Around the Tubes:3/11/16

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 Outdoor: Icons Revealed, Skin Wars, He Named Me Malala, Haven, Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops, Home & Family, and Sheet Music Direct.

- Outside TV, America’s preeminent adventure television network, announces the newest installment of the hit show Outlook: Icons Revealed will premiere this Sunday March 13 at 8:00. The episode will take viewers behind the scenes with Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins, as he talks about growing up in Laguna Beach, his love for mountain biking, and his affinity for surfing.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will premiere its third season of Skin Wars, hosted by actress Rebecca Romijn (X-Men), on Wednesday, April 20 at 10:00. Television’s first-ever body painting competition show and GSN’s most-watched original series ever, SKIN WARS seeks to find the most innovative body painter in America. In its third season, twelve contestants will compete in elaborate body painting challenges to avoid elimination and win the approval of judges, including legendary entertainer RuPaul Charles and body painting icons Craig Tracy and Robin Slonina.

- In a new agreement with National Geographic Channels, Hulu has acquired the exclusive streaming video on-demand rights to Academy Award® winner Davis Guggenheim’s feature documentary He Named Me Malala. Following its global television premiere on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo MUNDO this week, the critically acclaimed feature documentary will make its SVOD debut exclusively on Hulu this summer.

- Haven: The Final Season (Street Date: April 19, 2016) presents hometown heroes Audrey, Nathan (Lucas Bryant), Duke (Eric Balfour) and Dwight (Adam Copeland), with challenges unlike any they've experienced before. Across 13 action-packed final episodes, the town of Haven has been cut off from the rest of the world by a mysterious fog bank and is on its own. Through journeys into the past, the future, and the very fabric between worlds, events in Haven hurtle towards a cataclysmic showdown. Will the heroes be able to rid Haven of "the Troubles" forever, or will the town and its inhabitants continue to suffer the curse? Watch and see as tensions rise, allegiances shift and in a harrowing closing chapter, the mystery of "Croatoan" is finally revealed.

- On May 10, Time Life®, creator and direct marketer of unique music and home entertainment products, will deliver Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops, a single DVD featuring three TV Christmas Specials: a rare, never-before-released 1951 special from The Korean War Era , along with shows from 1970 and 1971 - two of the most-watched shows in TV history! Featuring Hope's hilarious monologues and guest stars aplenty, these shows prove that laughter is truly the best medicine, regardless of the time zone or terrain.

Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point ball. Dale Earnhardt’s legendary pink race car. The American flag draped around goalie Jim Craig after the “Miracle on Ice.” All of those historic objects from indelible moments in sports are either lost or in dispute. Now, Smithsonian Channel debuts a unique six-hour docu-series, Sports Detectives, on Sunday, April 24 at 9:00, to try to hunt down the truth of what happened and find missing treasures behind some of the most iconic moments in American sports history.

- Hallmark Channel’s Daytime Emmy® nominated series Home & Family in partnership with DreamJobbing announces a nationwide talent search to find the next DIY star to join the on-air team. One lucky winner will be chosen to become a DIY expert on Home & Family for one week in mid-April, joining co-hosts Mark Steines and Cristina Ferrare as the newest creative Family Member. They will create their own DIY projects for a national audience from the Home & Family set at Universal Studios, Hollywood. DreamJobbing is an online opportunity platform created to inspire people by giving them incredible opportunities and a chance to change their story – from once in a lifetime opportunities such as Wildlife Volunteer in Thailand, to full time positions such as Writer for Lance Bass Productions, LLC. Producers are looking for enthusiastic candidates with strong DIY ideas, the ability to show viewers step-by-step how they created their DIY projects, great on-camera presence and a fun personality. Video applications will be accepted from March 7–April 15, 2016. Submission details and additional information can be found at: dreamjobbing.com/homeandfamily.

Sheet Music Direct, the world's leading digital sheet music website and destination, today released the worldwide production version of its Sheet Music Direct PlayAlong iPad app for amateur to professional musicians who want to learn, plan, record, share, and perform their favorite songs using the latest iOS technology. The App is available now on the iTunes App Store for FREE with an in-app store for optional song title purchases.

Around the Tubes: 3/4/16

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 The Path, Spring Broke, The Brainwashing of my Dad, CeeLo Green: Live In L.A., Yanni: The Drem Concert - Live at the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Joshy, and Satan’s Sisters: A Novel of Fiction.

- The Path follows a family at the center of a controversial cult as they struggle with relationships, faith and power. Each episode takes an in-depth look at the gravitational pull of belief and what it means to choose between the life we live and the life we want. Created by Jessica Goldberg, the show is executive produced by Jason Katims and Michelle Lee of True Jack Productions and stars Aaron Paul, Hugh Dancy and Michelle Monaghan.


- On Friday, March 25th at 9:00, Showtime will premiere Spring Broke, a documentary about the raucous history of the infamous spring vacation revelries in Daytona, Florida. The annual gathering started in the early 60s and by the 1980s led to the arrival of tens of thousands of college students, lured by music, sun, endless parties and eventually, the hope to make it onto MTV.


- Right-wing cable news and "conservative" talk radio attract older Americans like graying moths to an angry flame. But why would someone who was either apolitical or a Democrat in younger days become addicted to conservative talk shows in their twilight years? Filmmaker Jen Senko wondered how her WWII veteran and Kennedy Democrat father had been transformed into a Fox News fanatic, suddenly and inexplicably railing against minorities, homosexuals, poor people, and Democrats. Using her dad as an entertaining example, Senko pulls back the curtain to expose the tools and tricks of the wizards behind the right-wing media revolution. And in discovering what happened to him, Senko reveals the all-too-chilling bigger picture of what’s happening behind-the-scenes to influence our national discourse. The Brainwashing of my Dad, which will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles with a day and date iTunes/Nationwide VOD release on March 18. The film directed by award-winning documentarian Jen Senko.

- Tune in to AT&T Audience Network for CeeLo Green: Live In L.A. airing Friday, March 11 at 9:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). Watch as the GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter thrills the audience--at the gothic-styled Theatre At The ACE Hotel in downtown Los Angeles--with his electric soul band, performing both his classic hits and new fan favorites.

- The No. 1 selling, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and global phenomenon Yanni has performed his distinctive music in exotic and historic locations all across the world. From his groundbreaking concert at the Acropolis to his most recent televised performance at El Morro, Puerto Rico, Yanni has pushed the boundaries of the way audiences experience live music. After performing at China's Forbidden City and India's Taj Mahal, Yanni realized his lifelong dream to perform at the foot of the Sphinx at the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt — the last of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World that remains today. The November 2015 concert was captured in 4K state-of-the-art high definition audio and video, and features a career-spanning selection of fan favorites, along with never-before-performed songs and new arrangements of his classic compositions. Yanni: The Drem Concert - Live at the Great Pyramids of Egypt premieres on PBS stations beginning March 5 (check local listings). A CD/DVD or Blu-ray of the historic concert is out June 3 via Sony Music Masterworks’ imprint Portrait Records, and is available for preorder March 4.

- Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, and Hulu announced this week that they have joined forces to acquire the North American rights to Jeff Baena’s Joshy, featuring an ensemble cast, including Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, and Jenny Slate. The film will be released on Lionsgate’s specialty film distribution label, Lionsgate Premiere, and will be available to stream exclusively on Hulu following its theatrical run.

- Tony, Grammy, and Emmy nominated singer/actress Vanessa Williams has signed on to play the lead role in VH1’s upcoming scripted series inspired by Star Jones 2011 book Satan’s Sisters: A Novel of Fiction. Set in the bright lights of daytime television, the fireworks start every weekday at noon when the hosts of "The Lunch Hour" -- a long-running popular TV talk show -- discuss life, love, family, politics, and gossip. Ms. Williams will play the role of Maxine, the creator and host of “The Lunch Hour;” a formidable, powerful, and decisive woman, but fears she's being put out to pasture. Slated for a 2017 premiere, the series will focus on Maxine and her co-hosts, five women with very different points of view, are best friends and sisters...while they're on TV. But behind the scenes, they are “Satan's Sisters” -- a backstage world filled with power struggles, personal demons, diva fits, love affairs, man troubles, cat fights...and cocktails.

Around the Tubes: 2/26/16

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 The Circus, A Year in Space, Penny Dreadful, Deadbeat, America's Greatest Makers, 2016 MTV Movie Awards, They Will Have To Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile, Dangerous Men, America’s Next Top Model, Bunbury music Festival, and Smurfs™ Epic Run.

- This week, Showtime announced that MSNBC analyst Alex Wagner will be a guest contributor to the Feb. 28 episode of The Circus airing this Sunday at 8:00. Wagner will join the team on the campaign trail in South Carolina this week in the final days before the Democratic primary.

- Scott Kelly, whose current 12-month stay on the International Space Station is testing human limits for space travel and laying the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars, is featured in the first installment of A Year in Space. Scheduled to air on PBS on Wednesday, March 2 from 8:00 (check local listings), A Year in Space is timed to air within a day of Kelly’s planned return to Earth.

- Showtime has released the official trailer for the third season of its hit drama series Penny Dreadful, which premieres on Sunday, May 1 at 10:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet. Starring Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green, Penny Dreadful is a frightening psychological thriller created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator).


- Yesterday morning Tyler Labine and Kal Penn announced all episodes of Hulu Original Deadbeat season three will return on 4/20.

Hulu_DB_S3_ANNOUNCEMENT_FNL (1).mp4
It's lit. Deadbeat season 3 premieres 4/20, only on Hulu.
Posted by Deadbeat on Wednesday, February 24, 2016

- Emmy®-winning producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice) and TBS, a division of Turner, have brought together a panel of celebrity judges for this spring's exciting new tech competition series America's Greatest Makers, created in collaboration with Intel. The roster includes sports legends Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith; Emmy-nominated actress Mayim Bialik, who co-stars in the hit series The Big Bang Theory; and Massimo Banzi, maker and co-founder and CEO of Arduino, which makes popular development boards for inventors to create. America's Greatest Makers is set to premiere on TBS Tuesday, April 5, at 9:00.

- Global box-office powerhouses and stars of the upcoming action comedy, Central Intelligence, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart today announced via this video they will host the 2016 MTV Movie Awards. This year’s show will tape at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif. on Saturday, April 9, to air on Sunday, April 10, at 8:00. For the first time ever, MTV will take the telecast entirely outdoors and onto the backlot to capture the essence of movie making magic against a dramatic nighttime backdrop. Performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

- Since 2007, March 3 has been declared Music Freedom Day around the globe. With unique musical events and initiatives in more than 30 countries, the day commemorating freedom of expression and human rights continues to captivate millions. This March, BBC Worldwide North America will release They Will Have To Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile, a feature-length documentary which bowed at 2015's SXSW Film Festival. Directed by Johanna Schwartz and featuring an original score by Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), the film - hailed by Indiewire as a "gripping, powerful documentary" and "social journalism of the highest order" by The Austin Chronicle - will open at New York City's Village East Cinema on March 4 and Los Angeles' Laemmle Santa Monica Theater on April 1 and other markets. The commissioned soundtrack, featuring some of Mali's most exciting artists, also releases on March 4.

- Drafthouse Films, the curatorial force behind exceptional repertory releases such as the ninja-blasting synthrock monolith Miami Connection, the psychedelic sci-fi brain-melter The Visitor, and the most dangerous movie ever made, Roar, have announced the their latest cult sensation, Dangerous Men arriving on Blu-ray/DVD for the first time ever this April 5th.


- The most successful fashion show in TV history America’s Next Top Model will rightfully return to the world’s fashion capital New York City for a reinvented debut on VH1. CBS Television Distribution (CTD) and VH1 are partnering on a new season of the iconic franchise for a new generation. Details on the premiere date and a new, re-imagined cast of host and judges will be announced at a later time.

- PromoWest Productions announced today the 2016 lineup for Bunbury Music Festival, set to take place in downtown Cincinnati’s Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove June 3-5. The festival will feature an eclectic lineup spanning three days. Bunbury Music Festival celebrates its fifth year in 2016 and will transform the banks of the Ohio River into a vibrant music festival experience. PromoWest Productions’ Scott Stienecker, festival owner, says, “We are very excited to host the festival again this year. This lineup is the best yet! We are also looking forward to implementing the latest fest technology with RFID wristbands which should alleviate any challenges that we came across in 2015.” Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. For ticket information and pricing visit BunburyFestival.com/tickets.

Ubisoft today released an update to its mobile hit, Smurfs™ Epic Run. The update, titled, “Ancient Forest,” is a new zone full of Smurfy content, 15 levels to complete and a new hero to unlock – Pilot Smurf! Smurfs Epic Run is FREE to Download. Here are the links:

- iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smurfs-epic-run/id969044213?l=fr&ls=1&mt=8
- Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubisoft.smurfs
- Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01829GFV8

Around the Tubes: 2/19/16

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 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Revealed, A Year in Space, Conan, Satan’s Sisters, truTV premiere dates, The Mindy Project, morphsuits, Ray Donovan, and The Breaks.

- Earlier this week, Sports Illustrated, TNT and IMG announced who will grace the cover of this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue during the one-hour special Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Revealed. Hosts Rebecca Romijn and Nick Cannon announced that for the first time in the history of the annual issue, there will be three separate covers featuring three different models: Hailey Clauson, Ashley Graham and Ronda Rousey.



- President and CEO Paula A. Kerger announced this week at the Television Critics Association Press Tour that PBS has commissioned the two-part series A Year in Space, adapted from TIME’s original digital video series about astronaut Scott Kelly, whose current 12-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS) is testing human limits for space travel and laying the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars. The first installment of A Year in Space, which tracks Scott Kelly’s mission from training and launch, through his 12 months aboard the International Space Station, right up through his descent and landing is scheduled to air on PBS on Wednesday, March 2 from 8:00 (check local listings), timed within a day of Scott’s planned return to Earth. The second installment is scheduled to air in 2017.

- TBS's late-night show Conan will welcome the entire cast of the hit comedy The Big Bang Theory on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 11:00. Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch will all join host Conan O'Brien for a special episode celebrating the 200th episode of television's most popular comedy series, which will air Thursday, Feb. 25, at 8:00 on CBS. TBS, a division of Turner, presents episodes of The Big Bang Theory during primetime five nights a week.

- VH1 has given the greenlight to a one-hour scripted series inspired by Star Jones’ 2011 book Satan's Sisters. Set in the bright lights of daytime television, Satan’s Sisters is the story of The Lunch Hour -- a long-running, popular ladies' talk show in which alliances are forged, careers are made, and bridges are burned. Slated for a 2017 premiere, the series will focus on the five female co-hosts of a popular daily TV talk show and the fireworks that ensue each weekday when they discuss life, love, family, politics, and gossip.

- truTV, a division of Turner, unveiled premiere dates for its upcoming spring lineup, including the return of hit hidden-camera comedy series The Carbonaro Effect (March 23) and the humorous and practical life-hack series Hack My Life (March 29), as well as the launch of the new comedy-centric documentary series truInside (Feb. 29), the bite-size content comedy series Late Night Snack (March 3) and the comedic competition Comedy Knockout (April 21).

- The Mindy Project is back April 12! New episodes of The Mindy Project streaming Tuesdays only on Hulu.

- Ever found yourself watching a film that’s set somewhere far off and beautiful and you suddenly want to leap straight into the screen and on to that gorgeous beach, stunning countryside or happening cityscape? Yup, us too. Which is why we compiled a list of our favourite movie locations. If you can’t go there, at least you can dream, right? And if you don't have the cash to visit all these places you could always dress up as characters from them? Although it may not be quite as much fun, admittedly. For Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney or Harry Potter fancy dress costumes jet set over to morphsuits.com.

- Emmy nominee Lisa Bonet will guest star in a season-long arc on the fourth season of the hit Showtime drama series Ray Donovan. Bonet will play Marisol, a dangerously unstable woman with a damaging secret. Ray Donovan is currently in production in Los Angeles, and will return to Showime later this year on-air, on demand and over the internet.

- VH1’s Original Movie The Breaks has been greenlit for a series slated to premiere on VH1 in late 2016.

Around the Tubes: 2/12/16

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 Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors, Dice, Roadies, Triumph’s Election Special 2016, Boom Bust Boom, King of Beasts: The Story of Lion Trophy Hunting, Live At 9:30, The AV Club, 3 Doors Down, 12 Monkeys, and VH1 Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn.

- Just in time for Mother's Day, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release the critically acclaimed film Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors on DVD for the first time on May 3, 2016. Experience the magic and warmth of the television movie event that is based on the inspiring true story of living legend Dolly Parton's remarkable upbringing in rural Tennessee. To date, initial broadcast of Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors has delivered 15.9M total viewers (Live+7), becoming the #1 movie on broadcast with total viewers in more than 6 years.* Furthermore, Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors has the highest total viewer L+SD to L+3 increase (2.548 M) ever!** The family-oriented faith-based movie stars Jennifer Nettles (award-winning singer/songwriter and lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland), Ricky Schroder (NYPD Blue, The Lost Battalion, 24), Gerald McRaney (Agent X, Mike & Molly, Longmire, House of Cards), and Alyvia Alyn Lind (Transparent, Revenge, Blended). Dolly Parton introduces the film and serves as narrator. Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors also contains an alternate version of the movie, deleted scenes and heartwarming extras. The DVD is priced to own at $19.98 SRP.

- This week, Showtime announced that its new comedy series Dice will premiere on Sunday, April 10th at 9:30, on-air, on demand and over the internet. The scripted, semi-autobiographical series will follow the life of renowned comedian, Andrew Dice Clay, chronicling the stops and starts of his career resurgence in his transplanted home base of Las Vegas. The series also stars Kevin Corrigan, and guest stars Natasha Leggero, Lorraine Bracco, Adrien Brody, Michael Rapaport, Wayne Newton, Criss Angel and Rita Rudner. DICE joins the SHOWTIME comedy slate that includes Shsmeless, House of Lies, Episodes, Roadies and I'm Dying up Here. To watch and share the first trailer for Dice, go to: s.sho.com/1Qazl0k.

- Showtime is celebrating music’s unsung heroes at the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music, Film and Interactive Festival, in honor of Oscar® winner Cameron Crowe’s new music series Roadies, premiering on the network this summer. Showtime will be taking over Clive Bar on Rainey Street in Austin from March 16-18 for a three-day music experience featuring bands performing every hour on the hour for afternoon and evening sessions. Featured acts will include Jamestown Revival, Ra Ra Riot, Sun Kil Moon, Black Joe Lewis, Grizfolk, White Denim and headliners The Head and The Heart, among many others. ROADIES stars Luke Wilson (Old School, Enlightened) and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominee Carla Gugino (San Andreas) will be on hand to introduce Friday’s headliners to the SXSW Music crowd. In addition, Showtime will once again be the exclusive sponsor of the Festival’s multi-platform SXSW GO app, as well as the Film, Interactive and Music Festival’s shuttle buses.

- Triumph’s Election Special 2016 is streaming now on Hulu! In the Hulu Special, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog reports from the primary states, chases down Ted Cruz and other candidates, attends town halls, debates and Trump rallies. All this plus a spirited roundtable discussion including Alan Dershowitz and Sanjaya. See below for available photos and clips:

- A timely call to action, Monty Python Terry Jones’ new feature documentary Boom Bust Boom investigates the worldwide economic crash of 2008, and how we can avoid another global collapse in the future. Analyzing the direct link between the unstable financial system and our reliance on mainstream economics, the film puts a spotlight on the mistakes of the past some politicians and central bankers would like us to forget. A mix of live action, animation, puppetry and song, the film charts the ancient cycle of boom and bust and offers the world a solution.


- Beginning in the summer of 2011, a production four years in the making will launch a final push to spread its message to the world. King of Beasts: The Story of Lion Trophy Hunting is a provocative and timely documentary by award-winning directors Nadav Harel (Area K: A Political Fishing Documentary, Electric Mind, Absent God) and Tomer Almagor (9 Full Moons, Spare), who explore the motivation and fascination behind the highly controversial industry of lion trophy hunting and the environment and economies in which hunters pursue their ultimate ambition.

- Launching nationwide on public television this April is a new series unlike any other: Live At 9:30 Hosted by Squarespace – an unpredictable, modern-day music variety show. Off the beaten path in Washington, D.C. is one of the world’s greatest music venues -- the 9:30 Club. It’s the most-attended music club of its size in the world – a 1200-person venue where world-famous artists have started their careers, refined their sounds, and played legendary shows. Now it’s home to TV’s most groundbreaking music show. Click here for Indiegogo campaign.

- In a season where the Harlem Globetrotters taught the Pope to spin basketballs and released two music videos, the world famous team continues to prove to be everywhere during their 90th year. The latest comes out of Chicago, where Slick Willie Shaw and El Gato Melendez stopped by the offices of The A.V. Club in Chicago. The basketball spinning duo dropped in on Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and his son Spencer while covering Adele's "Hello" for an "Undercover" series. The video can be found here:

- New song alert: The Broken is now available everywhere! Read about it on Huffington Post. It's the first track off our new album Us And The Night, and if you pre-order the album right now, you'll get an instant MP3 download of it...plus an MP3 of "In The Dark" too!

- Hulu today announced an agreement with NBCUniversal that will make all episodes of Syfy’s critically-acclaimed time-travel thriller 12 Monkeys exclusive to the streaming service on February 24th, and adds full seasons of hit series, plus children’s programming to the Hulu library. 12 Monkeys from Universal Cable Productions will return for its second season on Syfy on Monday, April 18th at 9:00. Viewers will be able to catch up on the entire first season of the series on Hulu beginning February 24th. All first season episodes will be available to stream exclusively through Hulu’s No Commercials and Limited Commercial subscription plans.

- Blood is thicker than water – but the harsh spotlight of fame can thin it out for some families. Just ask infamous families like The Gosselins, The Duggars or The Hogans. While fame and fortune can give you almost everything you desire, it certainly doesn't buy happiness, heal past wounds or solve deep-rooted family issues. Dr. Jenn Mann returns to the couch for a new kind of therapy this spring. From the executive producers of VH1 Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn, VH1 will premiere the new series VH1 Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn on Wednesday, March 16th at 9:00.

Around the Tubes: 2/5/16

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 Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Those Who Can't, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Revealed, Family Feud, The Lineup, Sun Studio Sessions, Alaska Aircraft Investigations, Penny Dreadful, and the Swon Brothers.

- Samantha Bee just couldn't let the Iowa caucuses pass by without adding her own take. So check out some special video segments at youtube.com/fullfrontalsamb. And be sure to tune in to the series premiere of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, airing Monday, Feb. 8, at 10:30, only on TBS.

- Those Who Can't, truTV's first venture into full-length scripted comedy, premieres Thursday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 with two back-to-back episodes. The 10 episode, half-hour series follows three trouble-making teachers, played by show creators and executive producers Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl and Ben Roy of the Denver-based comedy troupe The Grawlix. More inept than the kids they teach, they’re out to beat the system as they struggle to survive each day on their own terms. Starring alongside them is Maria Thayer (Eagleheart) the school librarian with an insuppressible passion for life. Beginning February 1, fans can get a sneak peek of two episodes of the series at truTV.com. The series premiere is also available now on iTunes and Video on Demand.

- Sports Illustrated, a Time Inc. media property, IMG and TNT are teaming up for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Revealed, a first-of-its-kind broadcast event that will culminate with the unveiling of the 2016 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model. Actor, comedian and recording artist Nick Cannon and The Librarians star and Skin Wars host Rebecca Romijn are set to lead the festivities, which will celebrate the amazing women in this year’s edition, including Nina Agdal, Irina Shayk, Chrissy Teigen, Gigi Hadid, Emily DiDonato, Erin Heatherton, Chanel Iman and more. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Revealed will air Saturday, Feb. 13, at 10:30 p.m. (ET) / 7:30 p.m. (PT) dur ing NBA All-Star Weekend on TNT, following the network's coverage of State Farm NBA All-Star Saturday Night.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will present a five-hour marathon of romance-themed episodes of the iconic game show Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey, on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, from 6:00-11:00pm.

- Fuse, a national television network for the fast-growing, multicultural and Latino audience, today announced The Lineup, a new unscripted series showcasing the music that influences the everyday lives of some of the biggest names in sports. The series premieres Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 9:00, but viewers will get a sneak peek at The Lineup on Saturday, February 6 at 9:00.

- Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca is set to appear on the season 7 premiere of Sun Studio Sessions, the show that features performances recorded at the legendary studio in Memphis, TN. Lucca’s episode will begin airing Saturday, February 6, 2016, at 10 p.m. on WKNO (PBS Ch.10) in Memphis, TN. Fans should check local listings for subsequent airings; “Sun Studio Sessions” appears on PBS stations across the country. After being on the show’s radar for a while, Lucca shot the six-song solo performance last year (including the songs “Anchored,” “Delilah,” “Old Girl,” “Smoke ’Em,” “Sparrow,” and “Sweat It Out”). After living in the Music City and honing his songwriting craft, recording, and writing in town for years now, Tony Lucca has the energy and spirit of Nashville coursing through his veins, so the session in Memphis is a perfect fit for him.

- Alaska is more dependent on airplanes than any other state in the country. But with that dependence comes danger: during the summer, Alaska faces an average of one plane crash every day. The region’s plane accidents range from the historic crash that claimed the life of Senator Ted Stevens to the single-engine plane that crashed into an office building in downtown Anchorage in 2015. The new Smithsonian Channel series, Alaska Aircraft Incestigations, goes behind-the-scenes with unprecedented access to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Alaska “Go Team.” For the first time, The NTSB has allowed a television crew to follow its Alaska unit as it investigates the more than 125 crashes that occur in the state every year. The series, comprised of six hour-long episodes, premieres Sunday, March 13 at 9:00.

- The hit Showtime drama series Penny Dreadful is heading to Spain to shoot select episodes for its third season. Shooting in the city of Almería in the Andalusia region, the episodes will follow Ethan (Josh Hartnett), Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton), new series regular Kaetenay (Wes Studi) and Hecate (guest star Sarah Greene) as they battle dark forces in the 1800s American West. The new season will premiere on Sunday, May 1st at 10:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet.

- In the year since their self-titled debut release, Oklahoma duo The Swon Brothers have racked up hundreds of shows, written with many of Nashville’s top tunesmiths, and connected with thousands of fans across the globe, and their latest EP, Timeless is a great reflection of the growth and experiences that have shaped them since they first started their musical journey years ago. The new collection provides a glimpse into the boys’ more soulful side with a sound that truly mirrors where they are musically at this moment in time, and they are eager to deliver this new crop of tunes to fans as they embark on the Carrie Underwood tour for 40-plus dates opening for the female vocal powerhouse and their longtime friend.

Around the Tubes: 1/29/16

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 Generation X, Stop Hate Dump Trump, Brian Wilson, Hulu, Predator Road Trip, Showtime Championship Boxing on CBS, Billions and VH1.

- America’s neglected middle child: That’s what a 2014 Pew Research study called Generation X, the 65 million people born in 1961-1981. Sandwiched between the baby boomers and millennials, Gen-Xers have always seemed to live in the shadow of those who came before and after them. But these so-called cynics have turned their childhood experiences into some of the biggest achievements the world has ever seen.
National Geographic Channel’s new series Generation X, narrated by Christian Slater, premieres Sunday, Feb. 14, at 10:00 following the new season premiere of Brain Games. Each hour examines one major milestone of Generation X — from the premiere of “Reality Bites” to the remarkable presidential election of 2008 to the legalization of gay marriage — and then breaks it down to explore the political, cultural and economic forces at play. Using original interviews with gen X members and archival footage from the era, the series puts the Generation in the spotlight it has long deserved.

- A diverse coalition cutting across race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and party affiliation has organized to give voice to Americans calling out Donald Trump for his hate speech, misogyny, Islamaphobia, and racism. A new web site, stophatedumptrump.com, will provide a platform for those who do not and will not stand for the continued threats, rhetoric and fear mongering by the Republican Presidential front-runner.

- Music legend Brian Wilson has announced a 2016 world tour to celebrate and perform the iconic album Pet Sounds for a final time, in honor of its 50th anniversary. Originally released on May 16, 1966, Pet Sounds is universally hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time. With more than 70 dates being confirmed, and several previously announced dates selling out in record time, Wilson and his band will be joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin when they kick off the tour this Spring. Concert stops include dates in Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, and Portugal followed by a full U.S. tour later this Summer and Fall. Fans can expect a live performance of Pet Sounds in its entirety, as well as top hits and fan favorites spanning his 54-year career with The Beach Boys and as a solo artist. Ticket presales begin January 27 with the official onsale January 29 in most markets. Additional dates and special events to be announced. For up-to-date information, please visit BrianWilson.com.

- In a groundbreaking agreement, Hulu and IFC Films have closed a landmark output deal that will make Hulu the exclusive streaming home for all future documentary releases from IFC Films, which will include all documentaries from the brands IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. The multi-year agreement marks the first time these documentary films will be available on Hulu within the first window following their initial release in theaters and on-demand. Future IFC Films documentaries will be available to stream through Hulu’s No Commercials and Limited Commercial subscription plans. Beginning this fall, Hulu will be the exclusive streaming video on-demand home to highly anticipated documentary releases from IFC Films, and will be the only destination to stream future documentaries from IFC Films following their run in theaters. The deal also grants Hulu the streaming rights to debut future trailers for all IFC Films documentaries.

- He’s called the “Lion Whisperer” because he shares an extraordinary bond with Africa’s most fearsome predators. Now Kevin Richardson faces his biggest challenge yet – a battle to transport 27 lions, 4 black leopards and 14 hyenas to a new home, a sanctuary on the edge of the Dinokeng Game Reserve in South Africa. Smithsonian Channel follows Richardson and the move in a new special airing in two-parts, Predator Road Trip: Backseat Lion, premiering Wednesday, February 24 at 8:00, and Predator Road Trip: Hyena Breakout on Wednesday, March 2 at 8:00.

- WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman will defend his title against former champ “Showtime” Shawn Porter in a blockbuster matchup of two of the world’s best 147-pound fighters on Saturday, March 12 on Showtime Championship Boxing on CBS.

- On the heels of delivering the biggest premiere week ever for the network, Showtime has picked up its new critically-acclaimed drama Billions for a second season. BILLIONS had the best series debut performance ever for a Showtime original series with 6.5 million viewers, besting the series premiere of Ray Donovan by 7 percent (with 6.1 million viewers in June 2013). Starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, Billions airs Sundays at 10:00. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc.

- Love is in the air at VH1, a network that loves love. Who else has created 30 series with “Love” in the show title? (Think about it.) VH1 will celebrate Valentine’s Day with its first-ever “14 Days of Love” event, a two-week marathon of love-themed programming airing Monday, February 1 through Sunday, February 14. America will fall in love all over again when the “14 Days Of Love” event brings fan favorites Flavor Flav, Tiffany “New York” Pollard, and Bret Michaels back into viewers’ living rooms with encores of the entire first seasons of the biggest shows of love in TV history: Flavor of Love, which debuted on VH1 on January 1, 2006, I Love New York, and Rock of Love With Bret Michaels.

Around the Tubes: 1/22/16

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 Triumph's Election Special 2016, The Open Mind, The Great Human Race, Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Major League Legends, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, Comedy Knockout, Genius by Stephan Hawking, A Year in Space, and Hamilton's America.

- Hulu will be the exclusive streaming home to Triumph's Election Special 2016, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog’s one-hour election extravaganza from Funny Or Die. The Hulu Special will become available to stream through Hulu’s No Commercials and Limited Commercial subscription plans beginning early February. In Triumph's Election Special 2016, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog hits the 2016 presidential campaign trail. Viewers will be taken from Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina in a tenacious news-gathering journey in the heat of the primary election season. Triumph has already visited a Democratic Debate, a Tea Party Convention, and followed a string of Ted Cruz bus appearances. In addition to crashing campaign events and mocking the press for their thirst for controversy, Triumph will take on hard-hitting issues of concern to voters on each side of the spectrum. “A quote? I don’t have time for this (expletive deleted),” said Triumph.

- This weekend airs a rare interview with The Co-Chairs on the Commission of Presidential Debates: Michael McCurry & Frank Fahrenkopf discuss the General Election 2016 debates on the upcoming episode of the PBS TV series The Open Mind, hosted by Alexander Heffner: thirteen.org/openmind. The Open Mind series encourages thoughtful discourse and provocative exchanges -- hosting an eclectic mix of guests, from Independent senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to producer Jill Soloway to bestselling novelist Salman Rushdie and comedian J.B. Smoove.

- The human race is resilient. For millions of years, our species has fought for survival. We transformed rocks into tools, sticks into weapons and friction into fire — enabling us to spread across the continents and endure the planet’s harshest terrains. Now, National Geographic Channel (NGC) embarks on that journey across the globe in an epic new series, The Great Human Race, premiering in the U.S. on Monday, Feb. 1, at 10:00 and globally later this year in 171 countries and 44 languages.

- Certain images are permanently etched into our national memory, and the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion is one of them. On Jan. 28, 1986, with the eyes of the world watching, the space shuttle abruptly burst into flames during a live television broadcast. All seven crewmembers died, including a social studies teacher who was supposed to be the first American civilian in space. The heartbreaking tragedy instantly became a defining moment in American history. To mark the 30th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, the National Geographic Channel combed through long-forgotten news footage, radio reports, audio recordings and rarely seen NASA footage to retell the events leading up to, during and immediately after that fateful day. Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes, premiering Monday, Jan. 25, at 9:00, takes viewers behind the scenes of this compelling and historic story in a way never before seen. Produced by the Peabody-award winning producers of “MLK: The Assassination Tapes,” the one-hour special includes no narration and no commentators, instead unfolding the story solely through the reports of journalists covering the story at the time, extensive audio and video recordings from NASA and archived interviews with the flight crew and others who were part of the one-of-a-kind mission.

- Spun off from Robert Rodriguez's cult classic film franchise, Season One of Miramax/El Rey Network's From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series centered on bank robber Seth Gecko (D.J. Cotrona) and his violent, unpredictable brother Richard "Richie" Gecko (Zane Holtz). On the lam to Mexico, they encountered former pastor Jacob Fuller (Robert Patrick) and his family, whom they took hostage in the family RV. Following an ill-advised detour to the culebra-infested Titty Twister, they were forced to fight until dawn to get out alive. Across 10 explosive, SFX-filled episodes in From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series - The Complete Season Two (Street Date: February 2, 2016), core relationships deepen and become more complicated as everyone tries to put their lives back on track after one very insane day. Santánico and Richie are now partners in crime, resembling a more modern version of Bonnie and Clyde; Seth and Kate are scraping by as small time criminals south of the border; and Freddie Gonzalez has an almost obsessive focus on protecting his wife and young daughter in the suburbs. Carlos Madrigal and Scott Fuller emerge from the Titty Twister, changed men. They will all come together once again - this time facing off against an even bigger threat.

- Smithsonian Channel and Major League Baseball have teamed up to tell the stories of four players who transcended the National Pastime and left legacies as true American icons: Hank Aaron, who surmounted racism in the Deep South and became baseball’s home run king; Babe Ruth, who emerged from a troubled youth to become America’s first superstar celebrity; Lou Gehrig, the embodiment of integrity who achieved immortality for his bravery in facing a terrible disease that now bears his name; and Ted Williams, who aspired to be the greatest hitter ever and inspired generations with his quest for perfection. Major League Legends will premiere over four consecutive Monday nights beginning February 29 at 8:00 with a special Black History Month presentation of Major League Legends: Hank Aaron.

- Who is God? Where did we come from? Why does evil happen? What happens when we die? Every human being on earth has asked themselves these questions at some point, and most likely each person has found a different answer. This spring, National Geographic Channel and Revelation Entertainment’s epic series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, produced by Freeman, Lori McCreary and James Younger, will take viewers on a trip around the world to explore different cultures and religions on the ultimate quest to uncover the meaning of life, God and all these big questions in between. The Story of God with Morgan Freeman premieres Sunday, April 3 at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel.

- truTV this week announced a greenlight for the new comedic competition series Comedy Knockout which pits comedians against each other in a series of fast paced challenges with the audience having sole discretion to decide who is the funniest person in the room. In each episode, host Damien Lemon (Guy Code) sends three comics into a battle of high stakes comedic gameplay. With points doled out based on the audience’s applause, it’s all about one-upmanship as competitors attempt to landj massive comedy blows and whip the rowdy crowd into a frenzy of raucous laughter. The whole time, the comedians throw roast-like, rapid-fire jabs at each other to knock their opponents off balance. Each show ends with one comedian crowned Champion, one eliminated, and one ultimately forced to face the crowd and apologize for going down in shameful defeat. Comedy Knockout will premiere on truTV in April 2016 with 10 half-hour episodes.

- PBS President and CEO Paula A. Kerger announced this week at the PBS portion of the Television Critics Association Press Tour that PBS, with National Geographic as its international broadcast partner, has commissioned a new six-part science series. Genius by Stephen Hawking, from production company Bigger Bang, will be presented and narrated by renowned theoretical physicist Prof. Stephen Hawking. In each episode, a different group of ordinary people will be challenged to think like the greatest scientific minds in history in order to solve some of humanity’s most enduring questions. GENIUS will air on PBS in the U.S. in 2016, and internationally on National Geographic Channel.

- President and CEO Paula A. Kerger announced this week at the Television Critics Association Press Tour that PBS has commissioned the two-part series A Year in Space, adapted from TIME’s original digital video series about astronaut Scott Kelly, whose current 12-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS) is testing human limits for space travel and laying the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars. The first installment of A Year in Space, which tracks Scott Kelly’s mission from training and launch, through his 12 months aboard the International Space Station, right up through his descent and landing is scheduled to air on PBS on Wednesday, March 2 from 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings), timed within a day of Scott’s planned return to Earth. The second installment is scheduled to air in 2017.

- PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger announced today at the Television Critics Association Press Tour that it will air Hamilton's America, a feature film documentary providing intimate access to Lin-Manuel Miranda and his colleagues during the two years leading up to the Broadway opening of the musical Hamilton. A contemporary perspective of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s revolutionary musical based on the life of United States Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton's America will come to Great Performances in the fall 2016, and will be a highlight of PBS’s Arts programming.

Around the Tubes: 1/15/16

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 Showtime news, Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee, Smurfs Epic Run, Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes, Supercar Superbuild, and Heartbreaker.

- SHOWTIME will be available to over 70 million households during a Free Preview Weekend from Saturday, January 16 through Monday, January 18. Viewers nationwide will be able to sample the network’s award-winning programming on SHOWTIME, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and select distributors' TV Everywhere portals. The Free Preview weekend will include sampling of the series premieres of the powerful new drama series BILLIONS, starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, and the groundbreaking new political series THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH. Immediately following the series premiere of BILLIONS, SHOWTIME will offer a special sneak peek of the second episode on demand, on SHOWTIME ANYTIME and on the SHOWTIME streaming service starting at 11 p.m. ET. Additionally, viewers will be able to sample new episodes of the hit comedy series SHAMELESS, along with SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING heavyweight matches and feature films, including the world television premiere of the Oscar®-winning film The Imitation Game.

- Here are some other Showtime headlines from the TCA's:
HIT SHOWTIME® COMEDY SERIES SHAMELESS GETS SEVENTH SEASON PICK-UP
SHOWTIME® ANNOUNCES SPRING PREMIERE DATES FOR HOUSE OF LIES AND PENNY DREADFUL; HOUSE OF LIES Set For Sunday, April 10th at 9 PM ET/PT And PENNY DREADFUL On Sunday, May 1st at 10 PM ET/PT Across All Platforms

- In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month holidays, Muta’Ali Muhammad, grandson of legendary actors and activists Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis, will be premiering the documentary, Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee, on Centric TV January 17, 2016 at 3:00pm. The film will also be released February 1st via iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.


-This week, Ubisoft invites players to enter the magical world of the Smurfs with the latest game installment, SmurfsTM Epic Run. Available today for free on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Amazon, Smurfs Epic Run is a state-of-the-art 2D platform mobile game developed by Ubisoft Paris [Mobile]. The game challenges players to run, jump, glide, rush and dash through more than 100 levels, all with the goal of freeing the captive Smurfs.


- Certain images are permanently etched into our national memory, and the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion is one of them. On Jan. 28, 1986, with the eyes of the world watching, the space shuttle abruptly burst into flames during a live television broadcast. All seven crewmembers died, including a social studies teacher who was supposed to be the first American civilian in space. The heartbreaking tragedy instantly became a defining moment in American history. To mark the 30th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, the National Geographic Channel combed through long-forgotten news footage, radio reports, audio recordings and rarely seen NASA footage to retell the events leading up to, during and immediately after that fateful day. Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes, premiering Monday, Jan. 25, at 9/8c, takes viewers behind the scenes of this compelling and historic story in a way never before seen. Produced by the Peabody-award winning producers of “MLK: The Assassination Tapes,” the one-hour special includes no narration and no commentators, instead unfolding the story solely through the reports of journalists covering the story at the time, extensive audio and video recordings from NASA and archived interviews with the flight crew and others who were part of the one-of-a-kind mission.

- The new Smithsonian Channel four-part series, Supercar Superrbuild, premiering Sunday, February 14 at 9:00, goes behind the inherent beauty, amazing mechanical prowess, and basic building process of Maserati, Lamborghini, Bentley and Aston Martin, four of the world’s leading luxury automakers, as they attempt to produce what they hope is their next iconic car.

- Check out brand new trailer below for Heartbeat (starring Melissa George), coming soon to NBC! Based on the real life and achievements of Dr. Kathy Magliato, this unique character-driven medical drama follows Dr. Alex Panttiere, an outspoken world-renowned heart transplant surgeon and one of the few women in her field. Stubborn and fearless, Alex always operates on her own terms. She revels in a racy personal life that's a full-time job in itself, manages the daily demands of skeptical faculty and dutiful interns, and pushes the boundaries of medical science to impressive new heights.

Around the Tubes: 1/8/16

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 Angie Tribeca, A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House, The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, Conan, JeruZalem, The Little Prince, Mad Men, House of Lies, The Coral Burnett Show, Unreal, People of Earth, Tales from the Crypt, and The Offspring.

- TBS's eagerly anticipated debut of the new series Angie Tribeca just got a whole lot bigger. As part of the network's 25-hour marathon kicking off the show, TBS will hold an all-day, all-night launch party packed with stars from Angie Tribeca and other TBS shows, along with special guests, surprise appearances, music, comedy and so much more. Binge-A-Thon: 25 Hours of Commercial-Free Angie Tribeca Episodes Plus Comedy with the Cast and Friends in Studio LIVE! will air in segments between episodes throughout the entire Angie Tribeca launch marathon, which begins Sunday, Jan. 17, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

- Three-time Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Keb’ Mo’, recently performed at a special concert, hosted by President and Mrs. Obama, called A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House. The concert is set to air this Friday, Jan. 8, 2016 on PBS. Specific air times are available through local listings.

- Showtime has officially announced the airdate of its new groundbreaking political series The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth. The series will premiere on Sunday, January 17th at 8:00. Produced in cooperation with Bloomberg Politics and featuring Bloomberg Politics managing editors Mark Halperin and John Heilemann and noted campaign strategist and media advisor Mark McKinnon. The real-time documentary series will pull back the curtain on the 2016 presidential race, revealing the intense, irreverent, inspiring and infuriating stories behind the headlines of what promises to be one of the most fascinating and consequential elections in modern history. Premiering in advance of the Iowa caucuses, The Circus will deliver the stories as they are happening and examine what really goes on behind the carefully constructed facade of a presidential campaign in real time.

- Showtime will debut the world television premiere of Oscar® nominee Spike Lee’s latest documentary, Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, on Friday, February 5th at 9:00, with multiple plays throughout the month on-air, on demand and over the internet. The film focuses on a rarely examined chapter of Jackson’s career as he evolves from the lead singer of Jackson 5 to a solo artist recording what will become his breakthrough, seminal 1979 pop record, Off The Wall. Audiences will travel with the global superstar as he strikes a new path with CBS Records, first with his brothers as The Jacksons and then stepping out on his own to create his own music with his own team. This illuminating portrait traces how an earnest, passionate, hard-working young man becomes the “King of Pop.”

- TBS has set Monday, Jan. 25, for the premiere of Conan in Qatar, featuring Conan O'Brien and First Lady Michelle Obama on their recent trip to visit U.S. troops stationed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar. This latest in a string of global excursions for Conan will mark his second trip abroad to perform for the men and women of the United States military. In May 2003, he visited Kuwait and Bahrain on a USO tour.

- One of the year’s most anticipated horror films, JeruZalem is a unique, point-of-view style horror film directed by Doron and Yoav Paz. The film follows Rachel (Jane the Virgin star Yael Grobglas), and her friend Sarah (Danielle Jadelyn), two American girls on vacation in Jerusalem who find themselves trapped in the middle of an epic apocalypse. Shot on location amongst the monuments of Jerusalem’s Old City, which is typically prohibited to filmmakers, the film features extraordinary footage of the city’s ancient architecture and religious landmarks. The film also utilizes extensive point-of-view footage, shown from the perspective of Sarah’s Go ogle Glass-type smart eyewear, as she uses the glasses’ GPS, facial recognition and other apps to navigate the city and identify potentially threatening strangers.

- The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Paramount Pictures’ The Little Prince at the Arlington Theatre on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016. Directed by Mark Osborne and featuring the voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Ricky Gervais, James Franco, Mackenzie Foy, and Benicio Del Toro, The Little Prince is based on the classic tale of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Opening Night Film + Gala is co-sponsored by Bella Vista Designs.

- In Mad Men: A Cultural History, M. Keith Booker and Bob Batchelor offer an engaging analysis of the series, providing in-depth examinations of its many themes and nostalgic portrayals of the years from Camelot to Vietnam and beyond. Highly regarded cultural scholars and critics, Booker and Batchelor examine the show in its entirety, presenting readers with a deep but accessible exploration of the series, as well as look at its larger meanings and implications. This cultural history perspective reveals Mad Men’s critical importance as a TV series, as well as its role as a tool for helping viewers understand how they are shaped by history and culture.

- House of Lies is Havana-bound! Marty (series star and executive producer Don Cheadle) and the Pod are en route to Cuba for one episode of the fifth season of the hit Showtime comedy, premiering in 2016 on-air, on demand and over the internet. Filming in and around Havana, the episode will mark the first time an American scripted series will be shot in the country since the U.S. and Cuba restored diplomatic relations last summer.

- On February 9, two new-to-retail DVD collections will be unveiled, serving up many unforgettable moments from the show's groundbreaking years, which The New York Times proclaims "helped define the golden age of television." The 6-disc Treasure from the Vault Collector's Edition ($59.95srp) features 15 complete and uncut episodes from The Carol Burnett Show, as they originally aired on television.

- Hulu has acquired the exclusive subscription video on-demand rights to Lifetime’s critically acclaimed drama series from A+E Studios, UnREAL. All episodes of season one will become available to stream through Hulu’s No Commercial and Limited Commercials plan beginning February 3rd and future seasons of the series will become available to stream on Hulu following their initial season run on Lifetime.

- TBS has greenlit People of Earth, a new original comedy about a support group for alien abductees from Emmy®-winning executive producers Conan O'Brien (CONAN), Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation) and Jeff Ross (CONAN, Eagleheart), along with David Kissinger (Eagleheart) and Larry Sullivan. People of Earth was created by David Jenkins, who penned the pilot and serves as series co-executive producer. The comedy's ensemble cast includes three-time Emmy winner Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show, Wyatt Cenac: Brooklyn), Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live, Suburgatory), Oscar Nuñez (The Office, Benched), Michael Cass idy (Argo, Men at Work), Alice Wetterlund (The Interview, Silicon Valley), Luka Jones (Her, The Campaign), Brian Huskey (Neighbors, This Is the End), Nancy Lenehan (The New Adventures of Old Christine, Catch Me if You Can), Tracee Chimo (Orange is the New Black, The Five-Year Engagement), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Selfie, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn), Björn Gustafsson (Spy, Kung Fury) and Ken Hall (Patch Town, Straight Man). TBS has ordered 10 episodes of People of Earth from Conan's Conaco LLC in association with Warner Horizon Television. The premiere date will be announced later.

- TNT is teaming up with M. Night Shyamalan on a new two-hour block of terror and suspense to be curated by the Oscar®-nominated writer-director (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and executive producer of the summer's TV hit, Wayward Pines. The block will feature both short and long-form storytelling, led by Tales from the Crypt, based on the original EC Comics and new stories, all executive-produced by Shyamalan and his partner at Binding Edge Pictures, Ashwin Rajan. The horror block is set to launch in fall 2016.

- Round Hill Music has made a deal with the American punk rock band, The Offspring, to acquire the rights to the band’s catalogue of publishing and master recordings. The publishing catalogue includes hits from their 1994 release, Smash, which remains the biggest-selling album of all-time on an independent label as well as all the group’s subsequent releases. The masters’ acquisition includes the rights to Ixnay on the Hombre, Americana, Conspiracy of One, Splinter, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, and Days Go By.

Around the Tubes: 12/18/15

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 The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, After Hours, The Breaks, The Wonder Years, Paris Terror Attack: Charlie Hebdo, Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, Million Dollar American Princesses, East Los High, and TNT pick ups and renewals.

- Today, Showtime has greenlit a groundbreaking new political series The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, produced in cooperation with Bloomberg Politics and featuring Bloomberg Politics managing editors Mark Halperin and John Heilemann (co-authors of the New York Times best-sellers Game Change and Double Down, and co-hosts of the nightly political show "With All Due Respect" on Bloomberg Television) and noted campaign strategist and media advisor Mark McKinnon. The real-time documentary series will pull back the curtain on the 2016 presidential race, revealing the intense, irreverent, inspiring and infuriating stories behind the headlines of what promises to be one of the most fascinating and consequential elections in modern history. Premiering in January 2016, in advance of the Iowa caucuses, The Circus will deliver the stories as they are happening and examine what really goes on behind the carefully constructed facade of a presidential campaign in real time. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President, Showtime Networks Inc. The Circus will follow multiple individual stories and key characters from the campaigns and capture their unique perspectives in weekly half-hour shows between January and November. With intimate, behind-the-scenes access, cameras will offer viewers a look at what the public rarely sees and explore the high human drama inherent in the pursuit of the Oval Office.

- The big day is almost upon us, the new Star Wars movie will finally hit theaters on Friday – which means we have ahead of us five glorious days of the best Star Wars content the internet can produce. The creative team at Cracked.com are starting the week off strong with a special themed episode of their Webby Award winning series After Hours, “Why the Jedi Are the Galaxy’s Biggest Idiots.” As always with After Hours, the hosts take something from pop culture they love and have a dynamic and hilarious conversation that re-contextualizes everything. In the new episode, the After Hours gang explains why the Jedi are actually terrible at their jobs. The After Hours “Star Wars” episode can be found at here.

- VH1’s new scripted movie The Breaks chronicles three friends (Mack Wilds, Afton Williamson and David Call) united by their love of hip-hop, as they work to make their big mark in the music industry. Premiering on Monday, January 4th, 2016, “The Breaks” takes viewers back to the summer of 1990 in New York City where the music industry’s artists and hustlers intersect in the dance clubs and the street corners of the city. They discover lives can be broken as fast as legends can be born. VH1’s “The Breaks,” is based on journalist Dan Charnas’ book “The Big Payback,” a narrative history of the hip-hop business. “The Breaks” cast is led by Afton Williamson (Banshee, Pariah, Man on a Ledge) and reunites “The Wire” favorites Wood Harris (Remember The Titans, Paid in Full) and Mack Wilds (90210) along with writer, director and executive producer Seith Mann (The Wire, The Walking Dead and Homeland). Newcomers David Call (Gossip Girl) along with Antoine Harris (HBO’s series Ballers and Starz’s Power), Evan Handler (Californication, Sex & The City), Russell Hornsby (Grimm, Lincoln Heights) and rapper Method Man round out the cast. “The Breaks” is scored and executive music produced by DJ Premier. “The Breaks” First Look

- For six Emmy Award®-winning seasons, The Wonder Years on ABC captured the angst of growing up in suburban middle-class America in the late '60s, as seen through the life and times of Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage). Audiences eagerly followed his evolution as a typical awkward teenager who remembered every moment of his transition from childhood with excruciating detail and remarkable hindsight. Specially-Produced Bonus Features and More Than Three Dozen Songs as Featured in the Original Broadcast, Including Classics from Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, The Who, Hank Williams and Many Others! Street Date: January 12, 2015.

- On Wednesday, January 7, 2015, ten months before the brutal terrorist attacks that killed 130 people in Paris, two radicalized Islamist brothers, Said and Chérif Kouachi, burst into the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, where the publication’s weekly editorial meeting was drawing to a close. The brothers murdered a total of 11 people at the offices: cartoonists, journalists, a bodyguard and a janitor. They then murdered a 12th – a Muslim police officer – in the chase that followed. One year after the attack, Paris Terror Attack: Charlie Hebdo, premieres on Monday, January 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel. It follows, hour by hour, the event that foreshadowed the worst terrorist attack in France in over 50 years.

- Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, the critically acclaimed new film from writer/director Stephen Cone (The Wise Kids), will open in New York at the IFP's Made in NY Media Center on January 8th, before expanding to additional markets and VOD platforms. The film focuses on a young boy coming to terms with his sexuality during his emotionally charged birthday party. Marking his feature film debut, Cole Doman plays Henry; Henry is turning 17, and Henry might be gay. But he’s not telling his pastor father (Pat Healy, Cheap Thrills, Compliance)—not during his pool party, where school and church collide in a sunny, hormonal afternoon. This funny, heartbreakingly honest portrait from Stephen Cone finds a home between devout faith and burgeoning sexuality. Trailer

- Oscar®, Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominee Elizabeth McGovern returns to host the second season of Smithsonian Channel’s Million Dollar American Princesses, the acclaimed series whose first season chronicled the fascinating in-depth stories of real-life American heiresses who inspired the TV drama Downton Abbey. Premiering on Sunday, January 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, the new season picks up the story in a tumultuous era in which women’s lives and expectations are completely transformed.

- TNT has added two new original dramas to its 2016 slate. Good Behavior, starring Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) and Argentine-Spanish actor Juan Diego Botto (1492: Conquest of Paradise, El Greco) in an adaptation of the Letty Dobesh novels by Wayward Pines author Blake Crouch. Also getting the greenlight is Animal Kingdom, starring Emmy® and Tony® winner Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love, This Boy's Life, Oceans 13) as the matriarch of a Southern California family whose excessive lifestyle is fueled by their criminal activities, with Scott Speedman (The Strangers, The Vow) as her second in command. Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Ben Robson (Vikings, Dracula: The Dark Prince), Jake Weary (Pretty Little Liars, It Follows), Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders, An Inspector Calls), Daniella Alonso (Revolution) and Molly Gordon (Love the Coopers, Ithaca) also star.

- This week it was announced Hulu Original East Los High has been picked up for a fourth season.

- TNT has renewed the hit fantasy-adventure The Librarians and the gripping crime dramas Major Crimes and Murder in the First. The Librarians is in the midst of its second season, airing Sundays at 8:00, with the season finale set for Dec. 27. Major Crimes is currently airing Monday nights at 9:00 through Dec. 21 and will return with more episodes to round out its fourth season in February 2016. Murder in the First completed it second dynamic season this past summer. TNT has ordered 10 episodes for the third season of The Librarians, which is set to air in fall 2016; 13 episodes for the fifth season of Major Crimes, scheduled to begin in summer 2016; and 10 episodes for the third season of Murder in the First, also slated for summer.

Around the Tubes: 12/11/15

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 The Path, Conan, Showtime Boxing, Homeland, The Affair, and Telemondo.


- We’re excited to announce the Hulu Original The Path will premiere on March 30, 2016. The Path follows a family at the center of a controversial cult as they struggle with relationships, faith and power. Each episode takes an in-depth look at the gravitational pull of belief and what it means to choose between the life we live and the life we want. The series comes to Hulu from Universal Television and Jason Katims’ True Jack Productions and was created by Jessica Goldberg who will write and executive-produce the series, along with Katims and Michelle Lee of True Jack Productions. The 10-episode series stars Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan, Hugh Dancy, and Rockmond Dunbar.

The Path on Hulu — Join the movement on March 30, 2016

Follow us. The Path premieres March 30, 2016, only on Hulu.

Posted by The Path on Tuesday, December 8, 2015

- The Force will be with TBS this month when the late-night series Conan welcomes the cast of the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie, along with director J.J. Abrams will all join host Conan O'Brien on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) for what's certain to be a blockbuster show.

- For the first time ever, a boxing match has been released in its entirety in 360 degree immersive virtual reality, as Showtime captured the shocking first round TKO from Saturday night’s main event between WBA Middleweight World Champion Daniel Jacobs’ and previously undefeated challenger Peter Quillin. The all-Brooklyn main event has been made available in 360 video from ring-side, giving fans an unprecedented boxing experience. The virtual reality video engrosses viewers in the matchup of the top middleweights, facing off in the prime of their career, where Brooklyn’s Jacobs (31-1, 28 KOs) won the “Battle For Brooklyn.” The 360 footage is viewable on the Showtime Sports’ YouTube channel*, the Showtime Boxing Facebook page, on the Samsung Gear VR via the MILK VR app and Littlestar VR apps for Samsung Gear VR, iOS and Android.

- In advance of the final two episodes of the current seasons of its hit fall drama series, Showtime has picked up a sixth season of Homeland and ordered a third season of The Affair. Showtime currently has the top two rated scripted series on premium television in the fourth quarter, with Homeland and The Affair (ranked based on Live+SD, L+3 and L+7 ratings). Homeland season five stars Emmy®, Screen Actors Guild® and Golden Globe® Award winner Claire Danes, Emmy nominee Rupert Friend and Emmy and Tony® winner Mandy Patinkin. The Affair season two stars Golden Globe nominee Dominic West, Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson, Emmy Award nominee Maura Tierney and Screen Actors Guild nominee Joshua Jackson. Both series air on Sunday nights starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

- A new national poll released this week by Telemundo, MSNBC and the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion finds that in a hypothetical match-up for the Presidential elections, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 52%, leads businessman Donald Trump, 41%, by double digits and is ahead of Texas Senator Ted Cruz by seven points, 51% for Clinton to 44% for Cruz. However, the race tightens when Clinton is matched against former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Clinton edges Bush by four points, Rubio by three points, and she is in a virtual tie with Carson. The poll also finds that all of the mentioned Republicans candidates, except Trump, are getting a greater proportion of Latino voters than either Romney or McCain did in their presidential bids against Obama.

Around the Tubes: 12/4/15

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 Telenovela, Flight Before Christmas, The Hateful Eight Soundtrack, The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, In Performance: Christmas Under the Stars, Miraculous™, Newtown, Austin City Limits, Major Crimes, Rizzoli & Isles, Outside Television, Gigolos, TruTV, and You're the Worst.

- Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) stars in Telenovala, a big, fun and flashy half-hour comedy as Ana Sofia, the star of a popular Spanish language soap opera. One problem, she doesn't speak any Spanish. Other problems? Ana must manage a new boss, jealous castmates and high-maintenance best friends - and that's all before her ex-husband is hired as her new on-screen love interest. Just like a real telenovela, this comedy is full of all kinds of drama, including love, hate, life and even death! Despite all the chaos, this telenovela's cast and crew is a family... or, at least, they try to be.


- Flight Before Christmas, Saturday at 8:00 on Lifetime. Synopsis: Excited to take the next step in their relationship and move in with her boyfriend, Stephanie is crushed when he drops the bombshell that he wants to break up. Faced with spending the holidays heartbroken and homeless, she decides to fly home to Connecticut. On a red-eye the day before Christmas, Stephanie finds herself seated next to Michael, who is planning to propose to his college girlfriend. The two get off to a rocky start but things get even worse when the pilot announces that a huge, unexpected snowstorm is crossing the country. Their flight is diverted to a small town in Montana where Stephanie snags the last available room at the town’s bed and breakfast. Despite their differences, she offers to share the room with Michael and try their best to get along.

- Quentin Tarantino and Decca Records today announced the release of Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight original motion picture soundtrack. The soundtrack will be available for purchase on CD, vinyl, and at digital retail worldwide via Decca Records on December 18, 2015. Third Man Records will also release an exclusive vinyl edition of the soundtrack in the United States. The Double 180 gram LP will include a tri-fold reversible jacket with a soft touch finish, 60"x12" poster, 36"x12" poster, and 12-page booklet insert with stills from the film. The Hateful Eight film will be released on December 25, 2015 screening exclusively in glorious Ultra Panavision 70 mm film and will open wide on January 8, 2016. Pre-order links for Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight Original Motion Picture Soundtrack can be found below:
Decca
Third Man Records

- The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is proud to present the 2016 Outstanding Performers of the Year award to both Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan on Monday February 8, SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling announced today. This is the first time the award will be given to two honorees. Both Larson and Ronan had previously been awarded the festival’s Virtuoso Award, in 2014 and 2010 respectively. The duo will be celebrated for their remarkable performances in Room and Brooklyn. The 2016 festival is the 31st year of the festival, which will run February 3 to February 13, 2016. For more information, and to purchase tickets, festival passes and packages, please visit sbiff.org.

- With the Christmas season in full swing, prepare to tune in, this Sunday, with the whole family as Gentri -the Gentleman's Trio- join 13-year old Lexi Mae Walker for a celebration of Christmas music and the true meaning of Christmas. Filmed on location at an old Jerusalem replica set, the one-hour special, In Performance: Christmas Under the Stars, airs on Sunday, December 6 at 5pm MT/7pm ET on BYUtv, and also features The Snow College Chamber Orchestra, The Snow College Cadence Chamber Choir, The American Heritage Youth Chorus, and other musical guests.

- On Sunday, December 6 at noon ET/PT, Nickelodeon will broadcast the premiere episode of the all-new 3D CGI-animated, action-sitcom series, Miraculous™. The 26-episode series, which will air every Sunday at noon ET/PT, is owned and produced by ZAG, under its “Zag Heroez” umbrella. The series tells the story of a charismatic girl who transforms into a courageous, vivacious superhero named Ladybug and saves the day to restore happiness and peace for the citizens of Paris. While making its first appearance in the U.S. this December, Miraculous™ has already debuted in France and Korea, attaining consistent number one ratings across all kids shows week over week. Series premieres will continue to roll-out globally, in 120+ markets worldwide over the next three months.

- Filmed over the course of nearly three years, the film-makers use unique access and never before heard testimonies to tell a story of the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history. Newtown documents a traumatized community fractured by grief and driven toward a sense of purpose. Joining the ranks of a growing club to which no one wants to belong, a cast of characters interconnect to weave an intimate story of community resilience. The film will have a national broadcast on PBS in 2016. It will also be screened at additional film festivals, followed by a theatrical release, community and school screenings nationwide along with educational, international and digital distribution.

- The landmark television music series Austin City Limits (ACL) announces the second half of Season 41, with seven brand-new shows to begin airing in January 2016 as part of the program’s fourteen-episode season. ACL has featured some of the most iconic performances in live music for over four decades, and continues with an ever more diverse line-up showcasing the most original and relevant music of today. The program returns on Saturday, January 2nd at 8:00, ringing in the new year with a new installment featuring the return of powerhouse rockers Alabama Shakes and the debut of soul revivalists Vintage Trouble. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at video.pbs.org/ immediately following the initial broadcast. The show's official hashtag is #acltv. Here is the full lineup:

January 2 Alabama Shakes / Vintage Trouble
January 9 Kendrick Lamar
January 16 Ryan Adams / Shakey Graves
January 23 Angélique Kidjo
January 30 Sleater-Kinney / Heartless Bastards
February 6 Leon Bridges / Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
February 13 Tedeschi Trucks Band

- Television's favorite detectives will be back on the case in February as TNT presents
all-new episodes of the hit series Major Crimes and Rizzoli & Isles. Major Crimes is set to kick off its winter episodes on Monday, Feb. 15, at 9:00, with Mary McDonnell, G.W. Bailey and Tony Denison leading the exceptional ensemble cast. The following day, Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander will return in Rizzoli & Isles, which will start its winter run Tuesday, Feb. 16, with back-to-back episodes beginning at 9:00.

- Outside Television, America’s only television network for people who share a deep passion for the active, adventure lifestyle, is expanding its reach today as it launches on Sony PlayStation Vue. PlayStation Vue is a new cloud-based TV service bringing subscribers live television, movies and sports through the PlayStation platform. With this launch, Outside Television will be available on the Vue platform in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, and Miami markets. Outside Television is available nationwide through various providers including DISH Network, Comcast XFINITY, Cox Communications, RCN, The National Cable Television Cooperative, CenturyLink PRISM TV and Google Fiber.

- The boys are back in town! The sexy Showtimes unscripted series Gigolos returns with eight half-hour episodes on Thursday, March 17th at 11:00. The Gigolos are heading back to Las Vegas to spotlight the sultry, salacious antics of fan favorites: Nick, Brace, Vin, Ash and Bradley (and Guerin, their booker). For a sneak peek at the new season, go to YouTube.

- Placing an even bigger bet on the scripted arena, truTV has ordered a second season of its first scripted series Those Who Can’t three months in advance of the show’s launch – an unprecedented move for the network. In addition, truTV has also ordered two pilots and a pilot script from several established comedic talents, including Dean Lorey (Arrested Development, The Crazy Ones), comedian Tom Segura and also Melissa Hunter (Adult Wednesday Addams). This flurry of scripted activity comes as truTV celebrates momentum on the first anniversary of its “Way More Fun” branding.

- FXX has ordered a third season of the critically-acclaimed comedy You’re the Worst from Creator and Executive Producer Stephen Falk, who has reached an overall deal to develop and produce projects for FX Networks and FX Productions, it was announced today by Nick Grad and Eric Schrier, Presidents of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions. The third season of You’re the Worst will air on FXX in summer 2016. The multi-year overall deal will enable Falk to write, develop and produce television projects for FX Networks and FX Productions.

ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas 2015 Schedule

ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas, cable’s biggest programming event of the year, returns with 25 continuous days of holiday-themed entertainment for the whole family. From December 1 – 25, viewers can ring in the holidays with holiday specials, classic holiday movies, and returning favorites. ABC Family is becoming Freeform in January 2016.

This year, 25 Days of Christmas will feature classic Jim Henson Christmas specials The Bells of Fraggle Rock and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, which have been remastered and are returning to television after several years. Additionally, December 13 features a marathon of Disney∙Pixar’s Toy Story films. Also, the network will air Beyond the Shadows: The Making of Shadowhunters, which gives an inside look at the upcoming saga series.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS day-by-day programming highlights include*:

Tuesday, December 1
(7:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) THE PREACHER’S WIFE
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(1:00–2:30 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(2:30 PM–3:30 PM ET/PT) THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS
(3:30–4:00 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(4:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(6:00–7:00 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(7:00–9:00 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(9:00 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (Live Action)
(12:00–1:00 AM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(1:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR

Wednesday, December 2
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) THE CHRISTMAS SHOES
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(11:00 AM–12:30 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(12:30–1:30 PM ET/PT) A MISER BROTHERS CHRISTMAS
(1:30–2:30 PM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1979)
(2:30–3:30 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(3:30–6:00 PM ET/PT) WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
(6:00–8:45 PM ET/PT) DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) SNOW

Thursday, December 3
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) CHRISTMAS IN BOSTON
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
(11:00 AM–1:45 PM ET/PT) WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
(1:45–4:00 PM ET/PT) I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS
(4:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1998)
(6:00–8:15 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(8:15–11:00 PM ET/PT) FRED CLAUS
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) SNOW 2: BRAIN FREEZE

Friday, December 4
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) MEET THE SANTAS
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) THE FIRST CHRISTMAS: THE STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS SNOW
(11:00 AM–12:00 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(12:00–2:00 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(2:00–4:00 PM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1998)
(4:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
(6:00–7:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(7:00–9:30 PM ET/PT) FRED CLAUS
(9:30–11:50 PM ET/PT) ELF
(11:50 PM–2:00 AM ET/PT) PRANCER

Saturday, December 5
(7:00–8:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(8:00–10:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(10:00 AM–12:15 PM ET/PT) I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
(12:15–3:00 PM ET/PT) PRANCER
(3:00–4:00 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(4:00–5:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(5:00–7:15 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(7:15–9:30 PM ET/PT) ELF
(9:30 PM–12:30 AM ET/PT) DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
(12:30–2:00 AM ET/PT) TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Sunday, December 6
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS
(9:00–11:00 AM ET/PT) HOME ALONE: THE HOLIDAY HEIST
(11:00 AM–12:00 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(12:00–12:30 PM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
(12:30–2:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(2:30–4:45 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(4:45–6:30 PM ET/PT) TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(6:30–9:30 PM ET/PT) DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
(9:30–10:00 PM ET/PT) BEYOND THE SHADOWS: THE MAKING OF SHADOWHUNTERS
(10:00 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION

Monday, December 7
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) HOME ALONE: THE HOLIDAY HEIST
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) THREE DAYS
(1:00–4:00 PM ET/PT) LOVE ACTUALLY
(4:00–6:30 PM ET/PT) FRED CLAUS
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) THE MISTLE-TONES

Tuesday, December 8
(7:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) FRED CLAUS
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) SECRET SANTA
(1:00–3:00 PM ET/PT) THE MISTLE-TONES
(3:00–4:00 PM ET/PT) PINOCCHIO’S CHRISTMAS
(4:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(6:00–6:30 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) SNOWGLOBE

Wednesday, December 9
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) 12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY BOOK II
(11:00 AM–12:10 PM ET/PT) PINOCCHIO’S CHRISTMAS
(12:10–2:20 PM ET/PT) PRANCER
(2:20–4:30 PM ET/PT) SNOWGLOBE
(4:30–6:00 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(6:00–6:30 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) ELF
(12:00–1:00 AM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(1:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR

Thursday, December 10
(7:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) PRANCER
(11:00–11:30 AM ET/PT) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY
(11:30 AM–12:00 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(12:00–2:00 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(2:00–2:30 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
(2:30–4:00 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(4:00-4:30 PM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
(4:30–5:30 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(5:30–6:30 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) ELF
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) SANTA BABY 2: CHRISTMAS MAYBE

Friday, December 11
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) DESPERATELY SEEKING SANTA
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS
(1:00–4:00 PM ET/PT) THE FAMILY MAN
(4:00–6:45 PM ET/PT) FRED CLAUS
(6:45–9:00 PM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(9:00 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
(12:00–1:00 AM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(1:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS

Saturday, December 12
(7:00–8:00 AM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1979)
(8:00–9:45 AM ET/PT) MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(9:45–11:30 AM ET/PT) MICKEY’S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(11:30 AM–12:15 PM ET/PT) THE BELLS OF FRAGGLE ROCK – ABC FAMILY PREMIERE!
(12:15–1:20 PM ET/PT) EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS – ABC FAMILY PREMIERE!
(1:20–2:30 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(2:30–3:30 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(3:30–4:00 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(4:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(6:00–9:00 PM ET/PT) DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
(9:00–11:15 PM ET/PT) ELF
(11:15 PM–2:00 AM ET/PT) FRED CLAUS

Sunday, December 13
(7:00–8:45 AM ET/PT) MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(8:45–10:25 AM ET/PT) MICKEY’S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS
(10:25–11:05 AM ET/PT) THE BELLS OF FRAGGLE ROCK
(11:05 AM–12:10 PM ET/PT) EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS
(12:10–2:15 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(2:15–4:30 PM ET/PT) ELF
(4:30–6:45 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY
(6:45–9:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY 2
(9:00–9:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT
(9:30 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY 3

Monday, December 14
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) MR. ST. NICK
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(11:00–11:30 AM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(11:30 AM–2:00 PM ET/PT) CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
(2:00-4:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY
(4:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY 2
(6:00–6:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY 3
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) SNOW

Tuesday, December 15
(7:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) DESPERATELY SEEKING SANTA
(1:00–3:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA BABY
(3:00–5:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA BABY 2: CHRISTMAS MAYBE
(5:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(6:00–8:15 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(8:15–10:30 PM ET/PT) ELF
(10:30–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) SNOW 2: BRAIN FREEZE

Wednesday, December 16
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) THREE DAYS
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
(11:00 AM-2:00 PM ET/PT) THE FAMILY MAN
(2:00–4:00 PM ET/PT) CHRISTMAS IN BOSTON
(4:00–5:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(5:00–6:00 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(6:00–8:15 PM ET/PT) ELF
(8:15–10:30 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(10:30–11:00 PM ET/PT) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) DESPERATELY SEEKING SANTA

Thursday, December 17
(7:00–10:15 AM ET/PT) THE FAMILY MAN
(10:15 AM–1:30 PM ET/PT) LOVE ACTUALLY
(1:30–4:15 PM ET/PT) THE PREACHER’S WIFE
(4:15–6:30 PM ET/PT) SNOW
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) THE POLAR EXPRESS
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) HOLIDAZE

Friday, December 18
(7:00–9:45 AM ET/PT) THE PREACHER’S WIFE
(9:45 AM–12:00 PM ET/PT) CHRISTMAS CUPID
(12:00–2:00 PM ET/PT) THE MISTLE-TONES
(2:00–4:15 PM ET/PT) SNOW 2: BRAIN FREEZE
(4:15–6:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(6:30–7:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S PREP & LANDING
(7:00–7:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE
(7:30–9:45 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(9:45 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) THREE DAYS

Saturday, December 19
(7:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) PRANCER
(9:30–10:30 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(10:30 AM–12:30 PM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1998)
(12:30–2:30 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(2:30–3:00 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(3:00–4:05 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(4:05–5:15 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(5:15–7:30 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(7:30–9:45 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(9:45 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS

Sunday, December 20
(7:00–8:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(8:00–10:00 AM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1998)
(10:00 AM–12:45 PM ET/PT) PRANCER
(12:45–3:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(3:00–4:45 PM ET/PT) TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(4:45–7:00 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(7:00–9:15 PM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(9:15–11:30 PM ET/PT) ELF
(11:30 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL

Monday, December 21
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) PRANCER
(9:00–11:15 AM ET/PT) DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL
(11:15 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(1:00–2:00 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(2:00–2:30 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(2:30–4:30 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(4:30–6:30 PM ET/PT) SNOWGLOBE
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) ELF
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1998)

Tuesday, December 22
(7:00–8:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
(8:00–10:00 AM ET/PT) 12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS
(10:00 AM–12:00 PM ET/PT) HOLIDAZE
(12:00–2:15 PM ET/PT) CHRISTMAS CUPID
(2:15–4:30 PM ET/PT) JACK FROST (1998)
(4:30–5:30 PM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS
(5:30–6:30 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS

Wednesday, December 23
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) THE MISTLE-TONES
(9:00–11:00 AM ET/PT) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) SANTA BABY
(1:00–3:15 PM ET/PT) SANTA BABY 2: CHRISTMAS MAYBE
(3:15–4:15 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(4:15–6:30 PM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(6:30–7:00 PM ET/PT) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND
(7:00–7:30 PM ET/PT) MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
(7:30–9:45 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(9:45 PM–12:00 AM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) HOME ALONE: THE HOLIDAY HEIST

Thursday, December 24
(7:00–9:00 AM ET/PT) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY
(9:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
(11:00 AM–1:00 PM ET/PT) HOME ALONE: THE HOLIDAY HEIST
(1:00–3:15 PM ET/PT) PRANCER
(3:15–5:00 PM ET/PT) TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(5:00–5:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S PREP & LANDING
(5:30–6:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY’S PREP & LANDING: NAUGHTY VS. NICE
(6:00–6:30 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT
(6:30–8:45 PM ET/PT) NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
(8:45–11:00 PM ET/PT) ELF
(12:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE

Thursday, December 25
(7:00–9:30 AM ET/PT) PRANCER
(11:00–11:30 AM ET/PT) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY
(11:30 AM–12:30 PM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(12:30–2:15 PM ET/PT) TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
(2:15–4:30 PM ET/PT) THE SANTA CLAUSE 3: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
(4:30–5:00 PM ET/PT) DISNEY∙PIXAR’S TOY STORY THAT TIME FORGOT
(5:00–7:15 PM ET/PT) ELF
(7:15–11:00 PM ET/PT) HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
(12:00–1:00 AM ET/PT) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN
(1:00–2:00 AM ET/PT) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS