funny.

The Outsider: If you are a super prestige show that does not want its characters to devolve into a caricature, maybe should not introduce your character on the spectrum with a Sheldon Cooper bit. But she did shout out my doppelgänger theory even though it seems to be already debunked as it seems like we are dealing with a shape shifter. Then what was going on in prison? Dude implanted a shiv, but had to craft a shiv to get the other shiv inside him. Then used it to kill himself. Did I miss an episode?

Supergirl: So Crisis gave us a soft reboot which you think would have fixed one of the bigger flaws of this season in Lena’s irrational hated of Supergirl but instead Lex somehow gave her all of her memories. Meh. Even worse, Crisis gave us multiple Braniac 5’s. Ugg. But why were they talking about there only being one Earth now? We saw at the end of Crisis that Doom Patrol et al were still on different Earths? Are they just being self-centered that now that Supergirl is on the same Earth as The Flash and Black Lightning that there are no other Earths out there? Where do they think all those people went? Just were not brought back after they rebooted the timeline? And what happened to Miss Tessmacher? Lena essentially killed her last season turning her into a robot? Is she still a robot? Is she dead? Is she back as a secretary at CatCo? Since Lex never was “evil” in this timeline, does she not become evil? Is she with Leviathan? It was weird that she ran into Leviathan is the season finale, but that really was not brought up this season.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Manifest: Really, all that to get cave boy out of prison after he pleads guilty? Just seemed like they need to fill and extra episode. And I missed the connection between yoga mom and the university guy? Are they plotting something together?

Vikings: Well the episode title, Valhalla Ca Wait turned out to be a huge spoiler. Though I did think the skies would open up and put out the flames, instead it was his brother who would save him. Then with three episodes left (at least until the end of the half season, I kind of hate when they block off episodes like this, just call each ten episodes a season if the next ten will not air for months) we finally go back to Iceland. I wonder if we will finally get any definitive proof of Loki, dead or alive.

The Good Place: I did not like all the Best Show of the Decades that came out late last year, I thought it was silly to rank The Good Place with five episodes remaining which no one is not going to be considered when ranking the Best Shows of the 20’s. What is the show had a Game of Thrones type ending that knocks it down five to ten spots? Really, if the door they came up with this week, which sounded very pro-suicide to me, turns out to be suicide, this show might sink more than ten spot on my list which I hope to have out before the end of the year… I hope.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: January 25, 2020

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Pearl Jam, The Go-Go’s, JP Cooper, KIANA LEDÉ, Black in Space: Breaking the Color, The Circus, Mo’nique and Friends: Live From Atlanta, The Trade, Our Cartoon President, and Outcry.

- "Dance of the Clairvoyants", the first single from Pearl Jam's forthcoming album, Gigaton, is now officially available. Listen to "Dance of the Clairvoyants" HERE. "I can’t tell you how proud I am about this group of songs, " explains Jeff Ament. "As you know, we took our time and that benefited us taking more chances. 'Dance' was a perfect storm of experimentation and real collaboration, mixing up the instrumentation and building a great song, and Ed writing some of my favorite words yet, around Matt’s killer drum pattern. Did I mention Mike’s insane guitar part and that Stone is playing bass on this one? We’ve opened some new doors creatively and that’s exciting." To accompany the single, Pearl Jam have released mysteriously titled video "Dance of the Clairvoyants" Mach I. Watch the video HERE.

- The multi-platinum Los Angeles rock band The Go-Go’s announce 11 North American summer dates in conjunction with the release of THE GO-GO’S, a new Showtime documentary directed by Allison Wood which chronicles the meteoric rise to fame of a band born of the L.A. punk scene. Kicking off on June 25th at Humphreys in San Diego, CA, and performing at intimate venues across North America gives fans a chance to see the band up close and personal. Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 24th at 10am local time with the Los Angeles dates going on sale next Friday, January 31st at 10am PT. For the latest ticketing information visit facebook.com/OfficialGoGos/.

- JP Cooper follows singles ‘The Reason Why’ and ‘Sing It With Me’ with ‘In These Arms’, out on the 24th of January. ‘In These Arms’ is an all-powerful torch song ballad, with Cooper’s voice soaring above a grand wall of sound. The lyrics pivot between unquestioning love and paranoia, whilst the verses classic, uncomplicated descriptions of precious time sets the scene for a sucker punch of a chorus. To accompany the release of the single, JP has also shared the visuals for the track – watch them HERE.

- After emerging as one of 2019’s boldest and biggest breakout R&B starlets, KIANA LEDÉ returns with a new single entitled “Mad At Me” today. Get it HERE via Republic Records.

- The race to get to space is long over, but buried in time is the revelatory story of the world’s first black astronauts. For many Americans, the 20th-century Space Race was a Cold War competition over rocketry and technological feats, but the world’s two superpowers were also engaged in another high-stakes race – one whose impact is still being felt today. Black in Space: Breaking the Color examines the crucial moment when America’s history of racial prejudice became a critical vulnerability in the effort to win hearts and minds around the globe. Confronting a Soviet foe determined to show that communism was the face of the future, the U.S. would need a new generation of astronauts. Black in Space: Breaking the Color barrier premieres Monday, February 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel and will also be available to stream on Smithsonian Channel Plus beginning February 1.

- With less than two weeks before the Iowa caucuses, The Circus gets a rare behind-the-scenes look at Senator Amy Klobuchar’s efforts to campaign in Iowa while stuck in Washington serving as a juror in the Trump impeachment trial. Click here for a preview: https://youtu.be/-TcuhlZ2Fc8.

- Bold and unapologetic, comedienne Mo'Nique is back hosting her first stand-up special in almost 10 years, Mo’nique and Friends: Live From Atlanta, premiering Friday, February 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Filmed at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, the hour-long special features a variety of talented newcomers including Prince T-Dub, Just Nesh, Tone-X and Correy Bell alongside veteran comedian Donnell Rawlings (Chappelle's Show). To watch and share a clip from Mo’nique and Friends: Live From Atlanta, go to: https://youtu.be/8k0OBNfnU24.

- Showtime has released the trailer and key art for the upcoming season of the IDA Award-winning series The Trade ahead of its premiere next week at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Emmy® and DGA Award winner and Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman, the four-part series follows Central Americans on an odyssey to the United States (including some heading back home after being deported), while also delving into the shadow industries that prey on them every step along the way. By shedding light on the smugglers and traffickers who take advantage of the migrants’ vulnerability and on law enforcement pursuing them at the border, THE TRADE brings audiences inside the rarely seen underbelly of the migrants’ world and humanizes their struggle to survive. THE TRADE premieres on Friday, March 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.


- Showtime has released the key art and trailer for the upcoming third season of Our Cartoon President, premiering on Sunday, January 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Executive produced by multiple Emmy® winner Stephen Colbert, showrunner R.J. Fried and Late Show executive producer Chris Licht, Our Cartoon President kicks open the doors of the White House for a satirical look at President Trump, his family and the power players in Washington, D.C. and beyond.


- Showtime announced it will air Outcry, a five-part documentary series examining the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction and the quest for truth and justice as the case unfolds. Produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis (DISGRACED), OUTCRY will have its world premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals in Austin, ahead of its television premiere on Friday, April 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

The Twenty-Five Best Movies I Saw in 2019

I have a completely rational hatred of movie theaters so I am content to wait and watch movies when they come to services I already pay for. These are the best movies I watched in the past twelve months:


1. A Simple Favor

2. Avengers: Infinity War

3. BlacKkKlansman

4. Aquaman

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming

6. Thoroughbreds

7. Anna and the Apocalypse

8. Blockers

9. Spider-Man: Into the Spideyverse

10. The Edge of Seventeen

11. The Favourite

12. The Long Shot

13. Booksmart

14. Pitch Perfect 3

15. Brooklyn

16. Ant-Man and the Wasp

17. Mr. Right

18. Always Be My Maybe

19. Now You See Me 2

20. Ready Player One

21. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

22. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

23. The Predator

24. The Day Shall Come

25. Don’t Breathe

Previewing Project Blue Book: Season Two

My big problem with the first season of Project Blue Book was that it seemed like the real life version of The X-Files but where the X-Files could actually do aliens and bile monsters, Project Blue Book has to stay in the realm of reality. So they hinted at it and other weird stuff, but we never did, and likely never will get any real aliens or other weird stuff. But they do certainly push the bounds of what we think we see.

Although the second season does delve into two of the biggest mysteries involving UFO’s in America’s history, the two part season premiere dealing with Roswell, New Mexico where people believe a UFO crash landed at a ranch near the town. That is then followed up with an Area 51 episode where some claim the US government is hiding proof of alien life and a group actually planned on storming it last year except no one actually showed up. Although I really doubt the validity of that conspiracy theory now considering the guy who now knows all the country secrets has not let that slip yet but was quick to declassify the JFK assassination and told Russians Israeli state secrets in the Oval Office.

The Roswell episode involves someone claiming to have proof of an alien encounter and is going to share that information with the public which includes metal that was not made by men. Of course that brings to town the Project Blue Book duo to try and figure out what is really going on. It also turns out this is not the first time General Harding has been to the Arizona town which only deepens the conspiracy. But the end of the two episodes we do get an interesting theory as what could be behind the spike in UFO sightings. Although the show would be even more interesting if there was a bile monster every once in a while.

Project Blue Book airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on History.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 19, 2020

Ray Donovan: Ray has gotten out of some sticky situation, but being caught on tape admitting to killing multiple police officers, then assaulting one of the officers taping you seemed like a very hard predicament to escape. But apparently even murder can be forgiven if you can help take down the dirty mayor. Alrighty. Seems like some jail time would still be warranted.

Dare Me: Still mostly bored, but I am now predicting the Queen B chick hurting herself turns out to be the forshaddowing from the beginning of each episode.

Shameless: Debbie living the dream of hooking up with a mother and her daughter. Great like from her friend about Debbie is going down. But will Lip really be going down… to Wisconsin? A free house is a free house. Although the renting it seems like a decent option. Or maybe sell it and buy something closer to Chicago. I do not see Lip living out in the country.

The Outsider: I think I may have cracked the case while making a joke on social media. While Jason Bateman was getting arrested, I commented that of course he was a child murderer; he has an evil doppelganger goatee. Which made me think, oh, maybe the twist is that actually is an evil doppelganger out there.

Crisis on Infinite Earths: So the Green Arrow died and became The Spectre and then died as The Sprectre? Huh? And what happened to his hot daughter? Shouldn’t she get his chair? But really, had it not been for all those cameos (oh wow, movie Flash), this crossover would have been a complete and utter mess that made little to no sense. Okay, the comics it was based on made little to no sense so I guess it was faithful. But if Gleek is in for the next crossover sign me up.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Almost Family: Is the show implying that Britanny Snow’s mother is a homosexual? I guess if she looks anything like Brittany Snow, she could very well turn and gay dude straight.
You can download Almost Family on iTunes.

Vikings: Sure Lagatha went out kind of weakly last week being done in by a crazy person after surviving an epic fight but at least she got a hero’s send off this week. I guess that leaves Bjorn as the only original character still alive. Maybe Floki. We never got a definitive answer either way other than we last saw him stuck in a cave and he has gone missing. I guess a very old Rollo is out there somewhere in France.

The Good Place: So after showing up at the end of the Crisis, Gleek’s name shows up on the blackboard of potential humans that could work in the new system that could get into the Good Place. Obviously that had to be Jason’s suggestion. But add Vicky running the new Good Place evaluation system to potential spin-off I really want to see. Granted, I do not believe Team Cockroach will stay in the Good Place and will eventually run the new system with Michael by the finale.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: January 18, 2020

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Pearl Jam, Oh Wonder, Chelsea Cutler, Neneh Cherry, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Black Monday, Shrill, The Chi, Flack, Billions, One Day at a Time, COOKED: Survival by Zip Code, VICE, Big Cat Country, Mother Mary, The L Word: Generation Q, and Work in Progress.

- Pearl Jam will release their much-anticipated eleventh studio album, Gigaton, on Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records on March 27, 2020 in the US. Internationally, the album will be released and distributed by Universal Music Group. Produced by Josh Evans and Pearl Jam, Gigaton marks the band’s first studio album since GRAMMY award-winning Lightning Bolt, which was released on October 15, 2013. Gigaton is available for pre-order now at pearljam.com. The first single, “Dance of the Clairvoyants”, will be released in the coming weeks.

- Oh Wonder premieres the video for their latest single “Happy”—watch HERE! The duo’s fast-approaching third album, No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, is set for release on February 7th. Oh Wonder has also unveiled international dates for the “Wear Your Crown Tour,” which is on sale now at www.ohwondermusic.com.

- Singer, songwriter and producer Chelsea Cutler’s highly anticipated debut album, How To Be Human, is out now via Republic Records—listen HERE! The 16-track album features Chelsea’s latest single, “Sad Tonight,” written by Cutler and produced by the renowned creative team Captain Cuts. The song is accompanied by the official video, shot by award-winning director Drew Kirsch (“You Need To Calm Down,” “Lover”), out now—watch HERE! Chelsea will make her debut late night television appearance performing “Sad Tonight” on Late Night with Seth Meyers on January 23rd.

- Neneh Cherry continually draws inspiration from her surroundings. In the late ‘80s, she traversed between post-punk London nightlife and the burgeoning hip-hop movement in New York. Capturing these unique experiences, and also shaped by the influence of her musical family, she exploded onto the pop music landscape by closing out the ‘80s with her internationally acclaimed debut album, Raw Like Sushi. This melting pot of musical styles and streetwise lyrics that take on life and love with equal parts tenderness and toughness is set for a 30th Anniversary celebration befitting its global impact.

- Showtime has announced today that the highly anticipated series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels will premiere on Sunday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The series stars Tony® and Emmy® winner Nathan Lane, Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, Kerry Bishé, Rory Kinnear, Adriana Barraza, Michael Gladis, Jessica Garza and Johnathan Nieves. Tony and Golden Globe® winner and three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, the creator, writer and executive producer of the Emmy nominated series PENNY DREADFUL, continues in those same roles. Michael Aguilar (KIDDING) also serves as executive producer. The series is currently in production in Los Angeles.


- Showtime has announced that the ten-episode second season of its acclaimed comedy series Black Monday will debut with back-to-back episodes each week beginning on Sunday, March 15th from 10 to 11 p.m. ET/PT. The series is executive produced by Emmy® nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Don Cheadle, who stars with two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls), Regina Hall (Little, Girls Trip) and Screen Actors Guild® Award winner Paul Scheer (Veep). The series is created by showrunners and executive producers David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl). Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Good Boys, The Boys) serve as executive producers.


- After facing her demons – her mom, her boss and, of course, her troll – Annie starts the season feeling pretty good with boyfriend Ryan by her side. That is, until she realizes that hastily quitting her job and jumping into a relationship with someone who is, well, a little less career-focused may not have been the best idea. Shrill (starring Aidy Bryant) returns with eight all-new episodes Friday, January 24, only on Hulu.


- Showtime has announced that the third season of its drama series The Chi, which will feature series creator and Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Queen & Slim, Boomerang) in a multi-episode arc as a Chicago mayoral candidate, will debut on Sunday, July 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.


- Crisis averted! Pop TV today announced the return of the dark comedy Flack, set in the world of a celebrity crisis PR firm, starring Academy Award® and Golden Globe® winner and Emmy®-nominated actress Anna Paquin (True Blood, The Affair on Showtime®). The six-episode season will premiere on Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and features new cast members Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor Sam Neill, Screen Actors Guild Award® winner Daniel Dae Kim and guest star Emmy-winner Martha Plimpton. Executive Producer Stephen Moyer will direct two of the season’s episodes. Pop TV will make the entire second season available on its app Pop Now and via cable and satellite video on demand after the Network premieres the first episode.

- Showtime announced that season five of the hit drama series Billions will premiere on Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, Billions is currently in production in New York. As previously announced, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Golden Globe nominee Corey Stoll (House of Cards) will guest star in multiple episodes of the fifth season.

- Showtime has announced that it has picked up an 11th and final season of its hit comedy series Shameless, premiering this summer. Shameless, which originally premiered in the winter of 2011, ranks as the network’s no. 1 comedy, its longest-running series and has the youngest-skewing audience of any Showtime series. Season 10 of Shameless, which will finale on Sunday, January 26, has been averaging 5.7 million weekly viewers across platforms.

- After a celebrated new season pickup following a passionate fan campaign, Pop TV today announced that the acclaimed series One Day at a Time, will return on Tuesday, March 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, following all new-episodes of the final season of Schitt’s Creek before moving to 9 p.m. ET/PT, starting on April 14.

- The new feature documentary COOKED: Survival by Zip Code, a searing exploration into the politics of “disaster,” blends investigative reporting about the deadly 1995 Chicago heat wave with a potent argument that the best preparation for a disaster may start with investing in racial and economic justice. COOKED: Survival by Zip Code will have its national television debut on the PBS television series Independent Lens on Monday, February 3 at 10:00 pm (check local listings), preceding coverage of the Iowa Caucuses. The film will also be available to stream at PBS.org and on the free PBS Video App throughout Black History Month.

- Showtime announced that the Emmy®-winning documentary series VICE, known for delivering longform, on-the-ground journalism and newsworthy explorations of our world today, will premiere across all Showtime platforms on Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The 13-episode season will continue to air weekly on Sundays. The series has delivered crucial in-depth journalism from the frontlines of global conflict, including civil uprisings in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and beyond, and has provided perspective on some of the world’s most pressing issues, from LGBTQ rights and the climate crisis to immigration and gun control.

- In Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, two neighboring prides have held their land for generations – the Hollywood pride, consisting of six female lions and the once-powerful MK pride, made up of 17 lions. Both prides now face a gang of young males aggressively looking to takeover new territory. Smithsonian Channel’s Big Cat Country exposes every triumph and tragedy as the two prides struggle to withstand the young males’ invasion and maintain control of their land. Can they survive the greatest challenge of their lives? Find out when the captivating six-part series premieres Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- #Blessed. Pop TV this week announced that it has ordered the miraculous new comedy pilot Mother Mary, a modern twist on one of the famous stories ever told. The project is conceived by CBS Television Studios, written by Casey Feigh (What We Do in the Shadows), Dan Gregor (How I Met Your Mother) and Betsy Sodaro (Disjointed) and executive produced by Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) along with Tony Hernandez and Brooke Posch of Jax Media (Broad City, Russian Doll, FLORIDA GIRLS), and Feigh, Gregor and Sodaro. The pilot joins the Network’s slate of bold comedies with a point of view including SCHITT’S CREEK, ONE DAY AT A TIME and FLORIDA GIRLS.

- Showtime has ordered a ten-episode second season of The L Word: Generation Q, the sequel to the groundbreaking drama series THE L WORD®. Season one has followed the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey), along with new characters Dani Nùñez (Arienne Mandi), Micah Lee (Leo Sheng), Finley (Jacqueline Toboni), Sophie Suarez (Rosanny Zayas) and Gigi (Sepideh Moafi), as they experience love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A. Currently airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, season one is executive produced by showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan (The Four-Faced Liar, 6 Balloons), with series creator Ilene Chaiken, Kristen Campo, Allyce Ozarski, Steph Green (pilot), and original series stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey. The season finale is set to air on January 26.

- Showtime has picked up a second season of the critically acclaimed comedy series Work in Progress. Created and written by Chicago improv mainstays Abby McEnany and Tim Mason and co-written by Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix), the series stars McEnany as a fictionalized version of herself whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. The ten-episode second season will be entirely written, shot and produced in Chicago this year. Season one currently airs on Sundays at 11 p.m. ET/PT, with its season finale set to air January 26.

Hulu TCA Announcements - Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, Normal People, and The Great Trailers

Today, during the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour at The Langham Pasadena, Hulu’s Senior Vice President of Originals, Craig Erwich, presented the company’s lineup of upcoming original programming including Little Fires Everywhere from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, High Fidelity starring Zoë Kravitz, the television adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel Normal People and Catherine The Great comedic drama The Great, featuring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult -- all of which will join the company’s growing slate of premium Original content.


Erwich also announced an upcoming comedy series starring Oscar® and Emmy Award® winning actor Steve Martin and Emmy Award® winning comedian Martin Short. From This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman and co-created by John Hoffman and Steve Martin, the untitled new series puts a hilarious spin on the ever-popular true crime genre. The comedy will join Hulu’s reputable slate of comedic television including Shrill, Ramy and Pen15.


“Hulu’s success in Original content is driven by highly curated programming from world class talent, said Craig Erwich, SVP of Originals, Hulu. “From the Steve Martin project, second series orders of Ramy and Dollface, to shows like Little Fires Everywhere, our momentum in original content is stronger than ever.”


As the fastest growing major SVOD service in the U.S., Hulu has gained remarkable momentum over the past year. In 2019, the streaming platform saw a 70% increase in engagement (total hours watched) with its original programming and Hulu Originals continue to drive conversation, more than doubling social media engagement year-over-year.


Announcements revealed from Hulu today include:

Hulu Orders Straight-to-Series Comedy Starring Steve Martin and Martin Short from 20th Century Fox Television

The untitled comedy about three strangers who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one, hails from co-creators and writers, Steve Martin and John Hoffman (Grace & Frankie, Looking). Martin and Hoffman will executive produce along with This is Us creator Dan Fogelman, Jess Rosenthal (This is Us) and Martin Short.


Company Renews Hulu Originals Wu-Tang: An American Saga and Dollface For Sophomore Seasons

Following a successful first season, Hulu announced today the renewal of Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Based on one of the most influential music groups in hip-hop history, the Wu-Tang Clan, the series chronicles the history and formation behind the music group as they deal with the daily struggle of balancing their music career amidst the drug induced early 90’s.

Wu-Tang: An American Saga stars Ashton Sanders, Shameik Moore, Dave East, Siddiq Saunderson, Marcus Callender, Julian Elijah Martinez, Zolee Griggs, Erika Alexander, TJ Atoms and Johnell Young.

The series is created and written by Alex Tse and The RZA and executive produced by Brian Grazer, Tse, The RZA, Method Man, Francie Calfo and Samie Kim Falvey. Wu-Tang: An American Saga is produced by Imagine Television Studios.

New episodes of Dollface come to Hulu after a stellar first season, serving as the best performing new binge series for subscriber engagement amongst Hulu Originals in 2019. The original comedy series follows Jules (Kat Dennings), a young vibrant woman who is dealing with the aftermath of being dumped by her boyfriend. With a broken heart, Jules battles her own imagination in order to literally and metaphorically re-enter the world of women, with friendships she left behind and the new battle of dating post breakup.

Dollface stars Kat Dennings, Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell and Esther Povitsky. The series was created by Jordan Weiss, who served as an executive producer alongside showrunner Ira Ungerleider; Margot Robbie, Brett Hedblom and Tom Ackerley for LuckyChap Entertainment; Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan for Screen Arcade; Kat Dennings; Nicole King and Stephanie Laing. Dollface is produced by ABC Signature Studios, part of Disney Television Studios.

Company Strengthens Kids Programming Slate with DreamWorks Animation Originals Part of New Multi-Year Streaming Deal

As a new streaming home to future slates of DreamWorks Animation feature and library films, as well as brand-new original series, Hulu announced the first three premieres to be Hulu Originals in 2020: Madagascar: A Little Wild, TrollsTopia and The Mighty Ones.

Loveable foursome Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo steal the show in Madagascar: A Little Wild, executive produced by Johanna Stein (Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny). Capturing the iconic personalities of each of the four dynamos, Madagascar: A Little Wild showcases the team as kids residing in their rescue habitat at the Central Park Zoo. They might be small, but like everybody who lands in New York City, these little guys have big dreams and Madagascar: A Little Wild will follow all of their adventures.

TrollsTopia will be a new original based off the famous Trolls franchise following Poppy and other enchanting characters from the upcoming feature film Trolls World Tour.

In every backyard, a secret world exists filled with tiny creatures. The Mighty Ones, follows the hilarious adventures of a group of creatures: a twig, a pebble, a leaf and a strawberry. These best friends, self-named The Mighty Ones, live in an unkempt backyard belonging to a trio of equally unkempt humans whom they mistake for gods. Despite their diminutive stature, The Mighty Ones are determined to live life large and always have fun in their wild world. The series is executive produced by Sunil Hall (Pickle and Peanut) and Lynne Naylor-Reccardi (Samurai Jack).


Hulu Reveals Premiere Dates for Upcoming 2020 Hulu Originals The Great, Ramy and Solar Opposites

The much-anticipated series from Oscar-nominated writer Tony McNamara (THE FAVOURITE), The Great debuts on Hulu on Friday, May 15. The comedy series chronicles the genre-bending, anti-historical ride through 18th Century Russia and follows the wildly comedic rise of Catherine the Nothing to Catherine the Great. The series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge and Sacha Shawan.

The Great is created, written and executive produced by Tony McNamara and executive produced by Marian Macgowan, Thruline’s Josh Kesselman and Ron West, Echo Lake’s Brittany Kahan Ward, Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spaulding, Elle Fanning, Mark Winemaker and Matt Shakman. The project is produced by Civic Center Media in association with MRC Television.


The Golden Globe® Award-winning actor Ramy Youssef returns to Hulu for his critically acclaimed performance in the Hulu Original comedy series Ramy. All 10 episodes of the new season will debut on Friday, May 29. The series follows first-generation, Egyptian-American Ramy Hassan (Ramy Youssef) who is on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood. Ramy brings a new perspective to the screen as it explores the challenges of what it’s like to be caught between a religious community who believes life is a moral test, and a millennial generation that doubts an afterlife even exists. In the second season, Ramy delves further into his spiritual journey, finding a new Muslim community and embracing a deeper commitment to his faith.

Alongside Youssef, the new season will also have a special guest star, two-time Academy Award ® and Golden Globe ® Award-winner Mahershala Ali. The series also features Mohammed Amer, Hiam Abbass, Amr Waked, May Calamawy, Dave Merheje, Laith Nakli and Steve Way. Ramy is written, executive produced, created by and starring Ramy Youssef, executive produced by A24’s Ravi Nandan, co-creators Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, Jerrod Carmichael, and produced by A24.

Co-created by Justin Roiland (Rick & Morty) and Mike McMahan (Rick & Morty, Star Trek: Lower Decks), Solar Opposites centers around a family of aliens from a better world who must take refuge in middle America. They disagree on whether Earth is awful or awesome. All eight episodes of the series will debut on Hulu on Friday, May 8.

Solar Opposites stars voice actors Justin Roiland, Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone and Mary Mack. The series is executive produced by Roiland and McMahan alongside Josh Bycel and is produced by 20th Century Fox Television.

Winter 2020 Music Preview

When I did my list of the most anticipated events of this year, I included a mostly optimistic hope that there will be a return of rock music. Then a couple days later, Pearl Jam announced there were another band from the hey day of rock to release an album early this year. Will they, or any of these rock bands make any dent on the singles chart (they will undoubtedly chart very high on the albums chart before falling off)? Probably not because legacy artists just do not make much of a mark on pop culture anymore (except for when, sat, Drake samples Lauryn Hill). The comeback used to be a huge part of the music biz. Even Donny Osmond manged a hit in the late eighties. But i do not think that has really happened since maybe Santana. It is weird how big nostalgia is except on the pop charts. Oh well, I will at least give all these rock albums a spin of Spotify as well as these albums:

Last Week
Rare - Selena Gomez
Lonely Generation - Echosmith
3 Joints - Redman

This Week
Nightfall - Little Big Town

January 31
The Unraveling - Drive By Truckers
Trio Sessions: Vol.1 - Joseph

February 7
Father of All... - Green Day
Half Moon Light - The Lone Bellow
No One Else Can Wear Your Crown - Oh Wonder
Far From Home - Aubrey Sellers
Never Not Together - Nada Surf
Limitless - Richard Marx
Perdida - Stone Temple Pilots
Goodbye Tour - Live 1968 - Cream

February 14
Weather - Huey Lewis and the News
And it's Still Alright - Nathaniel Ratliff
White Ladder (20th Anniversary Edition) - David Gray

February 28
Saturn Returns - The Secret Sisters
Color Theory - Soccer Mommy

March 6
Silver Landings - Mandy Moore
Superstar - Caroline Rose
Carnivore - Body Count

March 13
Endless Dream - Peter, Bjorn, and John
Healer - Grouplovve

March 20
The Light - Delta Rae

March 27
Gigaton - Pearl Jam
Local Honey -Brian Fallon

April 3
Migration Stories - M. Ward

April 24
Notes on a Conditional Form - The 1975

May 15
Van Weezer - Weezer


TBA
Imploding the Mirage- The Killers
RTJ4 - Run the Jewels
Recover - The Naked and Famous
Serpintine Prison - Matt Berninger
Adele
Billie Eilish
Bleachers
Bruce Springsteen
Bruno Mars
Dixie Chicks
Foo Fighters
Haim
Hayley Williams
Liz Phair
Nathaniel Rateliff
Portugal. The Man
Rihanna
The Weeknd

Of course this could also be the decade that Dr. Dre releases Detox.