The Twenty Best Television Shows of 2019-2020

1. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist 1.x

2. The Great 1.x

3. Harley Quinn 1.x/2.x

4. The Good Place 4.x

5. Looking for Alaska 1.x

6. Dollface 1.x

7. Veronica Mars 4.x

8. Watchmen 1.x

9. Dickinson 1.x

10. G.L.O.W. 3.x

11. Castle Rock 2.x

12. Harlots 3.x

13. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 3.x

14. Normal People 1.x

15. The Outsider 1.x

16. Love Life 1.x

17. Little Fires Everywhere 1.x

18. This Way Up 1.x

19. Homeland 8.x

20. Impulse 2.x


Shows that aired a majority of their season between July 2019 and August 2020 were eligible for this list.

A Long Time Ago We Used to Be Friends... And it Is Nice to See You Again

Full Disclosure Notice: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

Okay, let me get this out of the way first, this is a review of the DVD Veronica Mars: The Complete First Season (2019) which is kind of stupid and a little confusing. Yes this is the new season, listed as number four on Hulu and called season four by everyone except apparently Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. But it will not be too hard to tell apart from the original first season as Kristen Bell has long hair in the new season and is sporting a gun which she never used when she was on free television. The 2019 version with just two disks is significantly smaller and is as thick as the movie version of the show.

The first Veronica Mars first season launched the same year as this blog and topped my very first Best Television Shows of the Year… and the second… and the third. Unfortunately it was eligible for a fourth because The CW unceremoniously canceled it so they could air shows like Farmer Takes a Wife and Pussycat Dolls Present. By some miracle they were able to revive the show via Kickstarter which was a trial balloon that was not that successfully since no other major studio tried to revive a show or movie that way since.

Then last year I was scrolling Deadline when something popped out like a fever dream: a Veronica Mars reboot was coming. I had to read the article a couple times to make it sink it and realize just where it was being revived, which thankfully turned out to be Hulu, a streaming site I already subscribed to. Then it was a long wait until it debuted. Sure there was plenty of casting notices (it was weird that Dick Casabancas Sr. was announced before Junior), trailers and other cast interviews to pass the time.

And then it premiered and it was like seeing old friends again. Sure calling this season one was silly, but maybe Warner Bros. Home Entertainment because it is not the same show anymore, and really it should not be. With Veronica in thirties now, you cannot have silly high school cases like missing dogs and test cheats (though there is a new character who seems like a young Ronnie fill in if they chose to go that route later). Then with only eight episodes instead of twenty-two, gone are the cases of the week mysteries, replaced with one long case to take up Ronnie’s time.

Rejoining Kristen Bell is Enrico Colantoni as her father Keith and Jason Dorhing returns as the obligatory psychotic jackass turned beau Logan who has been dating Veronica since the movie. Those three are the only characters that get the main title sequence but we get multiple episode from Dick, Wallace, Weevil, and Deputy Leo who has gotten a promotion but will always be Deputy Leo to me. There are also plenty of cameos from the original seasons including a few that they could not quite fit into the movie.

Among the new cast are Oscar winner J. K. Simmons who plays an associate of Dick Sr. from his stint in Chino (we saw Dick Sr. flee the country because of SEC violations and turned himself in at the end of season three). Patton Oswalt plays a pizza delivery boy by say/true crime aficionado by night who gets caught up in the first crime. Bell’s The Good Place co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste is a bar owns in Neptune. Then there are a few more recognizable cameos throughout the season including someone Dick unsuccessfully hits on who has spent the last decade on one of the most popular sit-coms.

The case in question is a serial bomber that has attacked Neptune at the height of Spring Break. The problem with a single case taking an entire season to solve is that many episodes that just devolve into a red herring of the week. There are multiple suspects that are fingered through the season but at the end, most just turned out to be insignificant.

Still, of all the single season to solve only one mystery shows, Veronica Mars is one of the best with its witty banter and the chemistry between the Mars’ who just continue to make their claim as the best father-daughter team on television. Veronica Mars also goes straight to the top of the otherwise lackluster best television show reboots of all time. The DVD is kind of bare bones in terms of special features; there is just the 2019 Veronica Mars Comic-Con panel that runs about twenty-six minute. But I believe this is the first time the show will be available to watch in Canada (sorry non-North Americans, you will still have to wait unless you have the right DVD player).

The show was on the bubble during its short run last decade but we are in different times and a show with a dedicated on a streaming site may have a better chance at renewal (Veronica Mars has been in the top five on Hulu’s popular tab for most of its run). We are also in a time when shows do not need to air once a year. So hopefully Kristen Bell, creator Rob Thomas, and Hulu will hopefully agree to give us a fifth season of Veronica Mars in a year or three (just do not make us wait like as song as we did for the movie or fourth season). Or as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will likely call it: Season Two (2020ish).

Own VERONICA MARS (2019): THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON on DVD today (October 22).

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 25, 2019

Veronica Mars: Episode 7: An episode later than me, but Mars Investigations finally zeroed in on the Pizza Delivery Guy as the mass bomber. Being that there is one episode left, I guess he did not actually do it. Plus he does not really come off as criminal mastermind. I still think someone in his cold case group could be involved. Just how far away is Clark Duke? He does give off skivvy vibes. Certainly whoever did it is certainly playing to them.

But how disappointing that Ronnie hooking up with Deputy Special Agent Leo was just a dream sequence. It was almost as disappoint as it was weird as Ronnie using that as an excuse to accept Logan’s proposal. Um, yeah, I do not see them ending the season in marital bliss. So I predict either Logan dies in the finale or gets caught in bed with Madison Sinclair. Which could explain all the whining I have heard about how the season ends. But really, that is the ending I am rooting for.

Episode 8: Holy Parker sighting! Sure, not as random as Mac’s boyfriend earlier this season. At least Jake Kane buying a school he could put his name on makes sense. And I was right that someone in the murder club was the bomber and was on the right track that there was something fishy with Clark Duke but I was fooled by pizza boy like everyone else. Granted Patton Oswalt is no Keyser Söze and his heel turn did not really work in my book.

Still I am glad the show returned and hope we get a season five, and hopefully the wait is not very long like in between seasons or the movie. I am actually glad they killed Logan because I always found his relationship with Ronnie weird. I mean the guy provides the roofies that got her raped, slept with Madison Sinclair days after they broke up, beat the living shirt out her boyfriend to the point he had to go to the hospital, and was someone she even described as the obligatory psychotic jackash. And really, he was kind o a complete wet blanket in season four so good riddance, please stay dead. #TeamDeputyLeo.
You can watch Veronica Mars on Hulu.

City on a Hill: The written “previously on” was an interesting way of doing that, but here is where it fails. When I read that Jackie interfered in the bust last week, I do not remember what exactly he did. Had they shown us, obviously I would have remembered. Visuals are just always better. Remember when Ray Rice told the commissioner he hit his girlfriend? He just got suspended two games. But when we all saw it on video, he never played again.

And did Jimmy really get blanket immunity? That is kind of dumb. I am no legal scholar but just last week on The Handmaid’s Tale, they gave Serena immunity for some things but when Fred accused her of others, that is how she got arrested. Give Jimmy immunity for the bark robbery, I do not see how that also allows him to get away with murder. But I wonder if we will see him or his brother next season or if it will just be the DA vs. Kevin Bacon all season. I would much rather watch the latter. Shows always fail when the antagonist sticks around too long.

Fear the Walking Dead: So why is everyone splitting up? I feel like I missed that. And why did we not get the black dude from last week first? I kind of forgot about him until he showed up on the “Next time on…” That kind of seemed more interesting than what we ended up getting this week. And was Red Jacket Guy living there among the zombies? Did the zombies break in and that it when things went bad for him? Was he juts alone this whole time? I did not need a big flashback but they could have explained that better.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

Harlots: After Charlotte died in episode three and Theon died in episode five, I was wondering who would die in the seventh episode. No one, but creepy dude did task Quigley in finding a new girl to kill. So maybe there will be a body count in the finale. I also think that the Pincher dude will let his brother’s murder go unchecked (even though him killing Charlotte led to his brother’s death). Could he find out that Nancy actually pulled the trigger or maybe go after Lucy as the lone Wells left in Britain in retribution? And are we even sure Margaret actually left for the U.S.?
You can watch Harlots on Hulu.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 18, 2019

Veronica Mars: Episode 5: So after episode three, I predicted that J.K. Simmons was the bomber and became a suspect for Mars Investigations in episode four. Then in episode four I started to suspect the bar owner who the Mars Clan started to suspect in episode five. Let’s see if that trend continues for the next episode when I start pointing the finger at the Pizza Guy. Or at the very least I think he wrote the letter because obviously the bomber dis not because there was still another bomb later. I think Pizza Guy was more excited that someone realized that he planted a lot of Dickisms that the chick found out.

Episode 6: Holy Clarence Weedman sighting! I joked a couple episodes ago they are bringing back all the actors they could not reasonably explain showing up in the movie, but maybe I was on to something after CW, the Fighting Fitzpatricks, the guys in Chino, and Mac’s college boyfriend. Who is going to show up in the final two episodes: Chip Diller? Hannah Griffith? Troy Vandergraf? Shelley Pomroy? But anyway. It was kind of shocking that we learned who the bomber was in the antepenultimate episode. Well, at the very least Big Dick admitted to setting off the first bomb, he conspicuously did not mention any guilt over the other bombs killing people. So who was inspired from that first bombing and why?
You can watch Veronica Mars on Hulu.

Claws: Well that was a clusterfork of a finale. And what are they going to do next season? Really, everyone should go on the run since they could all be implicated in the killing a vicious, high ranking gang member. I mean, assuming (dude’s not escaping from a burning casino, locked in a room with no windows. Oh wait, the show started with Roller being shot, point blank, drowned, stuffed in a body bag, dumped in a swamp, and still managed to survive.
You can download Claws on iTunes.

City on a Hill: Ow wow, Jimmy actually likes a great song. I really have trashed his music so far, but Know the Ledge is a great one. The world needs an Eric B. and Rakim resurgence. Now that the show has been officially renewed, and they got the brothers dead to rights, it looks like season two will be Decourcey vs. Kevin Bacon. At least hopefully the charges stick. But I do wonder if Jimmy will get a sweet deal for being an informant for Kevin Bacon.

Fear the Walking Dead: So they are not even going to mention that Alicia got sprayed with radioactive zombie blood last episode? Maybe she should be checking her lymph nodes like the scientist.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Loudest Voice: It is weird the amount of times Megyn Kelly’s name came up during the episode but we never see her. I guess we will have to wait until the movie to get her side.

The Handmaid’s Tale: I actually thought for a second that opening scene was sometime in the future, it was not until the crazy eye chick showed up less crazy and with both eyes before realizing it was the past. But I do not see how Ofjoseph gets out of stealing a bunch of children. She was basically playing with house money this season in Commander Lawrence’s house and the Waterford’s needed her for visual reasons to get their kid back, but with the Waterford’s detained, there is nothing stopping her being severely punished. Speaking of being punished, are they really going to lock up Serena over the word of Fred? Can they even hold Fred if Serena stops talking because they locked her up? And then does Serena get set free because he does not testify? Locking Serena up just seems like a foolish move.
You can watch The The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Harlots: Oh wow, they really did kill off Theon Greyjoy already just two episodes after killing off Charlotte. There was a lot of blood and he was shot at short range but I still thought he might survive because why bring on Theon for just five episodes especially after just killing off the lead actor. So both Charlotte and Theon are dead shortly after they started forking and basically died because they kept that a secret.
You can watch Harlots on Hulu.

Krpton: With a title like “The Alpha and the Omega” I should have suspected there would be Darkseid reference, but it did not hit me until the clone lady saw the Omega sign. Yippie, more villains next season when they have not bothered to totally dispatch the ones they already have. Well that is if there is a next season.
You can download Krypton on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 11, 2019

Veronica Mars: Episode 4: Finally a Vinnie Van Lowe appearance. I really hope the show is successful enough that both he and Dick get a spin-off. We also finally got a Deputy Special Agent Leo sighting. And let us not forget the triumphant return of Lucky. Um, alright. Really it is like the show was just trying to get in everyone who could not reasonable write into the movie. Lucky, the Hearst Rapist, Max, then there was Liam Fitzpatrick from earlier this season. Come to think of it, why have they not gone back to investigate him? Then you had Hayley Dunfey as the token random celebrity cameo of the episode which seems to be a theme after the chick from Future Man, the dude from the Chicken Fries commercials, and the dude from Hot Tub Time Machine. Although back to the mystery I am starting to think the bar owner with the attitude may be involved somehow. Two people she kicked out of her club for being pervy ended up dead via bombing.
You can watch Veronica Mars on Hulu.

Claws: Finally the group has come together and called Desna on her on her overreaching that has led to a lot of pain and death. Still I never expected them to actually kill Melba. All that trouble just to have her gets hit by a bus. Alrighty. I also did not initially think that the boytoy was going to confess at actual Confession, I just assumed he was going to confess to Roller. Turns out we were both wrong, he told the cops. How exactly does Roller get out of that? I am assuming him being handcuffed will be the big season cliffhanger.
You can download Claws on iTunes.

City on a Hill: I have talked about the show’s soundtrack is too heavily influenced by Kevin Bacon’s classic rock leaning finally we got to hear what Decoursey listens to and it did not disappoint, when you are in the early nineties, you cannot go wrong with a little A Tribe Called Quest. But then they end the episode with another oldie. As for the actual plot, it was the tale of two informants. Bacon has one that is outed to his law enforcement buddies and then kills the other. Which begs the question, which will come back to haunt him more?

The Loudest Voice: There are very few things I need less in my life than to see Roger Ailes get a prostate exam.

The Handmaid’s Tale: After wondering what Serena was up to all season, we finally got out answer. But I wonder when she decided to turn against Fred. Did it date back to having her finger cut off? Was it really all about the child which she left June take from her house? Does she really think some warped way that it is kind of hers? Did she come up with this plan with Luke and the other dude when she visited before? I would kind wish she had given some lengthy Bond-villain type speech while explaining herself to Fred. Unless it was really, just simply about the kid.

Back in Giliad, Offjoseph’s plan really hit a bump in the road with the Commander’s wife kind of spoiling everything and then killing herself. But then again, the death could be an opportunity. Offjoseph’s new baby mama’s husband just died. It seems reasonable that the newly single Commander Lawrence could wed her and have June’s kid move in with them. I will be kind of shocked if that is not season four unless something earth shattering happens in the finale.
You can watch The The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Harlots: Wait, is Theon Greyjoy dead now too? One of the reasons why I thought they could kill off the lead of the show was because they had Liv Tyler and Theon but now he ends an episode in the pool of his own blood just like Charlotte just two episode ago. Now I am not sure how effective bullets made centuries ago were so I guess he could survive, but the juxtaposition of him lying in his blood and then Charlotte’s blood makes me think he may be dead too. But hey, at least Quigley will not be blamed for Charlotte’s death after Emily Lacey came clean. Granted she has her own murder she actually committed she needs to clear her name of.
You can watch Harlots on Hulu.

Krpton: A melancholy happy trails to Kem. Okay, I do not really care. Really there is no one on the show they could kill off and I would be too upset about. But the problem with Kem was that he was the closest thing to comic relief they had on the show. I guess Lobo could also be this but he is a bit more annoying than funny.
You can download Krypton on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 4, 2019

Veronica Mars: Episode 2: Oh my, they really were trolling with that opening scene. Now we do not really know how well the show is doing, but I really hope that’s it is successful enough to warrant a Dick Casablancas: struggling actor spin off.

Episode 3: Well there goes my prediction that the hotel owner set the bomb for the insurance money to give to his kid. But my second suspect was Clyde, but then Ronnie named him as a suspect which makes me wonder if she would correctly finger the perp this early in the season. I am beginning to think it may be Ronnie’s half-brother that she discovers in the first Veronica Mars book that was released after the movie who is just trying to get the attention of his half-sister who has seemed to completely forget about. Maybe he teamed up with Lily Kane (Duncan and Meg’s daughter, another completely forgotten characher).
You can watch Veronica Mars on Hulu.

Claws: So no one except everyone closely involved noticed that the lesbian lover of the sister a senate candidate just went missing right after getting outed by the candidate? Real life press would have a field day with that. And the Triads have the cops on the payroll? Just high up does that go because someone has to get suspicious when lady cop does not show up for work. You can hold off Quiet Ann for a while but the Commissioner has to get suspicious unless he is on the Triad payroll too.
You can download Claws on iTunes.

City on a Hill: When I first reviewed the show I complained that despite being set in the nineties, there was a classic rock soundtrack. But all is right in the world now that we got Vanilla Ice this week. Oh goodness. And then we end the episode with a little Metallica. Now if only we can get some Wu-Tang.

The Loudest Voice: The frustrating part of watching shows based on real people is trying to figure out what actually happened and what was poetic license. Now I can completely believe that Roger Ailes had a bomb shelter under his house but did he really have a tunnel to the base too? That had to cost a pretty penny.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Last week I wondered where Serena’s loyalties lie and I am even more confused an episode later. She did seem shocked when the Canadians rolled up but on the other hand, it does seem like she really needed to be in the know for a plan like that to work. Really that discussion about where they would be had Giliad had never happened seemed like she was thinking about leaving. But then she invited Fred into her bed. Oh, and then I watched the trailer for next week and not it seems pretty clear her role in the capture.

And somehow that was not the biggest shocker of the week. No, that goes to Offjoseph smashing in the head of her kid’s new father. Can she get away with it? Just how good are those Martha’s at cleaning? Was New Daddy covert enough when he when to Jezebel’s that no one will suspect his whereabouts? And didn’t he move to Washington? Is there now only one house of ill repute left in Gilliad?
You can watch The The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Harlots: Oh wow, they really did kill off Charlotte. It was even more shocking because she was kind of the face of the show up to this point. Sure they did add Liv Tyler last season and Reek this season who are arguable bigger names, but always pretty shocking when the topliner leaves the show and there was not even an announcement before the season (which as a viewer is much preferable, nothing worse than the long goodbye of waiting around for Rick Grimes to die… only for him not to). Then poor Quigley, she just gets out of the nuthouse and now it looks like she is going to have a murder pinned on her.
You can watch Harlots on Hulu.

Krpton: When Lyta got her throat cut it was painfully obvious she would be back at some time because he had to birth General Zod. The only question was how she would be back. Seeming how her son already time traveled, that seemed like the most obvious answer. Nope, the dead Lyta was just a clone.But I do wonder if Lyta ever kills herself so General Zod never exists.
You can download Krypton on iTunes.

Swamp Thing: You know what, if I am in a sinking cop car, I am not using my cell phone as a light, I might use my cell phone as, you know, an actual phone. But I am guessing that had there been a second season, Swamp Thing would have save her or maybe the swamp would have turn her into something else. But not surprisingly when you save off three episode and cancel the show, the ending felt a bit rushed, which is a shame because it was a really strong show up until the last episode. But with the show was canceled, it is weird they still went with an end credits scene teasing a season two villain. But hey, maybe some of the characters will so up on the CW Crisis crossover since the actors are not really busy.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Um, I think I missed something. So Sarge was evil? Sure he stabbed May and kicked her through the portal but he kicked her into a place where you cannot die which made me think he was anti-Izel. But when the rest of SHIELD showed up he seemed to be fighting with her. So did Sarge not know that May would not die in the other world? And just how did the portal shut? Did it just automatically shut when Izel died? That was just all confusing.

Also confusing was the ending. So the Cromicons want to invade Earth to set up their own civilization here and want to wipe out SHIELD because they are their only obstacle for conquering the planet. Um, I know I have not seen the last two Avengers movies but did every Avenger died in those movies or at last all the Earth bound ones? And if the Cromicons are trying to conquer Earth now, why did SHEILD go back to when the Empire State Building was the tallest in the world. Also if this is just an excuse to get Peggy Carter back on our screens, I am all for it (there was a picture featuring the name of one of Agent Carter’s actors on the set). Really, here is hoping we get an Agent Carter reboot on Disney+, or at least Hulu.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: July 28, 2019

Veronica Mars: Episode 1: I really do not like when television shows drop all at once. As soon as Veronica Mars was erased there were though pieces on the shocking finale when I had not even gotten though one episode. And I am not entirely sure what Hulu is doing with their release schedule, sometimes it is weekly, and sometimes it is all at once. The Handmaid’s Tale and Harlots are currently being released weekly, and then Veronica Mars, Light as a Feather, and Four Weddings and a Funeral coming Friday are all at once. Then the Wu-Tang show is weekly. Then they just announced all their fall shows, Looking for Alaska, Dollface, Reprisal, and Runaways will be all at once. I guess I can understand the teen skewing shows going all at once, but shouldn’t the adult shows be weekly? I really hate asking people what episode they are on in hope of discussing what I just watch.

I also like talking about shows, dissecting every episode. When these seasons are release all at once, I usually post about them once and that it is. But I really like talking about Veronica Mars so I do plan about talking about what I watch that week (probably one or two episodes, I want to savor instead of binging and then probably forgetting I even watch the next week. As I did above, I will clearly state what episodes I am talking about.

The start of the season was a bit slow for me. Ronnie in love is usually boring and in-between season Logan somehow went from the obligatory psychotic jackass to kind of a wet blanket. Of course I have always been team DeputyDetective Leo. At least it picked up with the bombing. Here is my prediction: the hotel owner did it so his daughter could get the insurance money.
You can watch Veronica Mars on Hulu.

Big Little Lies: Well that was a weird season. I spend the whole time we were heading to a big showdown between Reece’s husbands but they do not even run into each other for the past two episodes. And after Adam Scott gets propositioned, he wants to renew his vows. And then we end the season (series?) with the Monterey Five walking arm and arm into the police station presumably all willing to admit to perjury. At least we got an epic courtroom scene to start off the episode. But yes, I would definitely watch a potential third season.

Claws: Oh wow, they killed the lady cop. But does that not just prove everything the candidate said? He talks about his gay sister and then exposes the governor’s Asian mob ties and a day later the girlfriend gets murdered. Even if she just “disappears” that looks bad. The national media would descend on that more than if a senate candidate got caught hanging out with teenage girls.
You can download Claws on iTunes.

City on a Hill: The worst part of these season long mystery shows, there always seems to be an episode where one of the cops takes an entire episode looking for their kid. Thankfully we just got an abridged version her. But what was that all about? Was the snitch intentionally trying to let Kevin Bacon he can get to him too, or just doing it to hurt him?

Fear the Walking Dead: So the zombies exposed to radiation may not be as deadly as the scientist lead everyone to believe? Alrighty. Maybe the actress is in a contract dispute and they are getting to sign a low ball deal, if not her character dis a slow and painful death..
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Well, it has been a while since June has been ritualistically raped. At least they did not show it this time. But I am still wondering what Serena is up to. Is she really trying to get “her” baby back or does she have an alternative motive. She ended last season getting her finger cut off and letting June leave with the baby. Does she regret letting her go or is she still bitter for the finger and is going to screw Fred and Gilliad as a whole by the end of the season?
You can watch The The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Harlots: Wait, did they really just kill off Charlotte Wells? She is kind of the biggest name on the show. I know television characters have survived much worse but there is not much people in England a couple of centuries could do when you crack open your skull and have that much blood start to pool.
You can watch Harlots on Hulu.

Krpton: Did we really need a Doomsday origin story? Probably not. But I am a bit surprised they have not resurrected Lyta yet.
You can download Krypton on iTunes.

Swamp Thing: Okay, I am not entirely sure what is going on with the Blue Devil. It does not help that all his killing happen off screen. But I am not entirely sure what his power is. Does he just burn people with his touch?

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: So they really are going to turn Not-Coulsen into Kind Of Now Coulsen by the end of the season? Yeah that whole thing is kind of confusing.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

The Nine Most Anticipated Events of 2019

9. Shaft (June 14): Shaft is one of our greatest cinematic heroes and it is a shame that we have only gotten one Shaft film in the last fourth-second year. They are finally dusting off the baddest mother… (I better shut my mouth)  in a third reboot, this time with the son of the Sam Jackson Shaft and grandnephew of the Richard Roundtree original. And that is really all I know and really all I need to know.

8. Maggie Rogers – Heard it in a Past Life (January 18): Alaska was one of those songs that reignite your faith in music. It was something new but also feels old and timeless at the same time. Every song she has released since has been at the very least good (netting three songs of each of my last two best songs of the year lists) and Maggie Rogers is finally releasing her full length debut this year.


7. Wu-Tang: An American Saga (TBA): Netflix may have a massive every expanding library of original content, but I would much rather pay for Hulu because they ordered straight to series a show based on the origins of the Wu-Tang Clan. And this is not even the most anticipated Hulu show this year.

6. Captain Marvel (March 8): I have been a Brie Larson supporter going back to the days she was making crappy Avril Lagine knock-offs. Okay, it was her turn as Envy Adams in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World where I realized she could make it as an actress (what forking murderer’s row of actresses that movie launched: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, Anna Kendrick, and Aubrey Plaza). Half a decade later she was winning an Oscar. And now she is playing the strongest Avenger in the Marvel Universe who will get her own movie before (likely) taking down Thanos a month later. Ironically DC’s Captain Marvel (who now goes by Shazam) gets his movie in April. So we will get three Captain Marvel movies in seven weeks. And that does not even include the six other superhero movies this year and five new superhero television shows this year (and that does not include the Disney+ shows that may or may not launch this year).


5. Kingdom Hearts 3 (January 29): I joke whenever I do my music round up lists that maybe this is the year we get to hear Dr. Dre’s Detox. And before that I joked about the Chinese Democracy release. But the music industry is nothing compared to video game delays which are very frequent and sometimes very long. The second Kingdom Hearts came out in 2005 (just three years after the first). But fourteen years later, the Final Fantasy / Disney mash up is finally getting released. New areas include Kingdom of Corona (based on Tangled), San Fransokyo (Big Hero 6), Toy Box (Toy Story), Monstropolis (Monsters, Inc.), and Arendelle (Frozen).


4. Zombieland Too (October 11): Zombies have completely dominated this decade with The Walking Dead launching in 2010 and just way to many zombie themed movies and shows to count at this point. But there was one movie that predated the current trend: Zombieland. A wacky look at the zombie apocalypse with maybe the greatest cameo ever in the history of cinema. Such a great concept that it was one of Amazon’s first attempt at a scripted series. But the pilot was killed online so hard it did not get picked up to series. The big problem is they recast everyone instead of created new characters. Well that original cast is back and there is no movie I am more excited about.

3. Women’s World Cup (June 7-July 7): The greatest women soccer players are heading to France this year and the United States are not the slam dunk they have been in the past. The home squad will be tough and Germany and England will not have far to travel. Of course first up is the Knockout Round of which the US may have the easiest draw.

2. Game of Thrones (April, HBO): I finally caught up on the show last summer and now I am completely ready for the final season of the show. Very few things live up to the hype, but Game of Thrones is as good as people say it is. But I am a bit wary of the final season because of how uneven the last sixth season was. I have noticed a trend when shows based on books run out of written material as the Handmaid’s Tale second season was a bit of a disappointment too But c’mon how bad can a shoe with a forking ice dragon be?


1. Veronica Mars (Summer, Hulu): It feels like a lot of things coming this year got incepted from my brain: a Wu-Tang show, Brie Larson: Superhero, another Zombieland, and I did not even have room for the Deadwood movie. But there is one event that tops them all. This was almost like a fever dream, seeing this on Deadline and reading it a couple times to make sure I was reading it correctly. Wait, a Veronica Mars reboot? And it is going to be on Hulu. Oh hey, I have Hulu. The show was one of the most perfectly crafted shows ever about a spunky teenager who solves crime, but it is significantly better than that logline. The Kickstarter movie was fine in a fan service-y kind of way of having to cram in all the characters we loved. Creator Rob Thomas says the new show will be darker. But we will see some familiar faces like Dick Casablancas and Deputy Leo. Oh and Kareem Abdul Jabbar is a staff writer on the show. Seriously. For those that missed the show the first time around, or just want to watch again, all three seasons and the movie will be on Hulu this summer.

The Most (and Least) Anticipated Questions of 2018-19 Television

Here we are a week after Labor Day and already fall television is starting to ramp up before the network start their new seasons. Four shows I am watch just lauched last night.
o here are some questions I am looking to be answered by the time we hit next summer.

1. What the Fork Is Going On in The Good Place? – The Good Place blew our forking mind when the ended the first season with Eleanor figuring out that they were, in fact, in The Bad Place. The show did their big twist a bit early in season two when The Judge sent Team Cockroach back to Earth to live out their lives to see if they would end up being worthy of The Good Place at the start of the list episode so we did get a sneak peak of what season three may be like. It may be a bit precocious to think this will be the whole season considering Michael’s second try only lasted two episodes of season two. All I know about the third season is that Jason better enjoy the Jacksonville Jaguars’ run through the playoffs last year.

2. Will DC Universe Succeed? – We have finally reached streaming saturation where we have to ask of every new service, can it survive? Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu seem to have their foothold with the big pockets of Disney, Youtube, Facebook Watch, and Apple TV lurking (granted deep pockets does not necessarily mean success, remember Ping?). Which begs the question is there a place for niche services? Seriously, who is paying six buck a month to get AMC or FX ad free? Do you at least get their movies uncensored? The latest to put their hat in the ring is DC which is offering a vague number of their comic book movies, shows, and actual comic books along with one exclusive series airing at a time released with weekly episode for eight bucks a month (or seventy-five for a yearly subscription). Does not seem enough to me for a permanent subscription, but I will likely sign up once a year or so for a month just so I can see Lyla Garrity in a superhero costume. Now if only they would greenlight a Saturn Girl spin-off.

3. How Will Homeland End? – How apropos that a show with a bi-polar lead would be the most uneven show in the history of television. As great as the first season was, the third season was equally bad. Since killing off Brody, the show has evened out (though the long slow death of Quinn was excruciating). Two seasons ago, the show backed itself into a Russian hacking storyline before it turned out to really be happening. The show recently announced next will be its last. We left off with Carrie completely off her meds for a lengthy amount of time. Kind of a shame the drama of freeing Carrie wasn’t itself the final season.

4. Will Manifest Be the Next Lost? – Lost launched thirteen years ago and during it six year run, every network tried to replicate its deep seeded mythology with sprawling cast to no avail. Very few got a second season and none I believe got a third. Since they all failed, it has been awhile since a network has tried something so ambitious. Can Manifest, about a plane (how Lostian) lands fire years with the passengers thinking it was a normal flight, capture the magic that Lost did or will it just go the way of The Event?

5. Will the Veronica Mars Reboot Be Any Good? – Veronica Mars has long been the holy grail of gone too soon television shows. We did get a movie thanks to Kickstarter but it was too fan servicey to be great itself. Four years later it looks like we may get a full television revival on Hulu (no official announcement yet but creator Rob Thomas has tweeted out multiple acticles on the subject without actually commenting on it himself). So will the reboot be any good? The movie was good enough and with Thomas and Kristen Bell back, I am definitely optimistic. And free of network constraints, just how dark and gritty will the show get? Can we expect a full frontal Dick Casablancas?


As the great philosopher Butt-Head once pondered, how would we know if something was cool if there weren't things that sucked; here are the five least antedated questions:

1. Who Will Get Roseanne’d Next? - A wise man once said, “Twitter is stupid and Instagram is Twitter for people who can't read.” Twitter has long been a cesspool for the angriest people to shout at each other and earlier this year Roseanne got axed from her highly rated show for being racist. Then about a month later Guardians of the Galaxy writer / director James Gunn was fired, also by Disney for making poor pedophile jokes on Twitter (or so some claimed were jokes; pictures at him at a pedophile themed party did not help his cause). Which begs the question, who will get fired because of Twitter next? Can I put money on Alec Baldwin, who has an upcoming ABC show and surprisingly has never been blacklisted for his very inappropriate tirades including calling his eleven year old daughter a “rude thoughtless pig.” I know it will not be Rian Johnson, another Disney employee and director of an upcoming Star Wars film, who recently deleted all of his tweets older than a year which is probably the wisest thing anyone can do besides never even going on Twitter.

2. What Will Be the Next Crappy Reboot? – Sure there are some reboots to be extremely excited about that may be coming soon like the previously mentioned Veronica Mars as well Alf, and a Deadwood movie. But for every worthy reboot, there seems to be ten crappy ones. Joining Will and Grace and Roseanne The Connors this fall include Murphy Brown, Magnum P.I. Last Man Standing, and Charmed. We will also be getting soon The Hills, Roswell. And also in the works are Bewitched, Designing Women, The Facts of Life, The Muppet Show, Party of Five, The Twilight Show, The Animaniacs, and a double dose of Melissa Joan Hart reboots in Clarrisa Explains it All and Sabrina the Teenage Witch (though she will only appear on the former).

3. Where Did the Runaways Runaway To? – It took an entire season for the titular runaways to actually runaway, to the point I do not really care at this point. I am still kind of rooting for the parents.

4. Will FX Continue to Let Kurt Sutter Overindulge? - The first couple seasons of Sons of Anarchy were pretty good. Then the gang went to Ireland and things dragged on a bit. When they got back to California, it did not get much better because FX’s laisse faire attitude let creator Kurt Sutter make longer and long episode that got more and more excruciating to watch. I think there was even a two hour plus episode that included three musical montages in the final season, one sung by Sutter’s wife who was also a star of the show. Aw, nepotism. So his follow-up was a hard pass for me and apparently most of Sons’ viewers because it was canceled after one season. Sutter is back in the motorcycle game with the spin-off with Mayans MC. But if FX continues to give him carte blanche, I think I will pass. And my cable guide has the first episode at over an hour and thirty-eight minutes and episode two at an hour and a half, so definitely hard pass. Seriously FX, notes are good sometimes.
5. Can CW Succeed Going to Six Nights a Week?: The CW was launched twelve years ago and two years later it was outsourcing its Sunday schedule before abandoning the night a year later. A decade later the CW is reviving the night.

And here are the shows I will be watching this fall and when they begin.

Mondays
8:00 – The Neighborhood (CBS, October 1)
10:00 – Manifest (NBC, September 24)

Tuesdays
8:00 – The Gifted (FOX, September 25)
9:00 – Blackish (ABC, October 16)
10:00 – The Purge (USA, September 4)

Wednesdays
8:00 – Survivor (CBS, September, 26)
8:00 – The Goldbergs (ABC, September 26)
9:00 – Modern Family (ABC, September 26)
9:00 – Vikings (History, November 28)

Thursdays
8:00 – The Good Place (NBC, September 27)
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (CBS, September 27)
8:30 – Superstore (NBC, October 4)

Fridays
The First (Hulu, all episodes September 14)
Into the Dark (Hulu, new episodes on first Friday of the month starting in October)
Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu, all episodes December 21)
8:00 – Blindspot (October 12)
9:00 – Midnight, Texas (October 26)

Sundays
8:00 – Supergirl (The CW, October 14)
9:00 – Shameless (Showtime, September 9)
9:00 – The Last Ship (TNT, September 9)
9:00 - The Walking Dead (AMC, October 7)
9:00 - Ray Donovan (Showtime, October 28)
10:00 – Kidding (Showtime, September 9)
10:00 – You (Lifetime, September 9)
10:00 - Escape at Dannemora (Showtime, November 18)

I Want My Television Trailers: 2/17/16

I usually save my television trailers for upfronts because, well, that is when the vast majority are released. But two just dropped last week that got me very excited (and two that raised my eyebrow) that they are definitely worth sharing.

The Path


The Path had me at "From the executive producer of Friday Night Lights and Parenthood." Heck, I even watched every episode of About a Boy despite some poor casting decisions. Clearly Jason Katims strong suit is drama and he is back at it with this show and much better casting. First off: welcome back Lyla Garrity, where have you been since Charlie's Angels got axed after three episodes? All I remember seeing her in was a horrible Hallmark Channel movie with Earl Hickey (which I highly recommend if you do enjoy extremely cheesy Hallmark Channel movies). Also in the cast is Will Graham straight from Hannibal except he looks like he may be the sociopath this time around. The trailer is very vague, so I could be wrong but he looks to be like some sort of cult leader. Then throw in Lily Kane's husband from Big Love (screw that other overrated show he was in) and the hot chick from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Color me excited. And since Katims does like to recycle his actors maybe Lyla will not be the only familiar face, could Buddy Garrity and Landry Clarke be far behind? How about getting Haddie Braverman some work after sending her off the college. Just do not bring in anyone from About A Boy.

Roadies


I am an absolute Cameron Crowe supporter, I will defend Elizabethtown and even enjoyed Aloha despite its nonsensical plot (seriously, how can anyone trash a movie that features an Emma Stone / Bill Murray dance sequence). So naturally I got extremely excited when Showtime announced Cameron Crowe would be creating his first television show called Roadies. It does seem safe to assume that it will just be Almost Famous set in modern times. And it also has a pretty stellar cast: the better Karen Sisco, the better Wilson brother, the always reliable Luis Guzman. And sure Imogen Poots may be the worst name ever for a hot chick but name a female lead in a Cameron Crowe movie that you did not fall in love with? Seriously, he has been the only person to ever make Kate Hudson likeable. Imogen is already on that list based on the trailer alone, which of course, features a great Eddie Vedder song.

House of Lies


Andy Greenwald likes to joke that Showtime shows go on forever so it is sometimes easy to forget they even exist. Like, oh yeah, House of Lies is still on. But really the big takeaway from the trailer of its fifth (fifth!) season was the inclusion of Vinnie Van Lowe. So for those keeping track at home, on her new show, Veronica Mars has hooked up with Vinnie, Dick Casablancas, and gone on a date with Mercer the rapist. You know Sheriff Lamb is just sitting by his telephone right now. Maybe in the eighth season Don.

Roots


No big surprise that Roots is getting remade, it is getting to the point that is is surprising any big event older than a decade does not get remade or rebooted. Ironically right after watching the trailer for the History remake I was flipping around on television and landed on the CNN The Seventies miniseries right in the middle of the Roots segment where they were talking about how powerful that they cast all the evil while plantation owner with beloved television dad. Compare that with the new one where the only one who gets mentioned in the credits is Johathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) who always seems to play horrible people.

Best of the Week: 1/18/14

Quote of the Week: Unless Hitler has risen from the grave, and is in my whorehouse, go away right now, Messer! (Dewie Crowe, Justified)

Song of the Week: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash (The Blacklist)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: Veronica Mars Coming Back to the Small Screen: Shortly after the success of Kickstarter, creator Rob Thomas talked about he was looking ways to reboot the television series. This seemed plausible because unlike when the show went off the air, there are more cable channels getting into the scripted game not to mention nontraditional channels like Netflix. Except there was one huge obstacle: Kristen Bell is already under contract with House of Lies and cannot star in two shows simultaneously. You really cannot have a Veronica Mars reboot when the titular character only shows up about as often as Alison Brie on Mad Man.

So if you want to bring back the show to the small screen without the main character there is really only one way to do it. And The CW, the network that canceled the show seven years ago so they could put Farmer Takes a Wife on the air, announced earlier this week that they were going to make a Veronica Mars spin-off for their internet division CW Seed (whatever that is). It did not take very long to theorize who would star in the spin-off (I was hoping would take his web series success of Burning Love and bring it to a Vinnie Van Lowe show; maybe in a case that forces him to team up with Keith Mars again) when Rob Thomas announced that the show would star Ryan Hansen as himself as he tries to put together a Dick Casablancas series. Awesome. So basically it will just be a longer version of the hilarious Kickstarter video with probably even more cameos. No word on whether this will hit the internets before or after the movie on March 15 but I hope that The CW actually picks up the Dick Casablancas show. It cannot possibly be worse that what it currently on their network. Seriously, my sources telling me coming later this month is a show starring Julie Taylor as Juliet to an alien Romeo.

Preview Picture of the Week:

“Your Body Is a Battleground” Switched at Birth, Monday at 8:00 on ABC Family

Free Download of the Week: Country Greats (Google Play): Even if you are not a fan of the genre, you should at least give a listen to Will Hoge and Ashley Monroe. There is also a free Sheryl Crow song from her recent country turn. And also Kenny Fracking Rogers.

Deal of the Week: Cash Albums for $5: Earlier this week Amazon ran an advertisement of, “If you give us $5 we'll give you Cash back.” When I clicked on the link, it ended up being a bunch of Johnnty Cash albums. It only took me a couple seconds to get the joke.

New Album Release of the Week: The U.S. Albums - The Beatles

New DVD Release of the Week: It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (Criterion Collection) (Blu-ray/DVD)

Video of the Week: I am a little late to this, but if you are like me and have not watched wrestling in years, I have a treat for you: the return of Jake “The Snake” Roberts. And of course wherever Jake goes, Damien is there too. The best part is the other guy was so excited that he could not help but smiled while getting accosted with a snake. Sadly it looks like this was a one night only affair. Even sadder was the news that Mae Young passed away this week. She continued to pop up on screen even in her nineties, wrestling in nine straight decades, a feat that will doubtfully ever be matched let alone beaten. The sight of Mae “giving birth” to Mark Henry’s “baby” will forever be etched on my mind.


Next Week Pick of the Week: King of the Nerds, Thursdays at 10:00 on TBS: The first season of King of the Nerds was just plain fun and now the show is back with ten more geeks fighting to sit upon the Throne of Games. Look for a full preview of the premiere on Thursday.

Previewing House of Lies: Season Three

Season two of House of Lies was all about Marty maneuvering so he could start his own firm and bringing his pod along with him. Except by the time the season ended, Doug decided to stay behind at Galweather Stone, feeling betrayed, Clyde jumped ship to work under Monica at Kinsley Johnson. Jennie was already to make the move, but after she professed her love for Marty, he blew her off and their last interaction was Jennie telling Marty she never wants to talk to him again. So it was up in the air just where she would end up.

So at the start of season three, Marty’s former pod resides at three different agencies (no, Jennie does not end up a fourth unknown firm). None of the four main characters seem that happy in their new surrounding or old jobs with new co-workers. Clyde really did not think through jumping ship to work with Monica or just did not believe she could be as crazy as Marty makes her out to be, but he, and the audience, quickly sees just how evil she is in her natural habitat.

Since the four former pod members are now in three different pod, there are plenty of new faces on the show (for those that need the math done for them, that is seven new pod-mates not including Monica), the females of which are much more interesting (though most of the guys seem to be intentionally dull). The one in Clyde’s pod may be as crazy as Monica but in a different way. The newly married Doug may hilariously be overselling his new pod member’s unattractiveness. And the new girl at Marty’s firm just ranks very high on the likeability scale.

There are some familiar faces outside the new pods. Daniel Stern (who has to get nice royalty checks this time of the year after all the December airings of A Christmas Story and Home Alone), Drew Carey’s cross-dressing brother pops up as a new rival to Jennie who also has a run in with former (and future) co-star Ryan Hansen in a scene that doubtful be reenacted by Dick and Ronnie in the upcoming Veronica Mars movie. Ryan even gets in a discussion about pitchers and catchers that he had during Veronica Mars. And if that is enough Veronica Mars for you, there is a very obscure reference to the show in the season premiere where Don Cheadle has a conversion that Ronnie had word for word back in the season two premiere of Veronica Mars. It seems like the writers of House of Lies re-watched Kristen’s previous series to get ready for the movie. Whatever the reason, House of Lies, after a rough first two seasons, seems to be hitting its stride in the start of the third.

House of Lies airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime. For those that cannot wait four days until the premiere, you can watch the season three premiere below to she just where Jennie ends up and if you can catch the Veronica Mars reference. House of Lies will be followed by the third season of Episodes of which you can watch the premiere of here.

The 14 Events That Will Make 2014 Awesome

2014 may be less than a week old, but in no way means it is too early to do a Best of 2014. Here are fourteen events that will hopefully keep us entertained over the next twelve months.

14. Detox – Dr. Dre: Let’s start off the list as I always do by suggesting this may very well be the year we get to hear Detox. Hey, maybe Dre will launch it with his Beats Music Service which is supposedly going live sometime this month as a rival to Spotify (YouTube’s music service is also due this month). But where Spotify is made by software engineers, Dre has teamed up with Trent Resnor and legendary record executive Jimmy Iovine. Though it will not be in use until a still unspecified date earily in 2014, grab your Beats Music username now.

13. The End of How I Met Your Mother: Okay, the show has not been great for a while (I would argue the show started going downhill right after Victoria left for Paris) and the last season has been as I expected considering it takes place over one weekend (and that is not very), but it is an end of an era when the show comes to a close after nine seasons this spring. Well that is until it is replaced with the rumored How I Met Your Father next fall.

12. Frank Miller on Screen: For the very small niche of Frank Miller fans who hate reading, 2014 will be a good year for them because two of his graphic novels will once again be given the big screen treatment. First up in March is 300: Rise of an Empire, a prequel to the original focusing on those evil Persians. Then in August Sin City a Dame to Kill For will get its long delayed release bringing back Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, and Josh Hartnett in four segment, two straight from the Frank Miller graphic novel and two original stories for the film.


11. World Cup: Real football fans rejoice, it is World Cup time and it is back in the Western Hemisphere for the first time in twenty year. Sure Brazil and soccer has been in the headlines recently because of referee beheadings, but that is juts minor considering the controversies surrounding the other major sporting event this year. There should be less refereeing complaining this time around because this will be the first World Cup with goal line technology. Also new this year: vanishing spray for referees to mark the ten year mark which disappears a minute after application. Oh technology, what will they think of next. The World Cup kicks off June 12 on ABC and ESPN, while America starts off June 16 against Ghana who has beaten the USA at the last two World Cups.

10. The Strain: I have been on a vampire moratorium since the series finale of Angel but it may be time to lift that because of The Strain. The show was created by Guillermo de Toro who knows a thing or two about creepy storytelling, just check out Pan’s Labyrinth for proof. Just like The Walking Dead, The Strain is based on a graphic novel but hopefully del Toro can avoid the pitfalls Frank Darabount did when he tried to adapt The Walking Dead. We do not have any footage of the series just yet (there is a viral marketing video featuring rats) but expect the show to debut sometime in July on FX.

9. Penny Dreadful: If that is not enough supernatural being for you, or fears that even basic cable will not be able to go there, there is Penny Dreadful which was picked up by Showtime. The show will weave together the origins of literary horror characters, such as Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, Dorian Gray, and Count Dracula, as they grapple with their monstrous alienation in Victorian London. And the cast boasts Josh Hartnett, Eva Green, and Billie Piper while the show is executively produced by Sam Mendes director of the Daniel Craig era James Bond films. No premiere date other than “spring” but I am guessing it will be the week after the Shameless season finale, so sometime in early April.


8. Live Television: Whenever something is successful, expect more of it. Yeah The Sound of Music Live! Go panned, but it went head to head with ratings champ The Big Bang Theory. So expect more scripted live events this year. I was hoping NBC would do a live adaptation of A Christmas Carol but the network has already tasked the producers behind The Sound of Music revival to do another musical. The next beloved music would probably be West Side Story. Is Selena Gomez as Maria too obvious? Sure the internet will probably like that casting as much a Carrie Underwood but at least Selena can act (though she does not have as good a voice as Carrie). Then for Tony, let me suggest Jason Street. Then much like The Sound of Music Live! Fill out the rest of the cast with actual Broadway veterans. Well, and have Neil Patrick Harris and Bill Hader make a cameo as Lieutenant Schrank and Officer Krupke. Granted if I ran NBC (or any other network getting into the Live television game), I would throw all the money in my coffers at Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling to star in a live adaptation of Guys and Dolls in the rolls of Sister Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson.

7. More Marvel Movies: Marvel is going to dominate the movie theaters this year with sequels to Captain America (April 4), Spider-Man (May 2), and an X-Men (May 23) movie that bridges the 00’s trilogy and the most recent prequel. Oh yeah, and the studio is also launching a new property Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1) which features a gun toting raccoon and a talking tree. Meanwhile over at DC, there are no movies on the docket for this year, but…

6. DC on TV:.. by this time next year there could be as many as five DC comics based shows on television. Right now there is only Arrow on The CW based on Green Arrow but the show is developing a spin-off based on The Flash. And apparently The CW is beginning to realize that only targeting teen girls is a bad strategy because they have yet another funny book adaptation in development with Hourman, a pharmaceutical analyst who discovers that the visions that have plagued him since childhood are actually glimpses of tragic events occurring one hour in the future. Now if only the network would hire real actors instead of Ambrocrombie models and became a superhero only network (aside from a Veronica Mars reboot of course), it may become watchable. Meanwhile over on Fox they have already picked up Gotham to series based on James Gordon in a pre-Batman city (granted the last Batman-less Batman show Birds of Prey did not do very well). Then over at NBC, they are developing a show based on Constantine comic (last seen come to life in the Keanu Reeves movie). And this does not even include the long gestating Wonder Woman television show that almost made it to air a couple seasons ago on NBC and has long been in development as a origin story for The CW but never made it to the Pilot phase at the network.

5. New Music from U2: It seems like there has been a rumored U2 album coming soon ever since the release No Line on the Horizon was released back in 2009. Though those albums never materialized, the band wrapped up recording of their latest with Danger Mouse (who will have his album with Broken Bells out this year, and if you believe TMZ ambush interviews will be re-teaming with Cee-Lo Green for a new album in the new year) producing just prior to the holidays. And where Beyonce just airdropped her latest album out of nowhere, rumor has it U2 will go the completely opposite direction and will make their announcement for a new album during a Super Bowl commercial. Unless of course that commercial announces you can get the album starting at the end of the commercial on iTunes which may be the only way anyone could ever out-Beyoncé Beyoncé.

4. Untitled Cameron Crowe Project: Not much is known about the next Cameron Crowe (writer / director of Singles and Jerry McGuire) project but all I need to know is that it reunites Zombieland costars Emma Stone and Bill Murray. Throw in Rachel McAdams (who is due for a career resurgence) and you have a movie that you cannot miss.

3. Interstellar: Another movie shrouded in mystery. It supposedly has something to do with wormholes, but the recent teaser which was basically just Matthew McConaughey driving a beat up truck down a dirt road like he was in a country music video. But the movie comes from Christopher Nolan who messed with everyone’s heads on Inception and had fanboys everywhere geeking out with his Batman trilogy. Go ahead and mark November 7 on your calender now.


2. Winter Olympics: Curling enthusiast rejoice because the sport is coming back to television when the Olympic hit Sochi, Russia starting February 7. Sure no one watches any of these sports when not played under the Olympic flag besides hockey (though now that NBC has its own sports network, I do not see why they do not start airing curling league games). Still I will watch all that I am able to be it biathlon (Skiing! Shooting! All in one silly event) or luge. Sure there are some political aspects that could put a damper on the games be it Chechen terrorists or that Johnny Weir could be arrested right off the plane and shipped to Siberia just for being who he is.

1. Veronica Mars: Almost ten years after it debuted on television, Veronica Mars will hit the big screen March 14 with Neptune’s finest returning for a class reunion with all the major castmembers returning along with fan favorites like Vinnie Van Lowe, Amanda Sinclair, and Leo D’Amato making an appearance. Oh year, and the official trailer hit the internets recently, take a gander below.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 1/4/14

Quote of the Week: Minuses are made up! (Annie Edison, Community)

Song of the Week: True Colors – Cyndi Lauper (The Millers)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: Television Is Back Already: Most shows started their “winter break” less than a month ago, but shows started returning as early as last Thursday and most other shows will make their return this week. Here is a full run down of what I will be watching into the spring and when they return:

Monday
8:00 – Switched at Birth (January 13)
8:00 - How I Met Your Mother (January 13)
8:00 – The Voice (February 24)
8:30 – 2 Broke Girls (January 13)
9:00 – Dallas (February 24)
10:00 – The Blacklist (January 13)
10:00 – Castle (January 6)

Tuesdays
8:00 – Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (January 7)
8:00 – Pretty Little Liars (January 7)
8:00 – The Voice (February 25)
9:00 – The Goldbergs (January 7)
9:00 – Ravenswood (January 7)
10:00 – Justified (January 7)
10:00 – Perception (February 25)

Wednesdays
8:00 – The Middle (January 8)
8:30 – Suburgatory (January 15)
9:00 – Modern Family (January 8)
10:00 – Nashville (January 15)
10:00 – The Americans (Febuary 26)

Thursdays
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (January 2)
8:00 – Community (January 2)
8:30 – The Millers (January 2)
9:00 – The Crazy Ones (January 2)
9:30 – The Michael J Fox Show (January 2)
10:00 – Parenthood (January 2)
10:00 – King of the Nerds (January 23)
10:00 – Vikings (February 27)

Fridays
8:00 – Last Man Standing (January 10)
8:30 – The Neighbors (January 10)
9:00 – Grimm (January 3)
9:00 – Hannibal (February 28)
10:00 - Helix (January 10)

Saturdays
9:00 - Orphan Black (April 19)
11:30 – Saturday Night Live (January 18)

Sundays
9:00 – Once Upon a Time (March 9)
9:00 – Shameless (January 12)
9:00 – Revenge (January 5; moves to 10:00 March 16)
9:00 – The Walking Dead (February 9)
10:00 – House of Lies (January 12)

TBD
Penny Dreadful
The Strain
Mad Men
Survivor

Preview Picture of the Week:

“Who’s in the Box” Pretty Little Liars, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family

The Big Bang Theory: I got a little worried when Penny proposed to Leonard because that would ruin the whole dynamic of the show. Well assuming Leonard moved in with Penny. Penny moving in with Leonard and Sheldon would be awesome, but the other way around would be disastrous. Who would be dumb enough to move in with Sheldon, Raj would know better, Amy would not be a good idea. That could only leave Stuart which could be interesting unless they would bring in someone new.
You can stream recent episodes on cbs.com. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Community: When it was announced that creator Dan Harmon would be brought back to the show after a year’s sabbatical I assumed we would be treated to a last season was all a dream season opener like Dallas. Nope, it actually did happen, the group actually graduated and now are back at Greendale (except for Pierce who is just resigned to being a creepy hologram. Oh, except for Jeff who is now a teacher. It was a wise idea to bring the show back with two episodes just to make a smoother transition back into the original creative team after the last fan-fiction type season.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Parenthood: I actually thought Drew’s friend with benefit was going to propose Amy join their benefit package. Nope it turns out she was just jealous. Too bad for Drew who has constantly been on the bottom of the Braverman Power Rankings for five seasons now. That storyline would be a nice reward for having nothing to do on the show. But I guess he should be happy he has not been dragged into the Julia / Joel saga.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.


Free Download of the Week: Artists to Watch in 2014 (Amazon MP3)

New Album Release of the Week: Scratch My Back and I'll Scratch Yours - Peter Gabriel and Friends

New DVD Release of the Week: Archer: The Complete Season Four

Video of the Week: The first official trailer for Veronica Mars was released though most of it we have already seen aside from our first looks at Deputy Leo, the new Sherriff Lamb, and a blink and you will miss it cameo from Dax Sheppard. But the big question will the people who did not see the show be inspired by the trailer to actually see it? The first half a minute is filled with boring trailer clichés but it does finally pick up when Dick Casablancas finally makes an appearance. We will have to wait until March 14 to see how many people who did not contribute to the Kickstarter campaign are willing to part with their hard earned cash now that the product is finished.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Justified, Tuesday at 10:00 on FX: Instead of the usual Big Bad, last season Justified went with more of a mystery season with the Ballad of Drew Peterson. The season five premiere is entitled “A Murder of Crowes” and from the promos that feature a newly released Dewey Crowe, I am guessing he will be playing a bigger part this season. As great as the last season was, it was severely lacking some Dewey Crowe. The only question is if Dicky Bennett also became a free man since last season, they maybe the greatest moronic duo since Beavis and Butt-Head.

The 25 Best Music Moments from Veronica Mars

For January’s Scooter Hall of Fame inductions I always induct a “first ballot” honoree from ten years ago and now that it has been a decade since Veronica Mars hit the small screen, that was a easy no brainer for the potential first ballot inductees from 2004 than Veronica Mars (sorry The College Dropout, Lost, and Dodgeball, you will have to wait a couple months or so; well except Lost, you will probably never get in). But since I have wasted quite a lot of virtual ink on the show over the past decade, instead of the usual fluff piece, I thought I would look back with another list (I have already done the 10 Best Veronica Mars Episodes) by looking back at the best music moments from the show.


1. We Used to Be Friends (Theme Song) (Seasons 1 and 2): I am typically morally opposed with licensing song as a theme song. Seriously, what does The Who have to do with investigating crime scene investigators? But The Dandy Warhols song with its shiny exterior and darker lyrics, fit so perfectly with the show to the point where it was even used as dialogue halfway through the first season. The less said about the third season remix, the better.

2. One Way Or Another (Clash of the Tritons): Lily Kane ended up being the one who would go onto starring in multiple musicians, but it is a shame this is one of the few times we have heard Kristen Bell sing on screen. Seriously, get this girl in front of a mic more often.

3. Adelaide (Donut Run): Rarely do I ever to the internet after an episode but the song the end of Donut Run the best hour of the second season, did just that. A fitting soundtrack to the end of the Duncan Kane era on the show.

4. Private Eyes - Private Eyes (Remastered) (Weapons of Class Destruction): Vincent Van Lowe is by far the best recurring character on the show, and more entertaining than some that were in the main cast. And our first introduction to Vinny was a good one when he caught Ronnie trying to eavesdropping on him and instead of just crushing the bug, he decided to serenade her with his favorite Hall and Oates song.

5. Ashes (Normal Is the Watchword): After missing the bus, Veronica is cruising down the PCH on the back of Weevil’s bike only to see the bus she miss sink to the bottom of the ocean over the lines, “I sink like a stone, I lost my control.” Brilliant. It is a shame the Embrace song was not a bigger hit here.

6. The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack (Donut Run): Everyone has their breakup playlist and Ronnie busted out The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack to sell her fake breakup to Duncan including How Can You Mend a Broken Heart by Al Green and The Air I Breathe by The Hollies.

7. Right Here, Right Now (Spit and Eggs): Sure in retrospect, the Fatboy Slim could have been a spoiler for who the Heart rapist is (certainly the DJ would have a dance song as the background for his rapes), but it definitely fit the mood.

8. Bad Day (The Bitch Is Back): Ronnie warned Dominick Desante that he would regret not giving her the name of the person that e-mailed his the video of her. So after maxing out his credit card right before a big date and stealing his wheels, Vee serenaded him with the Daniel Powder one hit wonder to top things off.

9. Veronica (Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle): See Veronica, be nice to someone and the lead singer of Spoon may serenade you with Elvis Costello.

10. What's Left of Me (Postgame Mortem): You rarely see Nick Lachey on a list of “best music” anything, but his song was responsible for one of the funniest moment of season three when an eleven year old dedicated the song on behalf of Logan to Veronica, and the look on Ronnie’s face was priceless.

11. One Week (Show Me the Money): Sure, on the surface, being Canada in the dorms Around the World party may see lame, but stock the fridge with Molson’s, thrown in an “eh” at the end of every sentence and everyone has a good time. And I am sure the Barenaked Ladies is better than anything they are playing in Germany.

12. Busted (President Evil): Over three season, Ronnie took down jocks, fratboys, cheerleaders, and even a movie star, but maybe the most entertaining come up pence was when she snapped back her necklace from a annoying elementary school student that her father robbed from Vee with Johnny Cash playing in the background.

13. Papa Was a Rolling Stone (Blast from the Past): What do you say to the absentee dad you never knew you had when your mother tells you he was a junkie cop who could not raise a kid? You do not say anything, you just sing a few lines from the Temptations classic like Wallace did.

14. Love Hurts (Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang): At the start of the second season, Ronnie took a job at Java the Hutt where they regularly had karaoke night and one of the first singers was Courtney Taylor-Taylor, lead singer of The Dandy Warhols (their song Smoke It also was featured in the episode) who provide the theme song, singing the Nazareth classic.

15. The 80’s Dance (Ruskie Business): One of my favorite scenes in the series, forget Logan, Deputy Leo was Ronnie’s greatest boyfriend and here is where it all started, soundtracked by The Fixx, Cindi Lauper, and Spandau Ballad with Vee dressed up as Madonna (only Ronnie can pull of crimped hair) and Leo doing his best Crockett (possibly Tubbs) impression.

16. Run (Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner): This episode ends very creepy with Veronica and Duncan finding Meg’s sister locked in the closet, they get arrested and set free by Sheriff Lamb who did not take kindly to kids being locked up (he heard the same speech by his father). The creepiness was only heightened by the Air song playing in the background.

17. It Never Rains In Southern California (The Bitch Is Back): Le sigh.

18. Sway (Pan B): I always thought Logan was horrible for Ronnie but this was still a great moment and song.

19. My Before and After (Debasement Tapes): Paul Rudd dropped by in an episode as a washed up alternative rocker Desmond Fellows of the nineties group My Pretty Pony who has resigned his life on the nostalgia circuit with the tapes of his deceased band mate’s vocal tracks playing beside him while he gives half hearted performances. When Piz forces him to perform an original, this is what Fellows performed (which in reality is an obscure Cotton Mather’s song).

20. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) (My Big Fat Greek Rush Week): When smoking out bad guys, Ronal Regan would blare Van Halen on a loop, George W. Bush opted for Rage Against the Machine. Wallace and his guards went with a more inhumane root torturing Logan and his terrorists with Rupert Holmes.

21. I Hear the Bells (Look Who’s Stalking): See above but even I have to admit Logan’s epic speech was awesome. Plus Ronnie loves this song and so do I.

22. Rump Shaker (Welcome Wagon): We had not see Dick all summer after his brother flung himself off the roof of the Neptune Grand, so how is he introduced in season three? Interrupting an anti-rap rally wearing nothing but a Union Jack Speedo and a ski mask and blasting the classic one hit wonder. I expected nothing less from Dick.

23. Don't Stand So Close to Me (Mars vs. Mars): Of course when a student admits to having an affair with a teacher she is going to get taunted with The Police song even if the song is twice as old as the girls singing it.

24. True Colors (My Big Fat Greek Rush Week): As Ronnie prepared to go into the den of debauchery that was the sorority life, she is instead greeted by a capella renderings of the Cyndi Lauper classic.

25. Folsom Prison Blues (The Rapes of Graff): Veronica once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, unfortunately it was a bit of a letdown.


Aside from the Tin Anniversary, Veronica Mars will have another milestone in 2014 as the movie will be released March 14 of this year. The first trailer is supposed to hit the internets today and I will add that here when it does.