57 Channels and Only This Is On: 7/22/2018

Claws: Well that was some inappropriate bedside manner from Jenn. Sad thing is was that the moment she started touching him; I knew that was exactly where they were going with that. And Jenn blaming Desna for Bryce felt a little misguided. It was Bryce and Uncle Daddy who went there to kill Slata, you cannot be mad at someone else when they start shooting back.
You can download Claws on iTunes.

The Affair: No future Noah / Cole segment at the beginning? Instead we get a present day Helen / Vic trying to have a kid. Then we get the mild surprise of starting with a Vic-centric half episode. Which was just his mid-life crisis mixed with rich person bucket list. I just said the last time Vic was on the show he was my most standup guy on the show and now he is blowing curing kid disease to go joy riding with a starlet’s daughter… in more ways than one. But hey, if Helen will not give him a baby, the daughter might be the better option anyway. Speaking of old dudes spreading their seed with younger women… poor Cole, went through all those exorcism steps only to learn that is what led his father to kill himself.

Sharp Objects: I came away from the premiere thinking the step-father did it (mostly because the actor is evil in pretty much everything I see him in) but this week we had one eyewitness say a woman in white did it which makes me think the mother is a doth protest too much type a person. Then we learn the murderer yanked out teeth with pliers and then a couple scenes later the sheriffs fixing a stop sign… with a forking pair of pliers hanging on the sign. It cannot be that obvious, can it? The sheriff seemed kind of offended at the idea of a women doing the deed.

The Bold Type: Um, Jane, have you never seem a clarinet case in your life before? That was way too big for a clarinet. But I could have done without the very special episode about guns. And a bit eye rolling that Sutton is turning Betsy into earing. And it was a bit weird how many times they said Sutton’s last name this episode, maybe more times in the entire first season, considering her last name is shared by the most famous gun control legislation of all time.
You can download The Bold Type on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: Nothing more annoying than the first couple episodes when it takes forever to get to the first elimination round. And it will be annoying is Bananas/Tony and Brad/tattoo guy dominate this season just because they are by far the strongest teams.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Harlots: So Emily Lacey’s new “boarding house” is just a black chick, a little person, and, I guess herself. I cannot image that the brothel will be very successful. It seems like only a mater a time before she picks a side between Quigley and Wells.
You can stream Harlots on Hulu.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger: So crooked cop has lady cop kill the drug dealer last week when it seemed to me that it would have been smarter and this week the crooked cop (presumably) kills the beat cop but lets the lady cop, who again is the bigger threat, live. Another confusing thing to me is just how do Cloak and Dagger’s abilities work together? He sees people fears while she sees their hopes, but together, they saw the comatose scientist in a Groundhogs Day loop and then saw when they touched her mother together, they saw her father slap her mother. Are they just seeing what that person is thinking right then and there? They need to explain that better.
You can download Marvel's Cloak and Dagger on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 7/20/2018

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 UnREAL, Def Leppard, Greta Van Fleet, >Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dark Money, In Case of Emergency, Sacred Sites, Saved By the Bell, and The Wrong Mans.

- Everlasting has moved its set to Hulu. In a new deal between Hulu and A+E Studios, the fourth and final season of fan favorite drama series, UnREAL, is now available to stream in its entirety on Hulu. The final installment joins Hulu’s award-winning originals slate and brings together the complete UnREAL library, all on Hulu. Starting this week, fans of UnREAL can immediately dive into the new season. The deal also brings the complete series together on Hulu, making it possible to discover, watch and re-watch all of the steamiest moments, most memorable elimination ceremonies and killer cliffhangers from throughout the show’s four seasons.

- Def Leppard unveil their Spotify Singles. As part of the streaming platform’s coveted initiative, the multiplatinum rock legends performed the classic “Hysteria” in addition to a brand new cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus.” Listen and share the singles HERE.

- Greta Van Fleet released its brand new single, When The Curtain Falls, to fans via socials. You can click HERE to listen to the song.

- Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow, the newest addition to the Showtime Documentary Films slate, will premiere on Saturday, August 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME on-air, on demand and over the internet. Directed by Stephen Kijak and featuring rare interviews and never-before-seen archival footage, Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow takes viewers on a trip through the history, myth and legend of one of the most iconic American rock bands. Rising from the swamps of the Deep South, these good ol’ boys from Jacksonville, Florida came to define an era with their hard-rocking boogie-woogie sound, soulful lyrics, drunken and dangerous antics and their controversial use of the rebel flag. The film also serves as a portrait of late band leader Ronnie Van Zant whose life was cut tragically short, but whose legacy endures to this day in songs like the “Simple Man,” “Country Boy,” and “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller."


- Your vote can be bought, but at what cost? Dark Money follows local Montana journalist John S. Adams, who is determined to uncover the truth about funding in his state’s elections. The film gains insights over the course of three election cycles, as it solves an increasingly complicated and blurred puzzle. Dark Money traces Adams’ steps and sheds light on the grassroots movement to unveil the mysterious financing behind our elections. Dark Money has its national broadcast and streaming debut on the PBS documentary series POV and pov.org on Monday, October 1 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series, now in its 31st season.

- Written, directed, and produced by NYC filmmaker Stefanie Sparks, In Case of Emergency is a new comedy coming to Prime Video and iTunes July 23, preceded by a special screening in New York City at The PIT Loft on July 18. Described by Vox Magazine as “a poignant comedy in the same vein as Bridesmaids,” In Case of Emergency is one woman’s sometimes raunchy, always funny internal battle of style vs. substance. Following an accident, NYC socialite Sarah Williams is forced to reevaluate her life goals. Is she ready to put away her judgements and pearls to descend into the subways of redemption? Or will she continue up the photo shopped elevator towards a lonely, bitter Park Avenue high rise?

- From the supposed tomb of King Arthur to ancient Egyptian temples once controlled by female priests, the world’s religious sites are home to alluring secrets and mysteries. This summer, Smithsonian Channel brings back Sacred Sites to explore even more enigmatic religious sites found around the world. Featuring advanced scientific discoveries and archaeological research, new episodes will bring viewers to sanctified and historical locations stretching from Europe to North Africa, through the Mayan civilization in the Americas, across the path of the Camino de Santiago and more. Sacred Sites returns Monday, August 13 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Missing your favorite pals from Bayside High? It's alright, 'cause you're Saved By the Bell! On October 2nd, 2018, Shout! Factory invites TV aficionados to a very special class reunion with the 16-disc collector's release of Saved by the Bell: The Complete Collection, a "Max-ed" out, completist's DVD set of the iconic and addictive '90s Saturday morning sitcom. Relive the laughter, lessons and love with Zack and his friends in this 16-disc collector's set, featuring every episode from 'Good Morning, Miss Bliss' to 'The College Years', and it's available today for pre-order, at Amazon.com!

- Showtime has announced the casting of Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street) in a lead role of the half-hour comedy pilot The Wrong Mans, also starring and produced by Ben Schwartz (House of Lies) and written and executive produced by James Corden (The Late Late Show with James Corden), Mathew Baynton (Yonderland) and Ian Maxtone-Graham (The Simpsons). J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), BBC Studios’ Angie Stephenson and Bad Robot’s Ben Stephenson also serve as executive producers. Jim Field Smith (EPISODES) is also executive producing and directing the pilot, which is based on the BBC series created by Corden and Baynton.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 7/15/2018

Claws: Okay, things are starting to get confusing. Last week, Quiet Ann confessed to her lesbian lover who seemingly used that information to arrest the doctor but they just went on as nothing happened. Then this week Desna walked in on her man and Slata and they explained how they were playing Desna. What? Whose side is the Haitian on? He made plans with Uncle Daddy last season so who exactly is he playing? Things got convoluted in the second half of last season and it looks like they are doing the same this season. But as long as teenaged white girls are using Public Enemy as their dinner plans I will be entertained enough.
You can download Claws on iTunes.

The Affair: So it is confirmed Noah and Cole are looking for Alison in the future. Kind of boring but at least there is not going to be some stupid plot twist. Though maybe there still will be, maybe Alison is not alone. Noah’s daughter is still in the title sequence but is currently sight unseen and barely mentioned other than being at college with an age appropriate boyfriend. It took me a while to realize that was Alison’s new beau at the meeting. Weird that we learned that he had a wife in the future timeline. But it does say something that the most interesting part of a Cole/Alison episode is the one minute prologue. But is Cole really going to go for a walkabout in California, just where Noah is (though in the future they are in Pennsylvania)?

Sharp Objects: I actually watched the premiere back to back with Justice League and it left me longing for fun Amy Adams. And after looking it up, it has been eight years since The Muppets, maybe her last upbeat project. Someone needs to write her a comedy quick.

I’m Dying Up Here: Ron just continues to fail upwards, his own spin-off? Wow. He tried to get off that show all season only to get a raise for his troubles. Although, was that ending Ron dead from an overdose or just resting? But it was interesting after last season ended with another inconsequential club burning down that were some stakes at the end of the this season with the strike. Makes me wonder if Richard Pryor actually joined a strike like this.

The Bold Type: I certainly did not have Jane landing back at Scarlet in the back half of the season. I was actually thinking that reporting on someone else that had a run in with Jacqueline’s abuser actually made it less likely for Jane to get her job back but that ended up being the reason.
You can download The Bold Type on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: I wonder just how the person who is buried and who did the digging was chosen. Clearly Britni was put at a disadvantage. Poor Jenna, I am not sure Jemmy would have done much better. And just where was Banana’s partner? They just seemed to completely gloss over his partner was not there with no explanation. But the biggest question is how do you possibly get booted for fighting when a million dollars is on the line? You cannot goad me into a fight if for even a tenth of that.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: When Offred was having flashbacks to her other daughter, I thought, oh, no, after all that trouble other people went through, she is not really going to go back solely just for the other daughter. At least she gave the baby with Rory Gilmore who killed (?) Aunt Lydia and is punished with escape for it. I wonder if this was the first Handmaid he helped escaped. He had no children (that we saw) and was kind of old to be a new father yet was in the need for another Handmaid. Kind of annoying that Offred almost escapes in episode one, could have escaped in the antepenultimate episode if had not been for a frozen garage door. And then could have escaped for a third time this season, but decided to stay.

Then, oh snap, the cut off Serena’s pinky. Sure it does not seem that big a deal coming off an episode where the drowned a pair of teenagers. I actually thought Offred was going to offer, or possible Serena would ask, to go with Offred at the end. I wonder if Serena tries to leave next season, remember when she was in Canada, the American guy offered her a place in Hawaii.

And what of Offred next season? If they drowned the adulterers, what is the punishment for stealing a baby? It has to be worse than cutting off a finger. And just how does she expect to get her other kid back and reunite with her family? Sure Waterford offered more visits if she behaves but kidnapped what he thinks is his child is not really behaving? Does Serena help?
You can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Reverie: Finally something interesting… Mara’s brother-in-law survived the murder-suicide attempt. She has already entered the Reverie of a comatose patient, clearly she will do that again before the season is up.
You can download Reverie on iTunes.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger: The token Groundhog’s Day episode is beginning to be an annoying television trope. But it should be interesting how the doctor changes things. Though if his mind is as mushy as it was in the time loop, it may be a while before he can help anyone. And I cannot imagine Roxxon is keen on him being conscience again.
You can download Marvel's Cloak and Dagger on iTunes.