57 Channels and Only This Was On: April 20, 2025

The Last of Us:  First episode was fine, but really felt like a video game with weekly “missions.”  I am not sure if we will say in Colorado for very long, but the additions of Kaitlyn Devers and Isabela Merced is a big upgrade.  Though Ellie got really annoying.  And Moira Rose showing up as a therapist was weird.  So Joel killed her husband in between seasons?  I wonder if we will get a flashback of that.

 

The Last Anniversary:   Well this is going to be awkward; Sophie just hooked up with Grace’s first and previously hooked up with her husband.  Which begs the question, when will Grace learn about the latter hookup?

 

Daredevil: Born Again: So who is this army that Daredevil is going to recruit?  The other Defenders seems obvious, but will there be anyone else?  Spider-Man is an NYC vigilante.  Ms. Marvel is right across the river and was previously mentioned on the show.  Could they hard launch the Young Avengers on the show?  That could be interesting.  Swordsman and Punisher are currently locked up… oh wait; the end-credit scene featured one of the dumbest characters in recent memory.  So I guess they will able available. 

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  This mostly felt like set up for the next episode.  Instead of fighting who would go, they could have the invasion of Jessabelle this week.

 

The Challenge All Stars: Rivals:  That was a stupid ending.  So if they both said “Steal,” they would have still split the money.  That was not well thought out.  Oh well, at least the best team won.

 

Survivor:  So Eva will have a secret advantage in addition to her Idol.  Weird she has to wait an entire day to collect her rewards.  What if the person got voted out found it?  But I guess that is why the put the advantage in the bowl nearest the person who won immunity.

 

The Stolen Girl:  Interesting start of the show.  My favorite part was the detective’s dramatic readings of the sexts with the wife just had to sit there and listen uncomfortably.  If she is the kidnapper, salute to the crazy lady who was so pissed at being ghosted she spent a year planning how to do it.

 

Leverage: Redemption:  Freevee was one of the dumbest names ever, but getting rid of it, but still having free stuff on Prime is extremely confusing.  I thought they were moving this show to Prime?  But I guess it moved to Prime, but is still free.  Sigh, when are we going to elect a living a breathing government who breaks up these media companies?  As for the actual show, interesting that Noah Wiley got demoted to “special guest star.”  I guess his commitment to The Pitt will keep him from being in every episode.  Surprising they did not replace him like they did Harrison with his sister.  So who is going to be the brains of this operation?

 

Grosse Point Garden Society:  Weird pacing on this show.  They showed the fight between Joel and Doug a couple weeks ago and just left that cliffhanger hang for a while.  I never thought for a second that Doug was the dead body but it seems like we can cross him off the list.  Now the question is, just what did his father see?

Around the Tubes: April 19, 2025

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Sublime, The Weeknd, Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Elliott Smith, Leah Nawy, Atsuko Okatsuka: Father, and Wink Martindale.

- Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has unveiled the complete schedule for this year’s edition of the internationally acclaimed camping festival, taking place June 12-15, 2025 on the Bonnaroo Farm, located just 60 miles southeast of Nashville in Manchester, TN. Full details can be found now at www.bonnaroo.com.  Bonnaroo 2025 will boast a spectacular assortment of can’t-miss highlights over four unforgettable nights, with bonus fun starting Wednesday in the campgrounds. Spanning multiple main stage performances on Thursday, June 12 (including a headline set by Luke Combs, Bonnaroo’s first ever country headliner), three completely unique sets across various stages from the one and only King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, an array of appearances by John Summit (including a Friday, June 13 performance on the main WHAT Stage), and of course, Bonnaroo’s world famous SuperJam, this year hosted and curated by Remi Wolf and set for the THIS Tent on Saturday, June 14 at 8:45 pm, along with many more unforgettable performances.

- An all-star compilation titled Look At All The Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime will be co-released on Sublime’s new label Sublime Recordings in collaboration with Jakob Nowell’s SVNBVRNT Records on May 9. The 2025 release of Look At All The Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime marks the 20^th anniversary of the original 2005 tribute album Look At All The Love We Found (Cornerstone R.A.S.), now reworked and remastered, featuring over 30 artists reimagining classic Sublime tracks including Zac Brown Band (“Wrong Way”), Pennywise (“Same In The End”), Jack Johnson (“Badfish”) and Slightly Stoopid with Stick Figure (Slow Ride), in addition to 8 previously unreleased tracks. The first single from the tribute album is Jakob Nowell’s cover of his father’s classic song ‘Garden Grove’ recorded by his solo endeavor Jakobs Castle. Fans can stream ‘Garden Grove” here https://jc.ffm.to/gardengrove and pre-order Look At All The Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime https://sublime.ffm.to/atributetosublime. A portion of the tribute album proceeds will be donated to Agape Families, an Oregon-based non-profit that aims to provide hope and stability to families impacted by incarceration.  

- The Weeknd drops his latest video “Drive” directed by revered filmmaker Trey Edward Shultz off his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow ahead of the upcoming film of the same name coming May 16.  With Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd presents the culmination of his trilogy of studio albums, following Dawn FM (2022) and After Hours (2020). This album represents the creative apex of the project, serving as the third and final chapter crafted with existential and self-referential themes as seen with the latest visionary teasers that have set fans ablaze with anticipation for this concluding installment.

-  Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, and Festication are thrilled to announce Rock The Tides, a brand-new destination festival coming to the stunning beaches  of Riviera Maya, Mexico in November 2025. Hosted at luxurious, all-inclusive 5-star beachfront resorts, this three-day celebration of rock music’s finest offers an epic escape in paradise.  Headlined by two of the most iconic bands in rock history—Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe —Rock The Tides also features a powerhouse lineup of legendary and fan-favorite acts including Bret Michaels, Extreme, The Struts, Buckcherry, Dorothy, Living Colour, Moon Walker, and Velvet Daydream. Each artist brings their own fire to the beach for a weekend of non-stop rock under the sun—from Bret Michaels' party-starting good-time rock anthems to Extreme's virtuosic funk-metal, The Struts' British swagger, Buckcherry's high-octane sleaze-rock, and Dorothy's powerhouse blues-infused vocals. Adding to the mix,  Living Colour brings their genre-defying fusion of funk, metal, and social consciousness to the stage. Known for explosive performances and hits like “Cult of Personality,” the Grammy-winning band continues to inspire with their sharp musicianship and bold message. Moon Walker delivers gritty, futuristic rock, and Velvet Daydream adds dreamy psych textures to the mix.  https://rockthetides.com/

- Twenty-five years ago today, the late musical mastermind Elliott Smith released Figure 8, his immaculate, ornate, Technicolor second album for DreamWorks Records. In honor of the album’s 25^th anniversary, its enduring appeal and continued influence, Interscope/UMe will release Figure 8 (Deluxe Edition), the previously digital-only edition that expands the classic album with all the B-sides, solo acoustic and alternate version tracks that were released on the various singles, promos, and international editions of the beloved 2000 record, on vinyl for the first time. The Deluxe Edition was released as a digital exclusive in 2019 to commemorate what would have been Smith’s 50^th birthday.  The first-ever vinyl pressing of Figure 8 (Deluxe Edition) features the album presented on 45 rpm tri-color opaque white, black and red “Figure 8 Mural Vinyl” as a nod to the famous Los Angeles mural that a black and white Smith stands in front of on the iconic album cover. The original 16 tracks are spread across two LPs while a third LP boasts seven bonus tracks, six of which have never been on vinyl. The audio has been mastered for vinyl by Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering with lacquers cut by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound. This special 25^th anniversary Deluxe Edition will be housed in a tri-fold sleeve and this exclusive vinyl colorway is limited to 3,000 globally. Figure 8 (Deluxe Edition) is available to purchase exclusively via Interscope.com. The record will ship on or around June 6.  For more information or to pre-order, visit: https://elliottsmith.lnk.to/Figure8LP

- NYC-based indie pop artist, producer & multi-instrumentalist Leah Nawy learns to trust herself on the slow-burning track "Mixing Patterns," out today. On the uplifting new tune, Nawy begins to shed layers of self-doubt and fear, intentionally moving towards a more realized version of herself. Tomorrow night, the musician will perform live at The Cutting Room in NYC.  Co-produced by Nawy and James Sleeman, the swirling, radiant “Mixing Patterns,” is about personal awakening—and discovering one's own strength. Led by the artist's emotive, captivating vocals and magnetic melodies, it explores themes of rebirth, taking control, and seeing things clearly for the first time. There’s a sense of stillness in the song, but also movement—like shifting perspectives, peeling back layers, and stepping into something new. Sonically, this shift is reflected as it builds momentum throughout, with a climactic, high energy bridge and a sharp turn into a lo-fi feel good groove on the outro–growth, release and a fresh start.

- "Atsuko Okatsuka: Father" will premiere on Friday, June 13 on Hulu, and is the eighth Original special in Hulu's new stand-up comedy slate, Hularious.  Fans call her 'Mother,' but Atsuko is 'Father'—thriving professionally yet clueless about basics. A 7-year laundry hiatus and learning that marriage licenses precede weddings are just some hilariously relatable discoveries she shares in her special.

- Game Show Network will honor the late Wink Martindale with a four-hour marathon of "Tic-Tac-Dough" this Sunday, April 20th from 2pm-6pm. 

56 Channels and Only This Is On: April 13, 2025

 

The White Lotus:  I subscribed to the monkey shootout theory mostly because the first two deaths were a bit silly and monkeys being involved was the only way there could be a silly death with that many gunshots.  It never really donned on me that we would get a Shakespearean ending on this show.  Sigh, of all the people they could have killed off, why Chelsea?  Chelsea on a friends’ trip could have made an interesting future season.  I am still holding out hope we get Portia back.

 

But it became clear that eight minutes was too long.  Just too many people on a holding pattern for most of the season.  Boyd Crowder was going to Bangkok, but took too many episodes actually get there.  Tim spent the middle episode just drugged up.  Belinda spent the first couple episodes waiting for her son to show up.  Piper goes to the monastery in the first episode and does not go back until much later.  Wild that Piper losing her virginity to Belinda’s son was cut from the finale.  That might have been the only interesting thing she did all season.

 

But as long as they keep putting attractive people in exotic locations I will still watch.  How about Anna Kendrick for season four?

 

The Last Anniversary:   That was a wild dinner party.  Though are they really going to do yet another incest storyline on television?  I just got done watching The White Lotus.

 

The Righteous Gemstones:  So all of Lori’s former paramours are dead or missing?  I wonder if she is some sort of femme fatale or if this is like the Peacock show Laid where her lady area is cursed?  The latter would be much more interesting.

 

The Hunting Party:  Does no one where protective vests?  If I had to carry gun, I am going to go with the assumption I have one because someone might be shooting at me.  And if someone might be shooting at me, I am wearing a vest. 

 

Daredevil: Born Again:  Um, why did they free Bullseye's hands?  They had him cuffed all season?  Why take them off just to treat him?  They could easily apply stitches with his hand restrained.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  Why even have Offred and Serena end the season on the same train if they are going to be separated before the end of the premiere?  But this may be the weirdest love triangle on television (well, unless the Ratcliff boys and Greg/Gary’s girlfriend count).  Offred has two baby daddies and seems to still love both of them.  Is she really going to end the series in New Bethlehem with Nick?  Then does Luke end up with Moira?  And will they end up in New Bethlehem too?  Then would they get split custody of Hannah?

 

The Challenge All Stars: Rivals:  Sigh, this show really does not need a two episode finale.

 

Survivor:  Finally we got rid of Sai.  Even better she will not be on the jury.   Then her friendemy went next I am sure to the delight of Mary.  But what becomes of Mary now?  We have this weird strong person alliance with one member with one foot out the door.  But if Kyle does not flip soon, it may be too late. But I fear the longer Eva has that Idol, the heavier that albatross becomes on her neck.  I feel like players with known Idols do not last very long.

 

Hacks:  This show is much better when Deborah and Eva are at odds.

 

Grosse Point Garden Society:  So why did it take so long for the new daddy to lose his job?  They seemed to drag that out a bit much.

Around the Tubes: April 12, 2025

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on The White Lotus, Nick Drake, Cynthia Erivo, Your Friends & Neighbors, Mariah Carey, and Ariana Grande.

- Fans can now relive the mystery and drama when Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment brings the third season of HBO’s Emmy^®-winning original series The White Lotus to DVD on September 9, 2025. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Thailand, Season 3 delivers the perfect blend of intrigue and dark comedy that fans have come to love. Prepare for a new chapter of suspense, unexpected twists, and captivating performances—because at The White Lotus, the vacation never goes as planned. Don’t miss out on all 8 episodes of The White Lotus: The Complete Third Season, packed with bonus content. Pre-order your copy today!  The White Lotus: The Complete Third Season is now available to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and more. For fans who want to experience the entire journey from the beginning, The White Lotus Seasons 1-3 Bundle is also now available to purchase Digitally from AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and more.

- The Making Of Five Leaves Left, a project nine years in gestation, will be released July 25 via Island/UMe. This Nick Drake Estate authorized edition comprises more than 30 previously unheard outtakes from the sessions which gradually became Nick Drake’s debut album, Five Leaves Left, and will be available as 4CD and 4LP boxed sets. The reason for the lack of any previous typical anniversary-related ‘deluxe’ set, was the Estate’s wish that the listener concentrate on the beauty within the original released studio recordings. However, following the discovery of remarkable tapes from two new outside sources, plus a comprehensive reordering of the Universal tape library, Nick's sister Gabrielle felt that now was the time to reveal the origin story of the album.  Pre-order The Making Of Five Leaves Left and stream early version of “‘Cello Song” entitled “Strange Face” (1^st Sound Techniques Session, March / 1968): https://nickdrake.lnk.to/TMOFLLListen

- GRAMMY®, Tony®, and EMMY® Award winner and three-time Academy® Award nominee Cynthia Erivo has just shared her new single “Worst Of Me” out now via Verve Records/Republic Records. Listen HERE.  Additionally, she has unlocked the pre-order for her anxiously awaited new full-length solo album, I Forgive You, arriving June 6. Pre-order/Pre-save HERE.  “Worst Of Me” unfolds as an emotionally charged anthem anchored by her eloquent songcraft and powerhouse delivery. On the track, claps separate swooning ethereal vocal harmonies, giving way to a climactic crescendo as she makes a statement, “You could cut me deeper than the ocean, but I refuse to drown. I’m coming up. I wanna breathe again. I gave you my all, but you took the worst of me.” Strings accent its ebb and flow, while a wailing guitar solo cries out.

-  Platoon is proud to announce the release of “The Joneses,” the title theme for the new Apple TV+ series “Your Friends & Neighbors”, starring Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, and Olivia Munn. The song features vocals from Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen) and was written by series composer Dominic Lewis and Leithauser. “The Joneses” aptly sets the tone for the show, about a financial titan (Hamm) who suddenly finds himself divorced and jobless, and resorts to robbing his wealthy neighbors to stay afloat. “You can’t keep up with The Joneses” warns Leithauser in the song's lyrics, and indeed we soon find out that the secrets and affairs hidden behind the wealthy facades might be more dangerous than our protagonists had ever imagined. “Your Friends & Neighbors” premieres today, Friday, April 11th, on Apple TV+.  Listen to “The Joneses” ft. Hamilton Leithauser / YouTube

-  Globally adored singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou makes her first ever self-produced release with the tender “You and I.” Few others can pen a love song in the same delicate, looping handwriting as Lou. In a direct, yet dreamlike way, she asks for a lover to shed the past and see the possibility of a future with one another — Stream.  “‘You and I’ speaks of longing and surrendering in love, it’s a confession and a prayer, a declaration that this is where we are and want to be and let’s stop holding back and dive deeper into everything together,” she shares. “It asks the other to let go of what has happened before and to be here now and dream up the future together. It’s about telling one another what our needs are so we can be there for each other in a deeper, more fundamental way.”

- Award-winning international superstar, songwriter, singer, New York Times best-selling author, current Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame nominee and the best-selling female artist of all time, Mariah Carey, is continuing the 20^th anniversary celebration of her iconic, multi-platinum 10^th album, The Emancipation of Mimi, home to era-defining pop/R&B singles “It’s Like That,” “We Belong Together,” “Shake It Off,” “Say Somethin’,” “Fly Like A Bird,” and “Get Your Number,” with a 20^th anniversary suite of definitive, expanded deluxe releases of her modern classic.  Ahead of the release, fans can watch the visualizer for longtime fan KAYTRANADA’s simmering and sultry spin on “Don’t Forget About Us,” available to stream everywhere now: https://mariahcarey.lnk.to/DontForgetAboutUsRemixPR.  An extended Digital Deluxe Edition of The Emancipation of Mimi (20^th Anniversary Edition) will also be available on May 30 with an exclusive selection of songs from the box set plus additional tracks exclusive to digital. The full tracklisting will be revealed at a later date.  Pre-order The Emancipation of Mimi (20^th Anniversary Edition) here: MariahCarey.lnk.to/Mimi20PR

-  GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist, and international superstar, Ariana Grande reclaims the top spot at #1 on the Billboard 200 with eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead via Republic Records. In addition, the critically acclaimed deluxe album captures #1 Top Album Sales, Top Current Album Sales, and Vinyl Albums.  Listen to eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead HERE.  Watch brighter days ahead short film, written and directed by Christian Breslauer and Ariana Grande, HERE. 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: April 6, 2025

 

The White Lotus:  Gary seemed very guilty for the longest time, but could he really be telling the truth.  Does he really just want to chill in Thailand where he can watch brothers fork his girlfriend?   Oh yeah, there is just one and we have a murder to solve.  There were quite a lot of monkeys in the promo who certainly plays into the theory that monkeys will be involved.

 

Grosse Point Garden Society:  The show moved to Friday, but I feel like I missed an episode.  Alice got her job back?  Huh?  Was that the favor she asked the head of the garden society.  But after teasing Gary dying, we saw him in the future timeline.  So what exactly Catherine mean that he would not have worry about him?

 

Daredevil: Born Again:  I know it is silly to nit-pick a show about a blind man who can beat everyone one up, but c’mon, Daredevil can feel a picture and know it was his girlfriend… really?

The Last Anniversary:  So this is a story about a woman that dies and gives her house to not anyone in her family but to a chick who left her grandson at the altar… I mean at an airport right before the wedding.  Kind of sounds like an idea for a wacky sitcom.  A idea so weird for a drama I am interested where this goes even if all the shows based on Lane Moriarty seem to go nowhere.

 

The Challenge All Stars: Rivals:  That had to be one of the weirdest eliminations ever.  But I am pro weirdness on the show.

 

Survivor:  Wait, are the less annoying players actually going to team up to vote out the annoying players?  It seemed like a long time ago they realized if you just sit next to the next annoying people, they can easily win.  Yet, somehow Sai seems to skirt by every episode, so I am still a little worried she will somehow make it to the end somehow.

Around the Tubes: April 5, 2025

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on  Nine Perfect Strangers, The Last of Us, Motorheads, Sydney Rose, Deborah Silver, and Belles.

- "Nine Perfect Strangers" is back for season two as nine new strangers come together to undergo Masha's psychedelic therapy at Zauberwald in the breathtaking Austrian Alps. Season two premieres on May 21, 2025, with two episodes at launch, followed by weekly releases on Hulu. Nine new strangers connected in ways they could never imagine are invited by mysterious guru Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman) to join a transformational wellness retreat in the Austrian Alps. Over the course of a week, she takes them to the brink. Will they make it? Will she? Masha is willing to try anything in the interest of healing everyone involved, including herself.

- As the highly anticipated Season Two premiere of HBO’s Emmy®-winning original drama series The Last of Us approaches, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment invites fans to immerse themselves in a gripping exploration of varying apocalyptic/dystopian worlds with the "Destination Dystopia" promotion. The promotion runs now through May 12. This curated collection features iconic dystopian television series and films that are captivating, thought provoking, and offer viewers a comprehensive journey through the genre's most compelling narratives. Titles are available on physical and digital.  Shop Now at Amazon and FanFlix. - Prime Video announced the premiere date and revealed first-look images for the upcoming young-adult action thriller, Motorheads. All ten episodes will debut exclusively on Prime Video on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.  Motorheads is about first love, first heartbreak, and turning the key in your first car. Set in a once-thriving rust-belt town that’s now searching for a glimmer of hope, the series is an adrenaline-filled story of a group of outsiders who form an unlikely friendship over a mutual love of street racing, while navigating the hierarchy and rules of high school.  The series stars: Ryan Phillippe (Shooter), Nathalie Kelley (The Baker and the Beauty), Michael Cimino (Love, Victor), Melissa Collazo (One Of Us Is Lying), Uriah Shelton (The Glades, Girl Meets World), Nicolas Cantu (The Walking Dead: The World Beyond), Drake Rodger (The Winchesters), Josh Macqueen (Significant Others), Mia Healey (The Wilds), Matt Lanter (90210), Audrey Gerthoffer (Party of Five) and Johnna Dias-Watson (Wednesday). - Emerging as an artist to watch in 2025, acclaimed Georgia-born and Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Sydney Rose shares her anxiously awaited new EP I Know What I Want out now via Mercury Records. Listen HERE.  To celebrate its arrival, she just shared the official music video for her breakthrough single “We Hug Now.” Watch HERE. The clip evokes the track’s hypnotic mood on-screen, illustrating a heart-wrenching narrative on girlhood and friendships. Sydney wanders through a quiet suburb, sings from the backseat of an old school eighties Sedan, surveys the aisles of a local grocery store, and watches her friends from the background as it seems they pass her by. It brings the spirit of the song to life in cinematic fashion with just the right amount of vintage grit. -  Billboard chart-topping and Amazon best-selling vocalist Deborah Silver continues to bridge the worlds of classic rock and jazz with her upcoming album, Basie Rocks!, out May 2 on Green Hill Productions. Following the release of “Baby, I Love Your Way” featuring Peter Frampton and her fiery take on The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It, Black” featuring 10-time GRAMMY®-winning Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, along with Pedrito Martínez on percussion, Silver today releases her third song with “Tainted Love” featuring GRAMMY®-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling.  Silver, together with Elling and the 2024 GRAMMY®-winning Count Basie Orchestra, alongside renowned, award-winning jazz composer and arranger, Andy Farber (Jon Hendricks, Wynton Marsalis), transform Soft Cell’s classic synth-pop hit into a sultry smooth reinvention for audiences to enjoy. - Country artist Belles (Kelli Belles) debuts a brand-new music video for her newest single, “Happy Hour”. You can watch the captivating new music video here and listen to “Happy Hour” across all streaming platforms here.  "Happy Hour" cleverly plays on the familiar phrase, telling the story of longing for just one fleeting hour of joy and connection with someone. With lyrics like, "I'd give for one happy hour, one where your kiss is sweet and not sour," the song captures the bittersweet desire for a moment of harmony. The music video, shot at the Bowery Vault in East Nashville, emphasizes the solitude of this yearning emotion, reflecting the quiet ache for peace in a relationship. With its steady tempo, resonant drums, and melodic guitar, the track evokes a vintage feel that beautifully enhances the emotional narrative of the song. The music video was directed by Sydney Tooley and the director of photography was Corbin Schmidt