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.

The 50 Best Music Videos of 2019

1. I Can’t Get Enough - benny blanco, Selena Gomez, J Balvin, Tainy


2. Summer Girl - HAIM


3. I Get No Joy - Jade Bird


4. bad guy - Billie Eilish


5. Cops Shot the Kid - Nas, Kanye West


6. Lose You To Love Me - Selena Gomez

7. Lonely Generation - Echosmith

8. 7 rings - Ariana Grande

9. antisocial - Ed Sherran featuring Trais Scott

10. Prophet - King Princess

11. Afterlife - Hailee Steinfeld

12. Land of The Free - The Killers

13. Go - The Black Keys

14. 555 - Jimmy Eat World

15. GIRL - Maren Morris

16. Screwed - Janelle Monáe featuring Zoë Kravitz

17. Good as Hell - Lizzo

18. Harmony Hall - Vampire Weekend

19. Sing Along - Sturgill Simpson

20. Swan Song (From the Motion Picture Alita: Battle Angel") - Dua Lipa

21. White Mercedes - Charli XCX

22. Now I'm In It - HAIM

23. Lover - Taylor Swift

24. My Motto - Jade Bird

25. Used to Be - Anna of the North

26. This Is On You - Maisie Peters

27. Sisyphus - Andrew Bird

28. Party For One - Carly Rae Jepsen

29. ME! - Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco

30. Raise a Man - Alicia Keys

31. Hey Rosie - The National

32. Fire - Sara Bareilles

33. The Hunger - Bat for Lashes

34. Take On Me - Weezer

35. Stay Young - Maisie Peters

36. Sugar Coat - Little Big Town

37. Sunflower - Vampire Weekend featuring Steve Lacy

38. This Land - Gary Clark Jr.

39. Don’t Call Me Angel (Charlie’s Angels) - Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey

40. Truth Hurts - Lizzo

41. Look at Her Now - Selena Gomez

42. Western World - LION BABE featuring Raekwon

43. You Mean the Wold to Me - Freya Ridings

44. MONOPOLY - Ariana Grande with Victoria Monét

45. Lost in the Woods - Weezer Version - Weezer

46. Spirit - Beyonce

47. I Remember - Betty Who

48. break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored - Ariana Grande

49. Doin' Time - Lana Del Rey

50. You Need to Calm Down - Taylor Swift

The Twenty-Five Worst Songs of 2019

For the past fifteen years I have been counting down the forty songs that annoy me the most each year. I originally chose that number because of the Top 40 format where most of the songs came with. As the years go by I have been finding it harder and harder to come up with forty songs because I stopped listening to the radio a decade ago as I switched to streaming and podcast when I used to scan the dial so it is just easier to avoid crap. I hear the bad songs once on Spotify's New Music Friday playlist, skip them after five seconds and never think about them again> I believe the worst songs should be ones I can think of off the top of my head so I do not go looking for crap. I saw something called Lil' Dicky on a bunch of worst lists, but I never heard and have no interest in finding out how bad it is. So for the first time, I limited my Worsts Songs of the Year list to twenty-five which may be apropos because most Top 40 radio stations do not even play that many songs nowadays. But here are those songs that did annoy the fork out of me over the past twelve months:

1. Old Town Road - Remix - Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, Mason Ramsey and Young Thug

2. Old Town Road (Remix) - Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

3. Old Town Road (Diplo Remix) - Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

4. Old Town Road - Lil Nas X

5. Old Town Toad - Soul Town Road Remix - Lil Nas X featuring RM of BTS

6. Baby Shark - Pink Fong

7. Cattitude - Miley Cyrus featuring RuPaul

8. No Guidance - Chris brown featuring Drake

9. Into the Unknown - Panic! At the Disco

10. Dumb Blonde - Avril Lavigne featuring Nicki Minaj

11. Hell Right - Blake Shelton featuring Trace Atkins

12. Going Bad - Meek Mill featuring Drake

13. I Don't Care - Ed Sheeran featuring Justin Beiber

14. Senorita - Camila Caballo and Shawn Mendez

15. Sunflower - Post Malone and Swae Lee

16. Sweet But Psycho - Ava Max

17. Wobble Up - Chris Brown featuring Nicki Minaj and G-Eazy

18. Clap Back - Iggy Azalea

19. Knockin Boots - Luke Bryan

20. Panini - Lil Nas X

21. Light It Up - Marshmello featuring Chris Brown

22. If I Can’t Have You - Shawn Mendez

23. Memories - Maroon 5

24. Beautiful - Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello

25. Closed on Sunday - Kanye West

57 Channels and Only This is On: January 11, 2020

Ray Donovan: Oh snap, Smitty was wearing a wire. Although it is not like the first time Ray got caught by law enforcement. I believe the FBI owned him for a couple seasons so I am sure he will somehow weasel his way out of this even though he is on tape admitting to shooting a cop. Maybe he will finally give up his father. But I do not see Smitty making it to the end of the season, but will it be Ray or Bridget who does it? But I was surprised that that one dude implied that Succession daddy had something to do with Ray’s sister’s death and Ray did not go straight to the source. Did the guy stage the suicide? Did he do something that made Bridget so guilty to commit suicide? I guess they are saving that for the finale because obviously Ray will not be going to jail or at the very least will not be staying there long.

Dare Me: So in the dead of night, shooting into two headlights from maybe twenty yards away though a windshield, that chick’s camera phone could clearly show the faces of two people in the cab of a truck? My camera phone is not good with some bomb lighting. Granted I do not have a sugar daddy who will buy me a new one whenever I lose one. I know ads like to hype how well their cameras are but I have yet to actually see one that good.

Shameless: Frank went to college for ten years? Where did he get the money? Was he just making that part up and the lady did not smash the Oxy because she just did not know? And just how did Frank end up in a car with a college football player and crack?

Manifest: Oh, wow, I kind of actually remember the black dude at the end. I believe he was a federal agent that got blew up. Of course, that begs the question, how the fork is he still alive?

Stumptown: So Dex is this army-trained soldier that we have seen take down multiple dudes at a time, but she has trouble with an old Asian dude? Unless that was Mr. Miyagi, it should not been that hard.
You can download Stumptown on iTunes.

Vikings: Stabbing someone with your barely still there shield and then finishing them off with their own sword had to be one of the greatest ways to kill someone. But to put up that kind of fight only be killed by a crazy person trying to kill a serpent was a sad way to go. But then again, she did kill his mother if I remember correctly. Then what is the Russian dude up to? It is still hard to believe that Ivar’s dead wife looks like his betrothed and he would mount her in front of him, but how could he know and how could he make her look like the dead wife?

The Good Place: So when Timothy Olyphant popped up, I commented on social media that this will already be the best cameo of the year, unless of course Scone Cold Steve Austin shows up in the finale. Then someone pointed out that Blake Bortales would beat them both. I am an idiot.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.