Around the Tubes: May 17, 2025

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Selena Gomez, Chad Powers, The Drew Carey Show, Born Ruffians, The Kinks, Rihanna, Tennis, Alice Phoebe Lou, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens.

- Vevo, the world's leading music video network, announces the release of Selena Gomez and benny blanco’s short film, named after their album I Said I Love You First, as part of Vevo’s performance series, Extended Play. I Said I Love You First is out now via SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records. Selena Gomez and benny blanco’s short film features their Vevo Extended Play performances of “Sunset Blvd,” “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten” and “Scared Of Loving You,” as well as an interview exploring their creative process, communication style, and journey as a couple.  WATCH HERE

- Meet the new face of college football.  Glen Powell is Chad Powers.  Hulu's new comedy series will premiere September 30th with two episodes. New episodes stream weekly on Tuesdays.   Hulu's half-hour comedy "Chad Powers," from co-creators and executive producers Glen Powell and Michael Waldron will premiere September 30th. Eli Manning serves as executive producer along with Omaha Productions' Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ben Brown and ESPN. Waldron and Adam Fasullo are executive producing for Anomaly Pictures. Luvh Rakhe will executive produce and Tony Yacenda will serve as director and executive producer. The series stars Powell, who is also co-creating, co-writing and executive producing under his production co-banner Barnstorm Productions.

- Get ready to laugh out loud and relive one of television’s most beloved sitcoms when Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment brings The Drew Carey Show: The Complete Series to DVD. For the first time ever, all nine hilarious seasons* will be available in a collectors’ boxset starting May 13, just in time to celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary. Whether you're a longtime fan or discovering it for the first time, this collection is the ultimate way to experience the comic genius of Drew Carey and his misfit crew.  In addition to the DVD, The Drew Carey Show: The Complete Series is also available now to purchase Digitally from AppleTV, Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and more.  To top it off, fans and newcomers alike can explore classic moments and some of their favorite episodes on the Official YouTube Channel for The Drew Carey Show, which also launches today, May 13.

- On June 6, Born Ruffians will release their anticipated new album Beauty’s Pride (pre-order). Today the band is excited to announce the premiere of Beauty’s Pride—an introspective short film crafted as a cinematic companion to the record. The film will debut on YouTube on May 28 at 8 PM ET.  The film is directed by Jared Raab, the award-winning cinematographer behind BlackBerry, Nirvanna the Band the Show, and The Dirties, and produced by Peter Dreimanis, acclaimed Canadian actor and musician, known most recently for his leading role in the feature film Sinners. The concept was developed collaboratively by Raab, Dreimanis, Leah Fay Goldstein (both of Juno Award-winning band July Talk), and Born Ruffians.

- The Kinks, one of the greatest ever British rock groups, continue the 60th Anniversary celebrations of their illustrious musical journey with the final part of their career-defining trilogy, The Journey, out July 11 on BMG.   Available on 2CD, 2LP, Digital and HD Digital formats. The physical formats contain track-by-track commentary by the band and new liner notes from Phil Alexander. You can listen to the packages first cuts, ‘Destroyer (2025 Remaster)’ and ‘I’m Not Like Everybody Else (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1993) HERE & HERE

- Rihanna releases “Friend Of Mine” from Paramount Animation’s SMURFS Movie Soundtrack via Roc Nation Distribution. Rihanna will star as Smurfette in the film, out July 18th. The soundtrack is available for Pre-Order/Pre-Save HERE and will officially release June 13th via Roc Nation Distribution.  “Friend Of Mine” is the second song to come off the soundtrack following “Higher Love” by DESI TRILL featuring DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania and Subhi. “Higher Love” also saw an official music video - watch HERE.

- After releasing their final studio album in April, Face Down In The Garden, acclaimed indie-pop duo Tennis share their last release today. Neutral Poetry: First Recordings, Unreleased Demos 2009-2010 is a new EP of previously unheard tracks from the very beginning of their artistic career. The eight-song collection perfectly bookends their time as a band, bringing it all back to where it first began. The EP includes early versions of such fan favorites as “Cape Dory,” “Marathon,” “South Carolina,” “Baltimore,” and “Pigeon,” along with exclusive demo recordings of the never-before-available songs, “Key Largo,” “April and It’s Still Snowing,” and “One Day This Will Be a Good Songgg” — Stream.  

- Continuing to open her treasure trove of tucked away storytelling from the last decade, globally adored singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou today releases “The Surface.” A story told in reverse, the acoustic offering unfolds like a rose, petal by petal, until the heart is on full display. In all forms, Alice Phoebe Lou no longer feels the need to fear vulnerability — Stream.   “‘The Surface’ is a stream of conscious love song about the deep and contradictory feelings that rise up when exploring a connection with someone you feel strongly about,” she articulates. “It goes through the many phases of holding back and then giving in, starting at the end when someone is finally all in. It talks of the hardships that one has gone through in order to arrive at a place where there is promise of a future and a deep connection and trust. It’s the melting away of our hard outer shells to reach the softer place beneath where we let go and allow ourselves to love and be loved. With just voice and guitar, the music is stripped down and bare like the song.”

- Yusuf/Cat Stevens has today announced his long-awaited memoir, Cat On The Road To Findout. Launching in the U.K. through Constable on Sept. 18 and in North America on Oct. 7 through Genesis Publications, the new autobiography is an extraordinary soul-baring journey through the triumphs, trials, and transcendental quest of one of music’s most enigmatic figures of our time.  More than a memoir, the Yusuf/Cat Stevens story is a backstage pass to the mind of a man who has lived a thousand lives. From his folk troubadour beginnings, to the glamorous chaos of ‘60s pop stardom, to his ‘70s reign as a generational voice, his songs formed a musical odyssey that intricately recorded the journey to self-discovery. Then came his unexpected departure from superstardom, embracing Islam and leaving fans heartbroken.  PRE-ORDER HERE

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 11, 2025

 

Mobland:  So I am guessing the daughter is a goner unless the fixer is able to teleport (or the editors are being really deceptive).  Though how are more of these family members not dead yet?  These are the dumbest mobsters possibly.  Why do they keep killing people who have their own armies to retaliate? 

 

The Walking Dead: Dead City:  Um, so why does Maggie just go back to Alexandra, or Hill Top?  Seems stupid to stay there.  And why does NYC seem like The Warriors now?  This season is going to be a drag.

 

The Last of Us:  Having fully clothed sex right after admitting you are pregnant with someone who is not the father is very weird.  And of all songs that were recorded before the world was destroyed, why a cheesy 80’s song that people only remember because it had innovative music video for its time?

 

The Last Anniversary:   In the end, this show was just like every Liane Moriarty adaptation: interesting set up, but would have been a lot more entertaining if it were a lot more trashy.

 

Andor:  It seemed safe to assume anyone we do not see in Rogue One would likely die on this show.  But that was such a sad way to go out for Cyril.  It seemed like Bix was not long for this world, but at least for now it just seems like she just left.  It will be interesting if she makes an appearance during the final block or will we see her ever again.  Could she have a run in with Mando?  Now the question is how will Luthen die (there is no riding off in the sunset with him)?  Will Kleya go down with him?    Can Vel survive.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  Oh no, Janet has arrived.  This truly is the bad place.  Though it seems like she is Good Janet pretending to be a Bad Janet.  But this was just yet another set up episode as we are waiting for the wedding of the post apocalypse coming next week.

 

Survivor:  What is David doing?  Seriously, what was that?  Too bad they no longer release Ponderosa video because his reunion with Mary would be interesting.

 

Grosse Point Garden Society:  So just what did the PI see?  And does he actually think Brett has put another person’s kid through college money?  Better blackmail Birdy instead.