Around the Tubes: January 11, 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 Black Monday, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, The Circus, WOW – Women of Wrestling, Incredible Animal Moments, The 50th NAACP Image Awards, James Blake, Mark Diamond, Pavo Pavo, and Circa Waves.

- Showtime has released the series premiere of its new comedy Black Monday early across multiple platforms. The series stars and is executive produced by Emmy® nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Don Cheadle and stars two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Girls Trip). Screen Actors Guild® Award winner Paul Scheer (Veep) also stars. Black Monday was created by David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl), who serve as executive producers and showrunners. Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Preacher, Superbad, Future Man) are executive producers and directed the pilot. The premiere episode is available for free now on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com. The 10-episode series will premiere on Sunday, January 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

- Superfly and A.C. Entertainment are excited to reveal the initial lineup for the 2019 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The 18th annual four-day multi-stage camping festival will take place June 13 - 16, held as always at Great Stage Park, the spectacular 700-acre farm and event space located just 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN. Tickets - including General Admission (4 Day), VIP (4 Day), Platinum (4 Day) and more - will go on sale Thursday, January 10, at 12 noon ET/11 am CT, exclusively via bonnaroo.com/tickets. Bonnaroo has never been more accessible with GA ticket layaway plans available for just $47.

- The Circus returns for its highly-anticipated fourth season on Sunday, January 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime, as Democrats take control of the House of Representatives and 2020 hopefuls begin to plot their presidential bids. Hosted by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Alex Wagner, The Circus will venture behind the scenes in Washington and beyond, exploring the shifting power dynamics on Capitol Hill as Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, along with covering the escalating drama around President Donald Trump's White House as it grapples with mounting legal entanglements and continued scrutiny from Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

-From the Los Angeles Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss and founder of the original GLOW “Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling” David McLane, comes the groundbreaking all-female wrestling promotion WOW – Women of Wrestling to AXS TV on Friday, January 18 at 9pE/6pP. The season gets off to a roaring start as the phenom, The Beast looks to destroy fan-favorite Stephy Slays. Then, “The Governor’s Daughter,” Abilene Maverick, tries not to get burned when she elects to take on Fire in a sizzling singles match; and WOW bombshells “The All Natural” Khloe Hurtz and Eye Candy go toe-to-toe in a battle of beauty and brawn. It all leads up to the highly-anticipated main event, when WOW legend Jungle Grrrl gets her long-awaited shot at redemption, putting her legacy on the line as she faces off with WOW Champion Santana Garrett for the coveted WOW title in a high-stakes match to close the show.

- Smithsonian Channel prepares to captivate animal lovers of all kinds with astonishing revelations of the wild in three brand new films kicking off the network’s signature Wild Wednesdays for 2019. From some of the most incredible wildlife moments ever caught on camera to the amazing survival methods and abilities of pigs to revelations about the remarkable genetic secrets of the naked mole rat, each of these programs will take viewers on a fascinating and surprising journey. Follow these extraordinary, misunderstood animals on Smithsonian Channel in Incredible Animal Moments (February 6 at 8 PM ET/PT), Amazing Pigs (February 13 at 8 PM ET/PT) and Naked Mole Rats (February 20 at 8 PM ET/PT).

- The 50th NAACP Image Awards will air LIVE on TV One, a division of Urban One, Inc., on March 30, 2019. For the first time ever, the telecast will take place from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. The announcement was made today by NAACP National Board of Directors Chairman Leon W. Russell, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Urban One, Inc. & Chairman/CEO, TV One Alfred Liggins and TV One General Manager Michelle Rice.

- Following a series of projections in London, a billboard in Times Square, and a teaser video on his social media, multiple Grammy award-nominee and Mercury Prize winner James Blake reveals his highly anticipated fourth album, Assume Form, will be released January 18th via Republic Records. Constantly reinventing himself and defying genre, Blake captures a range of sonic influences throughout Assume Form, reuniting with Travis Scott and André 3000, and teaming up Metro Boomin, Moses Sumney and ROSALÍA (see full track listing below). Previously released track “Don’t Miss It,” declared “an absolute beauty of a ballad” by Noisey, is available instantly upon pre-ordering the album. Pre-order Assume Form here.

- Seattle-based singer and songwriter Mark Diamond makes his debut with his new single “Steady” out now via Stardog Records/Republic Records.


- Following the success of their critically-heralded debut album Young Narrator In The Breakers and just weeks away from the release of their forthcoming sophomore album Mystery Hour (out 1/25 through Bella Union), today Pavo Pavo are pleased to share brand new track "Close To Your Ego". Listen to it HERE.

- Circa Waves have unveiled their brilliantly-executed and highly entertaining video for latest single "Movies", which sees the band expertly act out scenes from a variety of blockbuster films, from American hit comedy Wayne's World, to academy-winning classics like A Clockwork Orange and Reservoir Dogs

Previewing Future Man: Season Two

Seth Rogan has been the poster boy of the Beta Male for over a decade now thanks to him creating movies that were high concept, and then filling that high concept with low-brow comedy. And really, for my money, it does not get much more entertaining than high concept and low comedy. Okay, that was movies, his first attempt at a television show, Preacher, was not, and continues to not be, well… good. Of course that, much like one of his worst movies, The Green Hornet, was an adaptation. Rogan’s second attempt at a television show, Future Man, was an original concept.

Oh, and how original it was. The show featured Josh Henderson (The Hunger Games) as the first person to beat the Biotic Wars video game which turned out to be sent from the future to recruit someone to help take down the Biotics which became a future scourge to humans. Except what these future warriors, Tiger and Wolf, do not realize, the people in our time do not play video games for training in the future. And their “savior” is someone who only plays video games when he is not at his janitorial job. Then the trio travels through time trying to stop the rise of the Biotics. Like I said, very high concept.

The first season ended with a nice bow after Henderson blew up the building with the Biotic creator and all the plans. Sure he is going to have to live the rest of his life in a maximum security prison and be known as one of the biggest terrorist of his time, but at least he can rest in the solace that his two future warriors can (presumably) go back to a better future. But since the show got a second season, of course the future that Tiger and Wolf go back to is not much better than the one that they left… and plenty of hilarity ensues. And I mean a lot, if you laughed during the first season, there will be plenty to laugh at in the second.

Though there is a bit of a sophomore slump. It is weird that for what was presented as a time travel show; there is actually very little time travel in the second season, actually none until the end of the season, though when they actually start traveling again, there is one of the funniest bits in the history of the show. And I was a bit disappointed that they kept the mail characters away from each other because how the play off each other is a highlight of the show. But where season one sputters to towards the end, season two has a much better build to something and pay off every dumb plot they set up. No seriously, Tiger’s doppelganger’s high pitched voice, though super annoying, is actually paid off brilliantly.

Then those of you who were excited to see producer Seth Rogan in the season two trailer, be warned, he does not actually show up until the season finale. But when he does shows up, it turns out to be maybe the best episode of the season sets up what will likely be a crazy season three premiere. Oh Hulu, please let there be a season three. And four. And five. And six. And a movie.

All episodes of Future Man season two premieres on Hulu tomorrow.

The 50 Best Music Videos of 2018

1. thank u, next - Ariana Grande


2. Fireworks - First Aid Kit


3. Reasons - Jillian Jacqueline


4. Finesse (Remix) - Bruno Mars, Cardi B


5. Fix Me - Beck

6. 1999 - Charli XCX featuring Troye Sivan

7. Back To You - Selena Gomez

8. The Space Program - A Tribe Called Quest

9. Sincerity Is Scary - The 1975

10. King's Dead - Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future, James Blake

11. Colors - Beck

12. Africa - Weezer

13. All The Stars - Kendrick Lamar, SZA

14. Girlfriend - Anderson East

15. God is a woman - Ariana Grande

16. Lottery - Jade Bird

17. Mary Don't You Weep - Prince

18. High Horse - Kacey Musgraves

19. Ape(shirt) - The Carters

20. Colour - MNEK featuring Hailee Steinfeld

21. Trigger Bang - Lily Allen featuring Giggs

22. no tears left to cry - Ariana Grande

23. Rose-Colored Boy - Paramore

24. Subtle Thing - Marian Hill

25. Delicate - Taylor Swift

26. Ashes - from "Deadpool 2" Motion Picture Soundtrack - Céline Dion

27. Django Jane Janelle Monáe

28. (benches) - Tove Lo featuring Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Elliphant, and ALMA

29. Rich - Maren Morris

30. Give A Little - Maggie Rogers

31. Good Kisser - Lake Street Dive

32. Pynk - Janelle Monáe, Grimes

33. It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) - The 1975

34. Humility - Gorillaz featuring George Benson

35. Caught In The Middle - Paramore

36. Numb - Meg Myers

37. Party For One - Carly Rae Jepsen

38. The Fire - Natalie Prass

39. Who Cares - Paul McCartney

40. Accelerate - Christina Aguilera featuring Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz

41. Party of One - Brandi Carlile

42. Wait - Maroon 5

43. This Is America - Childish Gambino

44. Babies - KYLE featuring Alessia Cara

45. Collide - GIVERS

46. Feels Like Summer - Childish Gambino

47. End Game - Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Future

48. Volcanic Love - The Aces

49. If You Know You Know - Pusha T

50. Gotta Get My Baby Back - Sting and Shaggy

Previewing Project Blue Book

Last summer I finally caught up with Game of Thrones and no matter how good you are at avoiding spoilers; there was still one inadvertent way I still was spoiled on certain character death: when they would show up on another television program. So when watching Game of Thrones I would go, “oh hey, there is Iron Fist… I guess he is going to die eventually.” I think there were five different Game of Thrones characters I saw as main characters on other shows that pretty much spoiled their fate. So if you plan on catching up on Game of Thrones eventually, or are behind by one season, be warned, a main Game of Thrones character is the star of Project Blue Book and I will be talking Game of Thrones spoilers.

Project Blue Book was an actual government program that investigated unidentified flying objects throughout the United States. So, yeah, basically a real life X-Files. And there are plenty of cases for a television to plunder because there were 12,618 cases of UFO reported (and more than a few went unsolved). On the show two men are responsible to determine what exactly happened in a time before everyone had a video camera on their phone to document the strange occurrences.

Michael Malarkey (The Vampire Diaries) is an air force pilot tasked by the government to prove that UFO’s do not exist while Aidan Gillen (R.I.P. Littlefinger) is an OSU astrophysicist professor, and as a scientist he is convinced there is other life out there but doubt of intersteller space travel. He is also the kind of guy who would read the entire encyclopedia Britannica when sick as a child. Yes, kiddies, that is what people had to do before the Playstation was invented. Malarkey want to close these cases quickly while Gillen wants be through. So yeah, Gillen is the Mulder and Malarkey is the Scully.

Some of the cases the duo goes out on in the first season include a fighter pilot racing against weird lights in Fargo. There is what is believed to be a flaming alien that causes some ailment around the eyes in Birmingham. They go to Lubbock, Texas to investigate blackout and V-shaped lights. There are multiple episodes of green hovering lights that dig into a government conspiracy. And there is even a cold case about World War II Foo Fighters. For those who do not know where Dave Grohl got his band name, Foo Fighters were UFO that fighter pilots claimed to see.

Then instead of a smoking man, there are mysterious men in hats who are following the duo around. There is also a mysterious woman (Ksenia Solo, Lost Girl) who just so happens to befriend Gillen’s wife at a time he takes the government job. So yeah, since this is based on real events and you can rule out alien, she is probably, most definitely a Russian spy. But this makes me wonder just how real the show is. Sure, they say these cases are based on real reports that they got from the Freedom of Information Act, but I do wonder if it is safe to assume everything else is poetic license. But as one of the characters says, there is a difference between science fiction and informed speculation.

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

The 40 Worst Songs of 2018

1. Meant to Be - Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
2. (Expletive Deleted) I'm Belle Thorne - Bella Thorne
3. Gucci Gang - Lil' Pump
4. I Like It - Cardi B
5. Better Now - Post Malone
6. I'm Not a Racist - Joyner Lucas
7. No Excuses - Meghan Trainor
8. Chun Lee - Nicki Minaj
9. FEFE - 6ix9ine featuring Nicki Minaj and Murda Beatz
10. Stir Fry - Migos
11. Unforgettable - French Montana featurig Swae Lee
12. Wait - Maroon 5
13. Girls Like You - Maroon t featuring Cardi B
14. Die a Happy Man - Thomas Rhett
15. In My Blood - Shawn Mendes
16. Real Friends - Camila Cabello
17. Ric Flair Drip - Offset and Metro Boomin
18. Sad - XXXTentacion
19. Wake Up - Lil Xan
20. I'm a Mess - Bebe Rexha
21. Heaven - Julia Michaels
22. God's Plan - Drake
23. Freaky Friday - Lil Dicky featuring Chris Brown
24. Walk It Talk It - Migos featuring Drake
25. Taste - Tyga featuring Offset
26. Sick Boy - The Chainsmokers
27. Despacito (Remix) - Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Biever
28. Tell Me You Love Me - Demi Lovato
29. Shallow - Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
30. Level Up - Ciara
31. Lift Yourself - Kanye West
32. Outside Today - YoungBoy Never Broke Again
33. Plug Walk - Rich the Kid
34. High Hopes - Panic! At the Disco
35. Him and I - G-Eazy with Halsey
36. Filthy - Justin Timberlake
37. Choose - Why Don't We
38. For You (Fifty Shades Freed) - Liam Payne and Rita Ora
39. How Long - Charlie Puth
40. River - Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 6, 2019

Ray Donovan: Well, it is apparently time for the one time per season where Ray and Micky stop trying to kill each other and actually help each other, usually because a family member is in trouble. I am really ready for Micky to die because this is getting old.

Vikings: Wait, weren’t Bjorn and King Herald fighting on different sides just last episode? I cannot imagine that alliance going well when (if) they eventually attack Kattergard.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Gotham: 10,000 rounds for anyone who kills Jim Gordon? Um, don’t these people need the bullets before they are able to kill him? But anyway. How very Arkham City of them to cut off the city and divide it into turfs. And R.I.P. Tabatha… maybe. Not many people stays dead for long on this show. So maybe when they resurrect Tabby, they can reanimate Butch for the second time and they can live happily ever after. I mean, The Riddler is back and didn’t he get stabbed by Leigh. They did not even explain what when on there.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

The Blacklist: So while I was debating with myself on just who could have ratted out Not-Red and finally settled on the sister, it turns out that was not going to be a season long mystery, Elizabeth just outted herself. What fun is that?
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.