Around the Tubes: 11/25/16

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 Snowpiercer, Lang Lang’s New York Rhapsody, Wild New Zealand, Twin Peaks, How the Universe Works, Anna of the North, Stephen Kijak's We Are X.

- TNT, a division of Turner, has ordered a pilot for Snowpiercer, a futuristic thriller based on the award-winning film by Bong Joon Ho. A co-production of Tomorrow Studios and Turner's Studio T, the hour-long drama pilot is being executive-produced by writer-showrunner Josh Friedman (Avatar 4, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Tomorrow Studios' Marty Adelstein (Aquarius, Prison Break, Teen Wolf) and Becky Clements (Good Behavior, Aquarius, Last Man Standing), and the original film’s Bong Joon Ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi, along with CJ Entertainment. Snowpiercer is set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, and the remnants of humanity inhabit a gigantic, perpetually moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are questioned in this riveting television adaptation.

- The PBS ARTS Fall Festival continues next Friday, November 25th at 9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) with Lang Lang’s New York Rhapsody, the internationally acclaimed pianist’s love letter to New York City, which he considers his adoptive home. Embracing a wide range of styles and voices to capture New York’s magic, this episode features music that helped make New York famous from Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Danny Elfman to Lou Reed, Alicia Keys, and Don Henley. Also included is a rare performance of the original 1924 jazz band arrangement of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

- Hidden away on the far side of the world is a spectacular wilderness. A place of fabled landscapes, bizarre creatures and unpredictable climates. New Zealand is the land that time forgot. Produced by BBC Earth. Wild New Zealand takes you on an adventure though this breathtaking land of searing mountainscapes, mysterious lakes and rivers, dramatic volcanic plateaus and vast open plains to discover some of the most incredible animals on the planet. See the wilds of New Zealand like you've never seen them before. Wild New Zealand is a three part special event that premieres Sunday, November 27, at 8, 9, and 10:00 as party as Destination Wild.

= Showtime is kicking off the holiday season by offering a new collection of over twenty-five Twin Peaks items, available for purchase online exclusively on SHO.com. The merchandise includes printed sweatshirts, blankets, tees, mugs, scarves, tote bags and more. A portion of the items will feature original artwork by TWIN PEAKS creator David Lynch. The Twin Peaks collection is available for purchase on store.sho.com/twinpeaks, with additional items to be added in the coming weeks. The new Twin Peaks will premiere in 2017 on Showtime.

- Science Channel continues to provide the most wide ranging and in-depth space programming available and announces today the return of the network’s blue-chip series HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS. The all-new season returns to ask all-new questions about how our universe was put together while revealing the inner workings of our planet, the solar system, the galaxies and the universe itself. How the Universe Works premieres Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 10:00.

- Coming December 26th during the holiday season, when many reflect on what they are most grateful for, HBO’s Every Brilliant Thing strikes a delicate balance between sobering loss and cathartic laughter. Adapting the hit off-Broadway one-character show of the same name written by Duncan Macmillan and starring British comedian Jonny Donahoe, this deeply affecting film recounts a life lived in the shadow of suicide. Emmy® winners Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (HBO’s “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” “Wishful Drinking”) produce and direct the heart-wrenching yet humorous presentation.

- Oslo based duo Anna of the North unveil the video for their single "Us" - a delicate and ethereal visual accompaniment to the song, which has been streamed over 3 million times on Spotify.


- Magnolia Home Entertainment announced this week that they have acquired home entertainment rights (physical and digital) to Stephen Kijak's We Are X. From the production team behind the Academy Award© winning Searching for Sugar Man, We Are X is a transcendent and beautifully shot rock 'n' roll story about the Japanese band X JAPAN, one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Celebrated as "a fascinating and assured documentary" (The New York Times) that "tells the greatest rock 'n' roll story America has never heard" (Pitchfork), We Are X is directed by acclaimed documentarian Stephen Kijak (Stones In Exile, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man). The critically acclaimed music documentary premiered theatrically starting October 21 via Drafthouse Films and is continuing to expand in theaters in over 40 markets nationwide. We Are X will arrive on Digital EST February 21, 2017 and on Blu-ray™, DVD and VOD March 7, 2017. Territories include U.S, Bermuda and Bahamas.

Previewing Search Party

In the past couple years, networks have gotten creative rolling out new shown, but none was more bold when TBS debuted Angie Tribeca during a twenty-five hour commercial free marathon. The second season had a more traditional roll out, same for every new TBS show since. TBS has gotten creative again for their latest new show Search Party which premieres tonight with back to back episodes at 11:00. And then will premiere two new episodes every night this week (yes even Thanksgivings night; a marathon of the first four episode preceding it) with the final two episodes this season airing Friday.

It is probably for the best that they are airing Search Party over a short period of time because it feels more like a very long indie movie instead of an episodic series. The show focuses on a group of self-absolved millennials, one of which Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) who becomes obsessed when a college acquaintance goes missing and is presumed dead while the other placate her new obsession.

Search Party is listed as a “dark comedy” but is pretty lite on the second half. Ironically the hardest I laughed all season was at the conclusion of the mystery in the season finale which may leave more people upset rather than in a laughing mood. But the adventure in the show is the mystery and the long line of interesting characters we meet why trying to find Shantel Witherbottom (yes that is the missing girl’s name) including a crazy real estate agent, an Inappropriate a capella group, a weird fetish model, a cult, and a shady zookeeper.

Search Party airs at 11:00 every night this week with back to back episodes on TBS.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 11/20/16

Shameless: I figured Fiona would rip up the check, but I thought she would use that money to fix up the place and let the cat lady think she already paid for it. That 50k could have replaced enough washers to make a good start for the business. But why deposit the check into her account later? That could end badly unless she can get the cat lady to buy the new washers.

The Walking Dead: Wait, did we know that Rick’s kid is not really his kid? If so I missed that. I also missed what was going on with Maggie? It seemed like they implied to Negan she was dead, but clearly she is not. But where can she possibly be where Negan will not find her? Speaking of Negan, I am already out on him and his overacting. Every time I hear him say Rick, I think of the annoying SNL skit where Amy Poehler annoyed her stepfather Rick (played by Horatio Sanz).
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: I have gotten gay vibes from Art from the beginning, apparently so did Bob. So I was a bit surprised when Art did not reciprocate. And what a way to start a marriage with a little deception because it was pretty clear Ginny called the reporters to their wedding. Should be interesting how that affects their marriage next season. It will also be interesting to see what happens to Libby. I just hope this does not turn into a Betty Draper situation where she is just a complete drag everytime she is on screen after the divorce.

Supergirl: Oh man, that was cold, Alex goes gay for hot lady cop and hot lady cop just shuts her down, Maybe Maxwell Lord is still lurking if she wants to go back to guys. Actually what happened to Maxwell Lord? He was on this big anti-alien crusade and just stops in between season? Maybe he went on the same sabbatical as Cat.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Timeless: One thing I noticed during there scene together was that either Flynn is really tall or Wyatt is really short.
You can download Timeless on iTunes.

Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: Ballsy move knowing you are being targeted and not play your Idol. Of course when you are in overwhelming minority, maybe it is a good risk, now that buys you an extra week to hope the majority alliance implodes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.

Blindplot: Poor Chrissy Seaver, her first boyfriend on the show was murdered basically because she let him study a tattoo. Then her next one turned out to be a mole for the group she is investigating and either ended up shooting him or was shot by him (obviously the former, whenever they do they who got shot cliffhanger, it is always the bad guy). And now that Roman has had his memory wiped, hopefully he becomes more interesting now because he has been a bit of a bore up to now.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.