Around the Tubes: December 9, 2023

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on  Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise, Stephen Sanchez, Paul McCartney & Wings, Norman Lear, and Warning Signs.

- Sexy and sizzling with secrets, this seductive new docusoap follows a group of uber-rich and on-the-rise locals and expats navigating the rocky waters of their relationships, friendships, and careers in the paradise that is GRAND CAYMAN.   CAST: Elizabeth Chambers, Selita Ebanks, Courtney McTaggart, Craig Jervis, Julian Foster, Aaron Bernardo, Cass Lacelle, Victoria Jurkowski, Chelsea Flynn, Teri Bilewitch, Trevor Coleman, Dillon Claassens, and Connor Bunney. We are excited to share a first look at “Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise,” a new unscripted series coming soon to Hulu.

 

 

- Following the release of his highly anticipated debut album Angel Face, breakout singer/songwriter Stephen Sanchez stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers last night for a swoon-worthy performance of his hit song “High.”  Watch “High” Performance HERE.  Listen to Angel Face HERE.  Released in September 2023 via Mercury Records/Republic Records, Angel Face received widespread acclaim from Associated Press, WWD, People, Billboard, and more. “High” has quickly become a fan favorite since the album’s release, amassing nearly 10M global streams and peaking in the top 15 on the Spotify Daily Viral Songs chart.

- 50 years to the week of its original release, MPL and UMe announce the expanded 50th anniversary edition of Paul McCartney & Wings’ iconic Band on the Run, due February 2nd, 2024.  A fixture of all-time greatest album lists for decades, the multiple GRAMMY-winning #1 smash was originally released in December of 1973. Featuring the immortal title track, worldwide hit ‘Jet,’’ the wistful ‘Bluebird,’ long-time live staple ‘Let Me Roll It,’ the multi-faceted ‘Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)’ and climactic closer ‘Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five,’ Band on the Run is undoubtedly Wings’ most successful and celebrated release ever. Experience the 50th anniversary edition of Band on the Run HERE.

- Great Entertainment Television will honor the late Norman Lear this weekend with marathons of Good Times and Sanford and Son, starting at 10 am each day. Norman Lear, legendary sitcom writer and producer, passed away Tuesday at the age of 101. Join us in celebrating his work and legacy. 

Saturday, December 9

10A - Sanford and Son, "Crossed Swords"

10:30A - Sanford and Son, "Sanford and Son and Sister Makes Three"

11A - Sanford and Son, "The Puerto Ricans Are Coming!"

11:30A - Sanford and Son, "A Visit From Lena Horne"

12p - Sanford and Son, "Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe"

Sunday, December 10

10A - Good Times, "Too Old Blues"

10:30A - Good Times, "Cousin Cleatus"

11A - Good Times, "A Matter of Mothers"

11:30A - Good Times, "That's Entertainment, Evans Style"

12P - Good Times, "The Dinner Party"

- CBS News and Stations take viewers on an unprecedented journey into the heart of the world’s northernmost and fastest-warming community in Svalbard, Norway, in a five-part docuseries, WARMING SIGNS, premiering today, Monday, Dec. 4 through Friday, Dec. 8. A different segment airs each day within the local newscasts of CBS owned stations, culminating to an hour-long special, ON THE DOT WITH DAVID SCHECHTER, that will air and stream on CBS Stations starting Friday, Dec. 8. WARMING SIGNS is hosted by award-winning national environmental correspondent David Schechter, who takes audiences on a transformative exploration to understand what scientists are learning in Norway about how global warming is causing pivotal changes in our climate and contributing to our extreme weather events.   WARMING SIGNS is a collaboration, led by the CBS Local News Innovation Lab, between specialized climate-trained journalists and meteorologists at each CBS-owned station. As part of the week-long project, local climate stories relevant to respective CBS-owned markets will air in the local newscasts in Baltimore, Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Colorado, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento and Texas.  Viewers can watch on-demand on CBSNews.com/warmingsigns.

Previewing Thriller 40

Taylor Swift had a pretty impressive year with her Eras Tour, she is the biggest artist on the planet, but even Taylor in 2023 pales in comparison to the year Michael Jackson had in 1983.  It has been forty years since Thriller dominated the zeitgeist.  70 million albums sold worldwide, 7 top ten singles, 12 Grammy nominations, eight won, including Album of the Year.  Forget Swift showing up to Chief’s game, Jackson showed up to the award ceremony that year with Brooke Shields and Emmanuel Lewis.

 

That album is now being chronicled with a new documentary, Thriller 40, with commentary from Shields, Mary J. Blige, Mark Ronson, Raphael Saadiq, Misty Copland, Thriller director John Landis, and many people who played on the album.  Though there is a glaring omission of any new comments from famed producer Quincy Jones, though he did just turn ninety earlier this year.  It is also a little surprising than none of Jackson’s siblings gave any new interviews for the film.

 

The doc stays focused on the time period so it never even hints at the many controversies that Jackson dealt with later in his life.  But they do focus on a few controversies from the time period.  I forgot that Michael was involved with ET and there was a big blowout with his record label because the film had a deal with a different label.  They also go into his accident on the set of the infamous Pepsi commercial.  But it was wild to remember that was for a tour with his family that his father Joe forced him to go on instead of touring behind Thriller on his own.

 

The film is a nice walk down memory lane focusing on one of the most iconic albums of all time.  Sure it is a fluff piece and in the middle there is a weird segment from some guy from Tik Tok talking about how Jackson is reaching a new generation, but came off more as an advertisement for Tik Tok, but is still worth checking out if you were ever a fan of the music, which, considering how many albums that were sold, was probably everyone who was alive in the eighties.

 

Thriller 40 airs Saturday at 8:00 is currently streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.  

57 Channels and Only This Is On: December 3, 2023

  

A Murder at the End of the World:  If there is snowstorm coming why not just hang out at the guard station?  Or hang out in the car at the guard’s station?  But if you leave the hotel when there is a snowstorm in the forecast, I guess you are not very bright.

 

Fargo:  The Home Alone is the best stuff.  Hopefully it pays off next week when the sheriff’s kid tries to enter.

 

Survivor:  Sigh, that was the last time there was a chance of anything interesting happening.  Now we are just watching the inevitable until the finale.

 

The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion:  Since one team had an extra player, does that mean the producers did not expect any Champ’s to lose?  But really sad when everyone is helping you and you still cannot win the elimination.

 

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters:  Speaking of stupid people doing stupid things in the cold, really stupid to split up when there is an incoming winter storm.   But it is a television show so no one was punished with their life.  But where exactly was the father?  I figured they would run into him eventually.