Saturday, June 08, 2019

Around the Tubes: 6/8/2019


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 City on a Hill, Sword of Trust, Sugar and Toys, POV, Letterkenny, James Bay, Meg Mac, Little Steven’s Underground Garage, The Affair, Brian Koppelman and David Levien, a Bernie Sanders.

- Showtime has released the series premiere of its new drama City on a Hill early for free online sampling, on streaming platforms and on demand. The series stars Golden Globe® winner and Emmy® nominee Kevin Bacon (The Following) and Screen Actors Guild® Award winner Aldis Hodge (Underground). City on a Hill is created and executive produced by Chuck MacLean (Boston Strangler). Multiple Emmy winner Tom Fontana (Homicide: Life on the Street) serves as showrunner and executive producer. The premiere episode is available for free now on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com. The 10-episode series will officially premiere next Sunday, June 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

- Sword of Trust is a riotously funny, improv-based eighth feature from acclaimed director Lynn Shelton (Outside In, Your Sister's Sister, Humpday) is filled with her trademark insight and humanism while slyly exploring our increasingly divided culture of conspiracy theories and revisionist history. When Cynthia (Jillian Bell, 22 Jump Street) and Mary (Michaela Watkins, "Casual") show up to collect Cynthia’s inheritance from her deceased grandfather, the only item she’s received is an antique sword that he believed to be proof that the South won the Civil War. The two attempt to unload the object to a curmudgeonly pawnshop owner Mel (Marc Maron, "GLOW") and his man-child sidekick Nathaniel (Jon Bass, Molly's Game). When Mel and Nathaniel discover there’s a black market for the relic, the two pairs reluctantly join forces to sell this rarefied ‘prover item’ to the highest bidder. The adventure that ensues takes the four of them on a wild journey into the depths of conspiracy theory and Southern disillusionment. Anchored by a hilarious and emotionally raw performance from Maron (who also wrote and performed the music), Sword of Trust is a sharp, unexpected ensemble comedy with Shelton's authentic take on the complexities of interpersonal relationships on full display.


- Sugar and Toys brings a wild new twist on the Saturday morning cartoons we all grew up with – but a whole lot less innocent. Adult comedy, social commentary and music culture parody crash the cartoon party, speaking directly to the trends and issues most relevant to a millennial audience, and bookended by host and multi-platinum rapper and actor KYLE (Netflix’ The After Party). It is executive produced by Aengus James, Colin King Miller, Nicholaus Goossen, Jones and Ash, with Kyle Harvey serving as co-executive producer and Lalo Alcaraz as consulting producer, and produced by This is Just a Test and 245 Enterprises. Check out a sneak peak below:


- At a pre-season party in small-town Steubenville, Ohio, a heinous crime took place: the assault of a teenage girl by members of the beloved high school football team. As it painstakingly reconstructs the night of the crime and its aftermath, Roll Red Roll uncovers the ingrained rape culture at the heart of the incident, acting as a cautionary tale about what can happen when teenage social media bullying runs rampant and adults look the other way. Directed by Nancy Schwartzman, winner of seven documentary feature awards, and nominated for the Cinema Eye Honors Spotlight Award, Roll Red Roll has its national broadcast and streaming debut on the PBS documentary series POV and pov.org on Monday, June 17 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series, debuting its 32nd season with Schwartzman’s investigative film.

- Hulu announced that following the acquisition of award-winning Canadian fan favorite and Crave Original comedy series Letterkenny, the show will return as a Hulu Original. In a new licensed deal with New Metric Media and DHX Media, Hulu will now have exclusive U.S. streaming rights to all upcoming seasons of the series. Created by and starring Jared Keeso, the half-hour comedy revolves around the dustups Wayne (Keeso) and his pals get into with their small-town rivals. For the hicks, skids and hockey players of Letterkenny, getting your ass kicked is a legitimate concern on a day-to-day basis. In the upcoming six-episode seventh season premiering Monday, October 14, the Hicks start an agricultural call-in show. Fans can still binge the first six seasons of Letterkenny on Hulu, now under the new Hulu Original moniker.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multiplatinum singer-songwriter James Bay returns to The Ellen DeGeneres Show with his recent single “Bad.” Watch HERE.

- Following sell-out shows in the US, UK, Europe, and Australia Meg Mac releases her new mini album ‘Hope’; a powerful set of thoughtful and at times deeply personal missives.
Meg explains, “The songs on ‘Hope’ are influenced and informed by what was happening around me at the time of writing and recording. Music is always filtering through and though not directly influencing my songs they are somehow informing them. I was listening to Nina Simone’s ‘Piano’ album, Gill Scott Heron, Sam Cooke, and Patti Smith; powerful forces which impact on one's sensibilities. There’s something about the strength, power, attitude, and values of these artists that I connect with”.

- Little Steven’s Underground Garage on SiriusXM Channel 21 will celebrate this year’s relaunch of legendary label Cleveland International Records with “Cleveland Rocks: A Tribute to Steve Popovich,” an hour-long tribute dedicated to the life and musical legacy of the label’s late founder. Hosted by famed DJ Kid Leo, who ruled The Rock and Roll Capital of the World’s airwaves on WMMS in Cleveland for 16 years (1973-89), the show is set to air six times in early June: Friday, June 7 @ 6 PM ET, Saturday, June 8 @ 11 AM and 8 PM ET, Sunday, June 9 @ 11 AM ET and Monday, June 10 @ 12 AM ET & 7 AM ET.

- The highly anticipated fifth and final season of the critically acclaimed, Golden Globe-winning Showtime drama series The Affair will premiere on Sunday, August 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series was created by WGA Award-winning playwright, writer, executive producer and showrunner Sarah Treem (House of Cards, In Treatment). The Affair is also executive produced by Jessica Rhoades (Sharp Objects), Hagai Levi (In Treatment), and Michele Giordono (Nurse Jackie). Starring Golden Globe nominee Dominic West, Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney and Sanaa Lathan, the series explores the emotional and psychological effects of an affair that destroyed two marriages, and the crime that brings these individuals back together. Oscar® and Golden Globe Award winner Anna Paquin (True Blood) joined the final season as a series regular. New guest stars in season five include Jennifer Jason Leigh (PATRICK MELROSE), Claes Bang (The Square) and Lyric Bent (She’s Gotta Have It), with Russell Hornsby (Fences) returning.

- Showtime has announced it has signed acclaimed executive producers and writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien to an overall deal under which they will continue to serve as showrunners of the hit drama series Billions while also developing new projects exclusively for the network. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.

- Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders sat with Noticias Telemundo’s Anchor Julio Vaqueiro for an exclusive one-on-one interview. They talked about President Trump, gun control, the Democratic primaries, and immigration policy, among other issues of interest to the Latino community. Highlights of the interview aired today on “Noticias Telemundo.” An extended version will be available for streaming via NoticiasTelemundo.com.

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