2015 Summer Music Preview

During my Spring Music Preview I mentioned that the most interesting thing in music was that they would be moving the album release day to a global release day on Friday. Last week it was announced that would start July 10. Since that was just announced some of these dates may be off and it is unsure if those albums will be released three days later and four days earlier. And like Spring, there are not really enough great albums coming up for a Most Anticipated list, albums that I was looking forward to released mostly lackluster first singles. Alas, here are the albums coming out in the next couple months that will at the very least be worth a spin on Spotify. If you would like to pre-order the albums on Amazon, click on the title. Click on the artist name to be taken to their iTunes page.


Yesterday
Pageant Material - Kacey Musgraves
Coming Home - Leon Bridges
Unbreakable Smile - Tori Kelly

June 30
Wildheart - Miguel
VENUS - Joy Williams
Blood to Bone - Gin Wigmore

July 10
Adrian Younge Presents Twelve Reasons To Die II - Ghostface Killah
Ghost Notes - Veruca Salt
Working Girl - Little Boots
Mobile Orchestra - Owl City

July 17
Recreational Love - The Bird and the Bee
Something More Than Free - Jason Isbell
Sing Into My Mouth - Iron & Wine & Ben Bridwell
How Does It Feel - MS MR
Sirens - Sublime With Rome
Born In The Echoes - The Chemical Brothers

July 24
Watkins Family Hour - Watkins Family Hour
The Blade - Ashley Monroe
Blue Pool EP - Vanessa Carlton
Woman - Jill Scott
Twenty+ - All-4-One

July 31
The Answer - Joss Stone

August 14
Midnight - Grace Potter
Vikings - New Politics

August 21
The Meth Lab - Method Man
The Awakening - P.O.D.
Emotion - Carly Rae Jepsen

August 28
Bad Magic - Motörhead
Depression Cherry - Beach House

September 4
Yours, Dreamily, - The Arcs
The Book Of Souls - Iron Maiden

September 11
Repentless - Slayer

September 18
This Means War - ZZ Ward
Higher Truth - Chris Cornell
Paper Gods - Duran Duran
Pagans in Vegas - Metric

September 25
Music Complete - New Order

October 23
Another Country - Rod Stewart

TBD
Habeas Corpus - Geto Boys (donate to the Kickstarter campaign)
Moonlight - Ariana Grande
Heart Blanche - Cee Lo Green
And the Anonymous Nobody - De La Soul
Speedin' Bullet to Heaven - Kid Cudi
Cass Country - Don Henley
Christmas in Tahoe - Train
The 1975
Adele
Band of Horses
Chic
Frank Ocean
Gary Clark Jr.
Grimes
Hailee Steinfeld
Janet Jackson
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Mudcrutch
Nas
Selena Gomez

Previewing Anne Frank's Holocaust and Brazil

It is depressing to think the last time most people thought about Anne Frank was during the silly debate over whether she would have been a fan of Justin Bieber. I really hate society sometime. Now we have all had to read The Diary of Anne Frank at some point in our lives but what it is easy to overlook was that there was more to Anne Frank after she was separated from her diary. Anne Frank's Holocaust retraces Frank's steps after being found in her father's annex August 4, 1944.

We are maybe a decade or so away from having any more first person accounts of World War II and the new special manages to find two childhood friends of Anne Frank in the Netherlands who would again cross paths at a concentration camp just months before the end of the war. They provide rarely seen photographs and provide a more vivid insight of Frank's early life and that spent in the concentration camps.

Anne Frank's Holocaust premieres tonight at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel.


If the Holocaust is too dark for you, National Geographic Channel's sister station Nat Geo Wild is premiering a new mini series also airing tonight for three straight hours. Brazil is having a moment in the sports world now, hosting the World Cup last year and the Olympic next year. The mini-series Brazil takes you out of the cities away from the people going deep into the many jungles rain forests in the nation. Where here in North America we had cold and warm seasons, in Brazil they have wet and dry season where different species thrive and have to survive in the other which is not as easy as hibernating like our local animals. Most fascinating of which are the fish the have to "jump" back to the rivers during the dry season when their habitat dries up.

Brazil premieres tonight at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 6/20/15

Penny Dreadful: I guess we should not be surprised that Lily did not come back right, but a what is up with her killing a dude during sex?
You can download Penny Dreadful on iTunes.

American Odyssey: I am not sure what my favorite part of the episode was: Luc again flipping allegiances by saving Odell by pretending to have her kidnapped and killed and not bothering to tell her the plan. Or Ruby who loves Harrison so much that she would commit suicide by cop that either kill him or get arrested (even though if her boss wants him dead can he not just hire another assassin after she dies). Nope, now that I think about it, my favorite part was Ruby having a pager. Who knew those were still around?
You can download American Odyssey on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: In the supposed "Summer of Answers" we still did not really get any. We did get a confirmation that Charles is a long lost brother of Allison but we essentially already knew that. But I do not really need answers this summer, really all I need from the the show this summer is multiple scenes of Ali mentoring a youth soccer team.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Tyrant: I was kind of hoping that this show would not be back for a second season because it was one of those post golden age shows that had a good concept, good acting, but was just missing something (usually any entertainment value). I was hoping for a hard reboot with Jamel actually going through with the execution of Barry, and was almost fooled that he did until I remembered my cardinal rule of television: no one is really dead until you see the body (and even in some cases that still does not stick), so I figured that was someone else under the hood. But if you are not going to hang Barry, why leave him out in the middle of the desert to die? Meh.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

Aquarius: Another week without the howling hot chick with the bad American accent? Meh. But again the most fascinating part of the show this week was something that did not happen on screen as the show did not get a "Next Time" segment instead airing a promo for I Can Do That making me wonder if they are going to pull the show. Though Hannibal did get a Next Time package which ended with the announcer saying, "after an all new episode of Aquarius." Plus my TV Guide listing does still list an all new episode next week. It would be interesting if they actually pull the show the week the streaming and On Demand full season episode were supposed to expire. Of course that would not have been the weirdest thing NBC has ever done.
You can download the full season (just the televised version as of now) of Aquarius on iTunes.

Hannibal: It is official, the show is much better as a procedural with weird cases every week instead of a stow hunt for Hannibal. At least it looks like the whole gang will be back together next week.
You can download Hannibal on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 6/19/15

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 Brain Games, First People, Bitten, Salvage Dawgs, The Bomb, Silicon Valley, Love at First Kiss, Penny Dreadful, Steampunk'd, Hellevator, Hey Kids, Let's Eat, Keep the Change, and The Way.

- All new episodes of National Geographic Channel’s (NGC’s) Emmy-nominated series Brain Games return Sunday, June 28 (9:00 – 11:00 p.m. ET/PT) and Monday, June 29 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT) during a two-night premiere event. Kicking off the summer and just before the July 4 weekend, host, futurist and “Shots of Awe” creator Jason Silva hits the streets of New York and Las Vegas with new, captivating social experiments that reveal mysteries of the human mind.

- This five-part series First People shows migration of our ancient ancestors and how homo sapiens became the dominant species on each of five continents, beginning with “Americas” at 9pm ET, followed by “Africa” at 10:00 (check local listings). Archaeological finds combine with cutting-edge DNA science to tell stories of how early humans met, mated, and fought for their lives.

- In 2014, Syfy introduced genre audiences to Elena Michaels (Laura Vandervoort, Smallville, Ted), the world's only female werewolf, in Bitten, a steamy, emotionally charged supernatural series based on the novels by New York Times best-selling author, Kelley Armstrong. Now, this July, Entertainment One conjures up Bitten: The Complete Second Season in a loaded 3-disc DVD set, featuring all ten thrilling, unedited episodes, along with a collection of howlingly good bonus features.

- The hit DIY Network TV Show Salvage Dawgs just began airing its fourth season and just got renewed for a fifth season. Salvage Dawgs chronicles the adventures and creativity of Black Dog Architectural Salvage, a prominent architectural salvage warehouse and retail outlet located in Roanoke, Virginia. With a mission to reclaim, renew and redefine architectural salvage for a sustainable future, they specialize in saving such elements from the landfill. Humorous, family-friendly banter, a suspenseful approach to presenting the salvage process and useful information about how to reuse the historic items they find has resonated will with audiences nationwide.

- PBS’ new special The Bomb tells the story of the most powerful and destructive device ever invented. Premiering on PBS Tuesday, July 28, 2015 at 8:00 (check local listings) in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the detonation of the atomic bomb, the show highlights how humans harnessed this incredible power and what challenges we have faced living with it for 70 years. The Bomb features newly restored footage of nuclear weaponry, some of which has been declassified only recently by the Department of Defense.

- HBO’s Silicon Valley has teamed up with Bitmoji, the popular emoji app that everyone loves, to create a special edition theme pack celebrating the show’s finale this Sunday. Released today, the six new Bitmojis bring the socially awkward world of Pied Piper to your fingertips featuring infamous Erlich expressions including “Trending Up” and “Time for a Vision Quest.”

- VH1 switches up the rules (and order) of dating with the network’s newest series, Love At First Kiss. The eight-episode series, from The Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss and Warner Horizon Television, is slated to premiere in Fall 2015 and will bring together two strangers, both single and looking for love, who use just a kiss as their initial greeting and first and only impression.

- Showtime has renewed the critically-acclaimed, BAFTA Award-winning drama series Penny Dreadful for a third season, it was announced today by David Nevins, President, Showtime Networks Inc. Created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, Penny Dreadful stars Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green. A co-production with Sky Atlantic, Penny Dreadful will once again shoot on location in Dublin, Ireland for a nine episode order to debut in 2016. The second season of Penny Dreadful, currently airing on Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime, will air its season finale on Sunday, July 5.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today that it has started production on a new original skill-based competition series, Steampunk’d. Hosted by Jeannie Mai (“The Real”), the show seeks to find the most talented and versatile Steampunk designers in the country. Inspired by the Victorian era, Steampunk is a retro-futuristic design movement seen in everything from fashion to technology to design. In Steampunk’d, 10 contestants (also known as “Makers”) will be challenged to marry objects from the past and present in order to create impressive futuristic designs. Dramatic reveals each week will build to a grand finale of a fully realized Steampunk’d manor and the winner will take home a $100,000 grand prize. Currently shooting in Los Angeles, the eight-episode series is scheduled to air later this summer (exact date TBD.)

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today that it has greenlit eight episodes of a new horror-themed game show, Hellevator. The terrifying new show from Blumhouse, the team that brought the world the Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister, and The Purge franchises, dares contestants to survive a series of challenges from the depths of an abandoned warehouse. The new series is expected to premiere later this year.

- The award winning PBS series Hey Kids, Let’s Cook! is back for another summer marathon on Create TV on June 27 & 28, this time for season 3 of the series, which includes a visit to the White House featuring First Lady Michelle Obama and a very special surprise guest!

- Ready to bring music to life on your phone? NextRadio is a free smartphone app that connects you with local FM radio directly on your mobile device. Utilizing your phone’s built in FM receiver hardware with 3X better battery life and 10X less data usage, NextRadio won’t drain your data plan or battery! Combining FM radio broadcast with the internet, the app allows for a truly interactive and creative experience with album artwork, song details, station logos and program details. No longer limited to your car, NextRadio allows you to catch morning shows, talk radio, live DJ performances and music broadcasts from anywhere!

- Tangerine Entertainment is pleased to announce the June 18 world television premiere of Keep the Change on the nation’s largest public television station, NYC's THIRTEEN, airing at 10:30. This premiere coincides with the launch of their crowd funding campaign, which begins today with goals of expanding the short to a feature length film, seedandspark.com/studio/keep-change.

- Emmy® Award-winning actor Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Smashed, Big Love) has been cast as the lead male actor in the Hulu Original The Way (wt). Known for his role as Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad, Paul is the first three-time Emmy® Award-winner in the drama supporting actor category. Paul will also serve as a producer on the series and his production company Lucid Road Productions has made a first look deal with Universal Television.

I Want My Music Television: 6/18/15

Biscuits - Kacey Musgraves


2013 was a great year for new music, Lorde, Haim, Chvrches, and Daughter all put out very good debuts, but my favorite album by a new album was Same Trailer, Different Park by Kacey Musgraves (it came in second on my list of the 25 Best Albums of 2013). So her follow was one of my most anticipated albums of 2015. Except it became a little less anticipated when I heard the first single Biscuits which sounds exactly like Follow Your Arrow off the first album both musically and lyrically ("Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy" is literally a left over line from Follow Your Arrow). I began to fear a Mumford and Sons situation where the second album ends up sounding like B-sides leftover from a stellar first album (Family Is Family which was released last week did not quash those fears). But I will say the music video for Biscuits is more entertaining than that of Follow Your Arrow although thanks to the bouncing biscuit, I learned that the first line of the chorus is "Hoe your own row" and not, "Hold your own rope" like I originally thought.


Coffee - Miguel


Ever since the turn of the century, RnB music has gotten worse and worse. And with the lack of good RnB meant the lack of good baby making music. Really there has not been many reasons to update the Baby Making Playlist since Babyface sank into obscurity. And then two years ago Miguel came along and lit the bedroom flames again with songs like Adorn and the kind of date-rapey How Many Drinks. I have high hopes for his follow up and though Coffee may not be as smooth as Adorn, it will certainly worth an add to the Baby Making Playlist.


Love 3X - ZZ Ward


I kind of wanted to like ZZ Ward's album but it was trying a little hard to be important but just failed despite have a couple good, but no great songs. That first album had a post Adele-bluesy feel to it, but judging by the first single from her sophomore album, she is going for more of a pop sound with this faux-Jamaican, cheesy fun ditty. It is definitely catchier than anything on that first album, but I still think Put the Gun Down is still a better song overall. But the music video is a little weird because for some reason ZZ has decided to look like Ashlee Simpson circa her new nose phase. At least that silly hat work better with the shorter hair.


Songs I Can't Listen To - Neon Trees


The latest Neon Trees is about songs someone can no longer listen to after a break up. Funny, I sort of get more obsessed with those songs afterwards.

Previewing Proof and Rizzoli and Isles: Season Six

The truth is out there. But what if the truth was not the existence of aliens but the proof of an afterlife. And Scully was a practicing medical doctor who, like every doctor in the post-House world, would be considered a horrible person if it were not for the whole saving lives thing. And Mulder was some rich amalgamation of of Steve Jobs and Richard Branson. Except he is too rich go out into the field and send an underling as a proxy so he is more like the Skinner and, um... okay, my The X-Files comparison to the new TNT drama Proof is starting to break down.

Proof stars Jennifer Beals (Flashdance) as the Sully stand in who is propositioned by Matthew Modine (Jobs) to determine what happens after we die after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and cannot wait a couple months to learn what happens first hand. And they say money is wasted on the rich. Beals is chosen because her scientific mind and her own near death experience (she is a horrible person but she will go to Haiti after the Earthquake or almost drown why aiding tsunami victims).

If there is a Smoking Man of the series it is Callum Blue (Dead Like Me), a supposed physic medium and best selling author. He is probably the most interesting character on the show. Either him or Beals daughter who has taken to pushing mean girls into lockers to cope with her dead brother and pending divorce (he is not so coincidentally works at the same hospital as Beals) and reminds me as a more dramatic version of Jane Levy on Suburgatory who herself was just Emma Stone adjacent.

So the series features Beals and her team (Modine's underling and an African intern played by Justified's Jean Baptiste) go on the look for X-Files type cases dealing with death including a girl who died and came back to life with drawings of dead relatives she had never met, a jealous ex-wife, and an Iraqi War vet who has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder... from a past life who participated in the Korean War. Proof feels like an X-Files episode that is being stretched into a full full season and makes the mistake many professional dramas do these days and thinks we actually want to see what goes on when they go home (dear television writers: we don't) which would be an alright concept if the X Files was not returning this winter. And if I am only going to watch one second rate X-Files this year, it is going to be the reboot.

Proof airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on TNT.


It seems odd that Rizzoli and Isles would start off their new season with an officer involved shooting, in a subway platform of all places, considering what has been going on in the real world over the last couple month. But at least the suspect is white (and since it was done by one of the main castmembers probably actually justified even if the perp's gun disappears after the shooting). On a lighter note, Dr. Isles is getting a new assistant medical examiner who may be as eccentric as Maura. There is an even lighter note next week when Boston's finest investigate a murder at a bass fishing tournament which also features a new suitor for Jane.

Rizzoli and Isles airs Tuesdays at 9:00 on TNT.

Previewing Clipped

We are living in the age of the comeback, groups ranging from Jodeci to the Afghan Whigs have come back after a decade long hiatus. Those the musical landscape is littered with comebacks, actors never really have comebacks because with the advent of cable and now the internet, there are countless hours to be filled. So actor never really go away, they are just relegated to channels you did not even now where on your cable package. Seriously, turn on the Hallmark or its Movie channel, you will undoubtedly see an actor you have not seen in five to ten years that you forgot you liked in a movie you will not be able to watch for more than five minutes (oh hey there Lyla Garrity and Earl Hickey).

So you may not have seen George Wendt since Cheers went off the air, but don't call Clipped his comeback, George's been here for year. Okay, Norm on a TBS show is not like Al Bundy on Modern Family but it is a step up from the ABC Family Christmas movies he has been in lately. And sure Al Bundy may be on a show that has won five straight Best Comedy Emmy's, but Norm is on a show where he makes out with Carl Winslow. Seriously.

Yeah The Big Bang Theory and the previously mentioned Modern Family are doing fine, but television comedies audience are becoming more and more fractured with niche type rating. I think it has been five years since an NBC comedy has gotten more than two season and shows airing after The Big Bang Theory and The Voice, the two highest rates shows on television routinely get axed because of pitiful retention rates. As we move into the nicheification of comedy, TBS has weirdly gone into a retro direction green lighting laugh-track heavy show multi-camera shows that feel like their are from the eighties even though none of these shows get more than three seasons (there only interesting programs are when they play with the format like with Glory Daze but that only got one season and King of the Nerds).

Clipped is another workplace comedy taking place at a barber chop populated by six high school friends (and Wendt) in Boston complete with poor Masshole accents. Thankfully Ashley Tisdale (Scary Movie 5) does not even try. Tensions start off the first episode when the owner decides he has to fire someone because of Obamacare premiums and makes his employees decide which one gets the boot. Though it was unclear how up to this point he was able to employ five barbers and an receptions to work at the same time in a shady part of Boston. The plot plays out exactly how you would expect.

Worst of all is the characters are all kind of boring. Two of the character's main attribute is they are hot (and of course they are destined to be together though things will keep them apart for a season or two). There is the necrotic one but he is not necrotic enough t. The overly bubbly receptionist. The douchebag boss. The only interesting character is the Jewish black girl ("Dr. Dreidel" is the funniest joke in the Pilot, possibly the only funny joke). Like TBS's previous sitcoms, Clipped my get a second season, but I would be surprised if it gets to a third.

Clipped airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on TBS. You can download the first episode of Clipped for free on iTunes.

Pilot - Clipped

Previewing Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos

Pink flamingos are always the highlight of any of the nature shows that populate the weekly specials that have popped up on the television over the the past decade so it is not surprising that DisneyNature would give them their own film (spoiler alert: it turns out they are not pink by birth but their pink cue comes from staining their feathers). Tonight is the premiere of The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild. The documentary give you the lifespan of the bird, from the courtship to the laying of the egg, to learning to fly and the hazards a young flamingo has to get through to make it to adulthood. A warning to those with small children, there are graphic death scenes. But for those with children already familiar with the circle of life, Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos makes for a great family movie. Check out the trailer from the teatrical relerase of the film below:

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 6/13/15

Orphan Black: Oh Donnie, how long until he tries to have sex with one of the clones, I thought it may actually happen this week with Helena. Then I thought he might accidentally kill another dude this week but instead just gets into a slap fight instead (where I thought he might have been dead until the promo monkeys went and spoiled that).
You can download Orphan Black on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: Fun fact: I was once an award winning actor who once was tasked with throwing confetti on stage during every performance. After the first time I actually did it and the play was over, I went to sweep up the mess I created until the director came by and told said the star does not have to clean anything, leave that to the minions. I felt bad as someone else had to clean up after me every night. It was that thought that ran through my mind when it started raining blood this week, somebody is going to have to clean that up, wash the clothes and everything. And just for a dream sequence. Poor chaps. But I have a feeling we may never see Dorian Grey's ball room again after that.
You can download Penny Dreadful on iTunes.

American Odyssey: Of course Odell gets captured by a pre-teen army. Why would she not? Luc not selling her out would have may actual sense, he has to flip on her for no reason at all every other episode. I also liked Yucef's plan to assassinate a sitting Senator so he could go on trial and tell his story as if that really would have happened his security team would have totally shot first and asked questions later, instead of wrestling the gun toting terrorist to the ground without a shot fired by them.
You can download American Odyssey on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Well that was boring. After a tense season premiere, that was really boring with the girls moping around for the whole episode. So much for the Summer of Answers.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Aquarius: I had spent the first two week making fun of the hot cop with the embarrassingly bad American accent but I have to admit I kind of his her and her howling this week. Oh well. But hey, Mulder rescued the runaway about eight episodes before I expected him too. And the acid trip scene was almost as entertaining as the howling.
You can download the full season (just the televised version as of now) of Aquarius on iTunes.

Hannibal: When Abigail Hobbs walked into Will's room as he was coming to I thought, she has to be a hallucination. They actually got me to believe she was real when she was still around "8 months later." Well they got me, of course no one is going to survive getting their throat slit twice. Noe she can go to that big fly fishing river in the sky. But this reintroducing only one character per episode like it is Lost is getting kind of annoying.
You can download Hannibal on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 6/12/15

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 Strain, Operation Wild, Conan, Masters of Sex, VH1 Premiere Dates, Master P’s Family Empire, Separation Anxiety, Perfect High, Showtime, Lyfe Jennings, Make Music Day, and Episodes.

- It’s getting darker. More horrifying. And fun to watch. Get a FIRST LOOK at what’s to come in the all new season of The Strain which premieres Sunday, July 12 at 10:00 only on FX.


- In an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how pioneering human medicine can also transform the way to treat ailing wildlife, the three-part series Operation Wild (watch a clip here) premieres Wednesday, July 1, 2015, at 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings). Filmed over 18 months in co-production with the BBC Science Department, Operation Wild follows veterinarian teams from around the world as they undertake groundbreaking operations to try to save, or at least improve, animals’ lives.

- Conan O'Brien's shows are legendary for breaking hot new musical acts into the mainstream, a phenomenon Billboard Magazine recently called "The CONAN Bump." Now Conan's music tastemakers are coming to Spotify and letting the public in on the fun. Team Coco on Spotify will launch with a splash, releasing 22 historic playlists featuring every song played over two decades on Conan's three different shows. Additional playlists – including favorite songs from celebrities and pop stars, themed playlists from Conan and other Team Coco talent – will all be shared across Team Coco's powerful network of social media channels. The Team Coco web site will drive awareness for the playlist.

- On the heels of today’s announcement of the new Showtime over-the-internet partners, the network unveiled the season three key art and a newly released teaser for the award-winning drama series, Masters of Sex, which premieres Sunday, July 12th at 10:00. To watch the season premiere of Masters of Sex, in early July consumers will have the option to subscribe to Showtime through the stand-alone streaming service on Roku® and Apple devices, or through Sony PlayStation® Vue, in addition to their cable, DBS or telco provider. To watch the newly released teaser for the third season of Masters of Sex, visit: s.sho.com/MOSSexualRevolution

- VH1 has updated the premiere dates of Dating Naked: Playing For Keeps to 9:00 on Wednesday, July 22nd, and the series premiere of Twinning to 10:00 on Wednesday, July 22nd. The second season of Candidly Nicole will debut the following Wednesday, July 29th at 11:00. Stay tuned on July 22nd for Dating Naked: Playing for Keeps episode 202 at 11:00.

- REELZ today announced that, for the first time, music mogul Master P is opening the doors to his family home on the network’s original series, Master P’s Family Empire. Master P, whose real name is Percy Miller, is a single father who made it his mission to forge the Miller family empire—but with five kids ranging in age from 9 to 25 it’s not always easy keeping his business interests in order, let alone keeping his kids on track. How will he manage his own projects along with the singing, modeling, acting and sports careers of his children without losing his mind? Master P’s Family Empire will give an inside look at how this single father skillfully juggles his roles as entrepreneur, philanthropist and hip-hop artist with his most important role: being a dad. Master P’s Family Empire is produced by Asylum Entertainment and premieres Saturday, November 28.

- Comedian Iliza Shlesinger (Excused, Last Comic Standing) has been named the host of the upcoming TBS series Separation Anxiety, a comedic, relationship-based game show featuring a unique twist that isn't revealed to contestants until after they've played the game. TBS has ordered 14 one-hour episodes of Separation Anxiety, with plans to launch the show in late 2015. The series, which was announced in May during Turner's Upfront presentation in New York, is being produced by 5x5 Media and Electus.

- Los Angeles-based Just Singer Entertainment and Vancouver-based Sepia Films have announced the airdate for the powerful new television movie Perfect High set in the world of teenage drug use. The film is scheduled to air Saturday, June 27 at 8:00 on Lifetime in the US and Sunday, July 5 at 8:00 on SuperChannel in Canada. The film stars Bella Thorne in a bold departure from her earlier work and an outstanding ensemble cast including Israel Broussard, Daniela Bobadilla, Ross Butler, Jasmine Sky Sarin and Matreya Fedor.

- On the heels of announcing the Showtime stand-alone streaming service, Showtime has partnered with Roku, Inc.’s Roku® players and Roku TV™ models and Sony Network Entertainment International LLC’s PlayStation® Vue for the launch in early July. SHOWTIME is a brand which has been embraced by consumers as the home for cutting edge original programming, sports and movies, and it is the only premium streaming service to offer customers live East and West Coast feeds. Showtime will be available through these new internet distributors on all supported streaming platforms prior to the highly-anticipated July 12th season premieres of the critically-acclaimed hit series RAY DONOVAN, starring Liev Schreiber, and MASTERS OF SEX, starring Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan. The announcement was made today by Matthew C. Blank, Chairman and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc.

- R&B artist Lyfe Jennings’ highly anticipated sixth studio album, Tree Of Lyfe, is now available for iTunes pre-order http://smarturl.it/TreeOfLyfe_LJ ahead of its June 23rd release via RAL/Sony Music Entertainment. Fans can also get a first listen of snippets of the full album at VEVO http://www.vevo.com/watch/USQX91501052.

- Make Music Day announces full lineup of more than 2,250 free, outdoor musical events taking place in 23 U.S. cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Nashville, San Diego, Seattle, Madison and Philadelphia. The world’s largest annual music event will fill June 21, the first day of summer, with every imaginable sound. Make Music Day is free to the public and everyone is invited to play along.

- Showtime has ordered a fifth season of Episodes, consisting of nine, half-hour episodes. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President of Showtime Networks Inc. The series stars Matt LeBlanc in his three-time Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning role as a fictionalized version of himself. Creators and executive producers David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik have also received three Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, as well as two Writers Guild of America nominations. The series will begin filming in London in 2016.

Previewing Murder in the First: Season Two and Major Crimes: Season Four

I like a good murder mystery, I even enjoy bad ones too, hey I made it through two seasons of The Killing (but I stopped after I learned who killed Rosie Larsen, I am not a sadomasochist). The first season of Murder in the First was alight, when the detectives went home to their families (or lack there of in one case) was a bit of a drag but we did get a conclusion that satisfying for the most part. I did not give much thought of it after the finale and to honest was a bit surprised there is a second season.

But hey, the new season features the addition of Emmanuelle Chriqui (You Don't Mess with the Zohan) so it has to be on an upswing on that bit of casting alone. Sure he plays a member of the Gang Task Force but she does not even crack the top ten list of least believable law enforcement agents in the history of television. The new season also features of shift in storytelling. Gone is the murder mystery (at least for now) and instead of one case, the log lines promises "a series of crimes" that will take the time of the San Francisco Police Department.

Sure we have all seen our fair share of fictitious school shooting that have police and high school dramas since Columbine, but the season starts off with a slightly new take with two kids taking out their classmate on a school bus before escaping on the streets of the city with a few smoke bombs that will instantly make anyone who has picked up a controller of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Though the theme is familiar, the season premiere is very gripping, tense, and a better hour than any of the first season episodes. You may think it cannot possibly take too long to hunt down a pair of teenagers, you would be right, that case seems to be closed by the time I watched all the episodes TNT sent over. It is unclear where they will go next, but a couple time over the first two episodes the department talked about an undercover officer who has gone missing while ingratiating a prostitution ring.

Murder in the First airs Mondays at 10:00 on TNT.


Prior to the new season of Murder in the First is the fourth season of Major Crimes. The new season starts off as it usually does, Lt. Provenza is being grumpy and looking a way to dump their current case on another department because he does not think it is a "major crime." It almost works this time until someone come out crying from a neighboring house with what he has to admit actually is a major crime. The neighbor's mother has been murder which may be linked to a rash of break-ins around town.

Also this season, the team will be investigating a case involving a dead body left in the trunk of a car that is wrecked during a high-speed chase and a gangland shooting case involving an 11-year-old witness. During his first drive-along as a Reserve Officer, Buzz Watson will be dragged into the latest Flynn and Provenza investigative debacle after a dead body in a bathtub threatens an extremely expensive wedding. And Sanchez will return to the Major Crimes unit, but struggle to rebuild relationships and trust with his fellow officers. Back at home, Sharon Raydor’s newly adopted son, Rusty, will discover a passion for journalism that tests his mother’s patience, and could threaten the prosecution of a confessed murderer.

Major Crimes airs Mondays at 9:00 on TNT.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 6/6/15

Orphan Black: Finally, after weeks of boring and confusing mythology, we actually got back to what made the first season so good: clones interacting with and pretending to be each other. I still think there needs to be a Donnie and Allison crappy CBS spinoff sitcom. I may bring this up every weekend until I will it into existence
You can download Orphan Black on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: Well that was a dark montage at the end. And just when you thought it could not get any creepier, Dr. Frankenstein has sex with his creation? Ew. As for the previously mentioned montage, what is Sir Malcolm thinking? Ethan just told you to be on high alert. I would think a woman coming on to him at this very moment would be suspicious, but, c'mon Malcolm, she "accidentally" drew your blood with her ring. That might as well have been a tattoo on her forehead that reads, "I'm a witch!"
You can download Penny Dreadful on iTunes.

American Odyssey: When Bob told Harrison that he deeply cared for him I was taken about thinking that is a little strong thing to say, you might as well try to kiss him at this point. And then Bob leaned in. Oh my. I know this show is not very good, but what it lack in quality it certainly makes up for in entertainment value. And apparently Harrison was so shocked by the move and having someone's brain matter splattered on him he was stupid enough hook up with the person who was responsible for that brain matter. But hey, at least she is not a witch.
You can download American Odyssey on iTunes

Pretty Little Liars: I was kind of hoping we would get an entire season in the dollhouse. Probably not the smartest idea to set a fire when you are locked underground but again, these are not the smartest girls to ever be on television. At this point it would be out of character to do the smart thing.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Stitchers: Just last week I declared the chick from Aquarius to have the worst American accent put to film, but the lead on this show is pretty bad too. And what may be more annoying is the accent fluctuates constantly. Seriously casting agents either 1) let these actors use their normal accent; there is not reason the lead charterer here cannot be from Australian (okay, it would be a bit more of a stretch to have a rookie Australian cop back in the sixties; which begs the question, just how many hot Australian are there in Hollywood these days? Even Harley Quinn in the upcoming Suicide Squad is played by an Australian) or 2) just be xenophobic and cast an American.
You can download Stitchers on iTunes.

Aquarius: So having your kid run away is an aphrodisiac... who knew? As previously mention, the hot lady cop has the worst American accent put to film, but you know how to make her accent less distraction: make her howl. Wow. That was weird and random. But much like last week, the most interesting aspect of the show this week did not happen on screen but behind the scenes when the creator said there is an NC-17 version of the show floating around. He originally said it was the version on iTunes but that turned to be incorrect and revised to say it is coming soon. I did notice some kind of bad overdubs this week where they obviously replaced naughty words and once where they just completely cut out one of Mulder's words. I wonder if the edits are just auditory or if there are any missing scenes. Though I do not really need to see Charlie Manson bed Emma's dad.
You can download the full season (just the televised version as of now) of Aquarius on iTunes.

Hannibal: The show left us with three of the leads bleeding on the floor along with Abigail Hobbs. We will have to wait to find out their fates (though it is a bit of a spoiler that all three actors remain in the title sequence so Hobbs is the only one with a question mark). The show has always been a slow cooker, but with the hole episode devoted to Hannibal, it got kind of boring. Hopefully things get back on track when the people at the FBI (presumably) show back up next week.
You can download Hannibal on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 6/5/15

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 Showtime, After Perfect: A Daughter's Memoir, The Chase, Chain Reaction, Aerial America, Dateline NBC, and Shovel Buddies.

- For the first time ever, Showtime will be offered over the internet as a stand-alone streaming service launching in early July, with Apple as its first partner. The stand-alone service will be called SHOWTIME, a brand already embraced by consumers as the home for cutting-edge original programming, sports and movies. The launch of Showtime will coincide with the new seasons of the critically-acclaimed, hit series Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex, premiering on Sunday, July 12th.

- This week, Audible Studios released the audiobook version of After Perfect: A Daughter's Memoir by Christina McDowell, a brutally honest, cautionary tale about one family’s destruction in the wake of the Wall Street implosion. McDowell, the daughter of Tom Prousalis, one of the guilty players sucked into the collateral fallout of Jordan Belfort (the “Wolf of Wall Street”), narrates this audiobook herself, providing listeners with the unique opportunity to have her tell her tragic story directly to them in the most intimate possible way. I would love to offer you a review copy of this audiobook or a clip of McDowell’s narration so that you can experience firsthand the touching, mortifying, and fascinating nature of her story.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today it will air never-before-seen episodes of its Emmy®-nominated hit game show, The Chase followed by the debut of an all-new edition of the popular word association game show Chain Reaction, beginning Thursday, July 16th at 8:00.

- Mission accomplished! The most expansive aerial series in the history of U.S. television has completed its epic quest to capture all 50 states from the air. Aerial America, the signature Smithsonian Channel series, will premiere its 50th state, Aerial America: Illinois, on Sunday, June 7 at 8:00. Preceding Illinois, Smithsonian Channel will broadcast a marathon of the previous 49 states beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 5.

- This Sunday June 7th at 7:00, Dateline NBC will air an episode entitled "Growing Hope" focused on three families who, having run out of medical options, go to extraordinary lengths to obtain access to CBD-rich hemp oil as an option for their children struggling with life-threatening conditions.

- AwesomenessTV announced the cast of Shovel Buddies this week, the Black List screenplay by Jason Hellerman. Shovel Buddies stars teen sensation Bella Thorne, digital juggernaut Kian Lawley and Alex Neustaedter (star of upcoming indie film Ithaca), in a coming of age story about four teens that must conquer a “shovel list” of activities left behind by their recently deceased friend. The cast also includes Anton Starkman, Philip Labes and James C. Burns.

Previewing T. rex Autopsy

Two decades ago an alien autopsy swept the nation leading to countless debates f its authenticity and even became the focus of an episode of The X-Files. This was right around the time the original Jurassic Park came out and just in time for the fourth one, the National Geographic Channel is conducting a T. rex Autopsy Sunday at 9:00. But conspiracy theorist do not need to debate the authenticity, though the special plays it pretty coy throughout, at the end they go into detail about how the dinosaur was created and how it took six months to do so.

That is not to say the autopsy is not freaky and extremely gross (I was able to get through most of it up until they started to remove and dissect the eyeball... ewww). The creation is so lifelike it is disappointing to think all the dinosaurs in the upcoming movie are probably almost all created inside a computer because I am sure a few people could be fooled by this special War of the Worlds radio special style. As the show says, "Using cutting edge special effects techniques, and in consultation with esteemed veterinary surgeons, anatomists, and paleontologists, T. rex Autopsy features the first full-size anatomically complete Tyrannosaurus rex, based on the very latest research and findings. The massive monster is lifelike inside (Scooter's note: literally two of the scientists hang out in the belly at the same time while dissecting it) and out, giving scientists the chance to touch it, smell it, and cut it open from head to toe for the first time."

If that is not enough dinosaurs for you as you wait for Jurassic World to come to your local cinema, there are three additional dinosaur themed premieres this weekend including:

- Dino Death Match (Saturday, June 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT): A fossil known as the “dueling dinosaurs” depicts predator and prey as they died in combat. A dramatic fossil, but also one that is central to a controversial debate; does it provide evidence of the existence of a separate tyrannosaur species? It could reveal a pygmy tyrant — the Nanotyrannus. As the evidence for and against this predator is reviewed, dinosaur like no other is revealed, brought to life in stunning CGI.

- Jurassic CSI Special (wt) (Saturday, June 6, at 10 p.m. ET/PT): Today, all that is left of the dinosaurs are fossilized bones. But, using modern technology, we can now go beyond the bones and use fossils to answer eye-opening questions about dinosaur appearance, behavior and lifestyle.

- Ultimate Dino Survivor (Sunday, June 7, at 8 p.m. ET/PT): Tyrannosaurus rex was a top predator of its day. Well-armed with terrifying jaws, it was seemingly impervious to attack. But new fossils are revealing that the life of T. rex and its cousins was brutal. Fossils are probed with cutting-edge techniques to reveal the source of injuries, predation attempts that went wrong and titanic battles where T. rex teeth were sunk into adversaries.

I Want My Music Television: 6/3/15

Fight Song - Rachel Platten


Earlier last month I trashed the Supergirl trailer for basically being silly. But after watching it a couple hundred times, I have completely come around and kind of absolutely love it. The actress is extremely likeable especially as Kara where they really nail socially uncomfortableness that none of the live action Supermans (Supermen?) have yet to master especially the most recent who inexplicably just went with a rugged alter ego route. Then there are small moments like Kara rejecting a costume that looks exactly like the comic version. Really my only complaint now is Ally McBeal's silly defense of calling her Supergirl (as well as her stealing Anne Heche's face Face-Off style). To be honest, now I cannot wait until this premieres until November (okay I can wait because I have no desire to download the leaked Pilot since I would then have to wait six month to watch episode two). My love for the trailer is so complete I even ended up downloading the song from the trailer and have played it on a loop whenever I am not watching the trailer even though the song is the latest in a long list of annoying self empowerment anthems. But like the trailer, the video works very well, especially the part with Rachel Platten (who like Supergirl comes off as very likeable) playing to a nearly empty bar which really ties to to the lyrics well.


Lonely Town - Brandon Flowers


Another somewhat catchy song from the new Brandon Flowers solo album (aside from the unnecessary auto-tune in the middle. Plus you got to enjoy the retro chick with her Walkman dancing on her own alone in her house.


Go - The Chemical Brothers


I am not that interested in a The Chemical Brothers reunion but I am all for more Q-Tip who is for some reason not credited on the song.


Loving You Easy - Zac Brown Band


As the new Zac Brown Band starts off black and white with a hot chick on the beach I thought, great it is about time someone ripped of Chris Isaak Wicked Game. Alas, it just turned out to be a day in the life of life of a random hot chick. At least she finally made it to the beach by the end.

Previewing American Genius

When you hear there is a show called American Genius you would expect an episode featuring Albert Einstein, probably the most famous and revered genius in this nation's history. But the genesis of the National Geographic Channel miniseries is that the nation's brightest all had rivals to push them to greater heights. So instead of an episode devoted to the best and brightest this nation has ever seen, they focus on two (or more) that raced to create new industries.

Obviously the premiere tonight focuses on the most recent that has taken over the nation's interest over the past quarter century and just recently ended: Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates. Sure the former is already up to his second posthumous bioflick since his death due to his charismatic personality, but it was Gates, who had the upper hand for most of the duo's rivalry (you can argue it was not until the iPhone until Jobs took the pole position).

Also on tonight is a rivalry I did not even know existed until now. Thanks to a paragraph in ever US History textbook, we all know Orville and Wilber Wright were the first in flight but there is much more to that story thanks to a man named Glenn Curtis whose rivalry ended up most more bitter than that of Jobs and Gates (as well as more deadlier).

Future episodes feature other familiar names: Hearst vs Pulitzer (journalism), Colt vs. Wesson (revolvers), Oppenheimer vs. Heisenberg (the atomic bomb), and Edison vs Tesla (electricity). The only names I did not recognize from the episode title are Farnsworth vs. Sarnoff which turns out to be the story of beginning of the television. There is also an episode dedicated to the space race.

American Genius airs Mondays with back to back episodes starting at 9:00 on the National Geographic Cha
nnel.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 5/30/15

Orphan Black: The show should never put Allison on the shelf for an entire episode but they almost made up for it this week with her and Donnie's dance party which rivals the nineties dance party back in season one as the best scene in the show's history.
You can download Orphan Black on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: Whoa, for I believe is the first time in the show's history, it was having a bit of fun with the dress shopping sequence (is Dr. Frankenstein really going to fall in love with his creation). Of course that did not last long as it had to go back to creepy which the wall people definitely were.
You can download Penny Dreadful on iTunes.

American Odyssy: Oh no, they killed the arab transvestite television host who trades sexual favors with the Malian general, (s)he was the best part of the show. But hey, Chloe Sullivan showed up this week (though her name has been in the credits for the last couple weeks, have they brought her in just to show the back of her head all those eavesdropping scenes). I wonder what she has been up to since the end of Smallville.
You can download American Odyssey on iTunes

Aquarius: I have weirdly enjoyed NBC's midseason attempts the last couple years, the shows have been ambitious even if they tend to fall short of the cable quality they clearly are trying for. Plus they are almost guaranteed to be low commitment because I believe Hannibal is the only one of these shows to get a second season (although based solely on ratings, even that probably should have been canned but luckily returns for its third season this week. I am not sure I really needed to see a highly fictitious show built around Charlie Manson (though I would have said that about Hannibal Lecter three years ago too) but there is almost nothing else on this week. Plus it is nice to have Fox Mulder back on free television plus it also has my favorite Bunhead. Unfortunately is also stars the worst actor Friday Night Lights. Seriously, why is Smash Williams relegated to recurring when the dude whose name I never bothered to learn in the main cast? Then there is a hot blond cop (cue Sir Psycho Sexy) who may have the worst American accent in the history of television.

 Still Aquarius did have its moments be it funny (though I am not entirely sure all were meant to be intentionally funny) or weird (Charlie Manson tries to rape a dude... twice). But I fear the most interesting part of the show will be NBC's decision to release every episode for purchase, streaming and On Demand the day after the premiere. As a creature of habit, I will probably will still end up watching the show live since I will be watching Hannibal afterwards anyway, but I do like it when networks try something new. I am not sure what will qualify as a success but I do hope this leads the networks to new innovation.
You can download the full season of Aquarius on iTunes.

As I just mentioned, there was not much to watch on television this week. So I had to make a little hart to let myself know when summer shows start premiering. Apparently Wednesday will be movie or video game night for me. Even Monday looks pretty barren until late August.

Sundays
9:00 - Ray Donavan (July 12, Showtime)
9:00 - The Last Ship (June 22, TNT)
10:00 - Masters of Sex (July 12, Showtime)
10:00 - Falling Skies (June 28, TNT)
10:00 - The Strain (July 12, FX)

Mondays
Switched at Birth (August 24, ABC Family)

Tuesdays
8:00 - Pretty Little Liars (June 2, ABC Family)
10:00 - Royal Pains (June 2, USA)
10:00 - Tyrant (June 16, FX)
10:00 - Public Morals (August 25, TNT)

Wednesdays

Thursdays
9:00 - Aquarius (already airing, NBC)
9:00 - Under the Dome (June 25)
10:00 - Hannibal (June 4, NBC)
10:00 - Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll (July 16, FX)
10:30 - Married (July 16, FX)

Fridays
8:00 - Defiance (June 12, Syfy)

Around the Tubes: 5/29/15

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 Bob Segar, Stitchers, The Hotwives of Las Vegas, Deadbeat, Anne Frank’s Holocaust, Ike Reilly, and Ray Donovan

- Capitol Records recording artist Bob Seger’s classic album, Night Moves, makes its debut on 180-gram vinyl on June 16, 2015 – Just in time for Father’s Day! Seger’s breakthrough album, powerful and personal, is the newest vinyl reissue addition to the GRAMMY® Award-winning rocker’s extraordinary catalogue. Originally released in 1976, Night Moves was Bob Seger’s first studio album with the Silver Bullet Band. Much of the album was recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama with the incomparable Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The album went on to garner overwhelming critical praise, as well as, the hit singles “Night Moves,” “Mainstreet,” and “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” Presale is available now.

- ABC Family, which dominates the social space for television, is now expanding into the virtual reality arena with a new app promoting the new procedural drama series Stitchers. The app, titled “Hack the Case,” is available starting today, Tuesday, May 19, 2015 on Stitchers.com, at the Google Play store and the Apple App store. Hack The Case” allows users to be immersed into the world of ‘stitching’ through a virtual reality experience using 360-degree video. Similar to the series, in which genius hacker Kirsten Clark is ‘stitched’ into the memories of the recently deceased in order to help solve their murders, “Hack The Case” will challenge users to find out if they have what it takes to be a ‘stitcher.’ Users will view multiple videos, collect clues and attempt to solve the case. Those who succeed in solving the case will be entered into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a trip to Los Angeles where they will have an action figure created in their own image. ABC Family will be distributing smartphone virtual reality viewers to enhance the experience via a number of different giveaways. Stitchers will premiere on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 9:00 on ABC Family.

- Hulu along with Paramount Digital Entertainment revealed their all-star cast of comedians who will join The Hotwives of Las Vegas, the follow up season to their hit original series The Hotwives of Orlando. The second season is set to premiere exclusively on Hulu and Hulu Plus with episodes to stream weekly starting on Tuesday, August 18. The series will see returning stars take on news roles with Casey Wilson (Marry Me, Gone Girl) as Jenfer Beudon; Tymberlee Hill (Marry Me, Drunk History) as Phe Phe Reed, Esq; Andrea Savage (Episodes, Dinner for Schmucks, Step Brothers) as Ivanka Silversan; Danielle Schneider (Marry Me, Hotwives of Orlando) as Denise Funt; Dannah Phirman (Newsreaders, The Hotwives of Orlando) as Leona Carpeze; along with series newcomer Erinn Hayes (Childrens Hospital) as Callie Silversan.

- Hulu announced this week that the Hulu Original series Deadbeat has been renewed for a third season with a 13-episode order. Produced by Lionsgate Television, the series is co-created by Cody Heller and Brett Konner (Wilfred, The Inbetweeners) and executive produced by showrunner Dan Lagana. Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Sarah Esberg from Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment are producers on the show.

- Anne Frank’s world famous diary came to an abrupt end shortly before the Franks were discovered hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex at the top of Otto Frank’s office building August 4, 1944. While Anne’s diary tells the story of her life, the story of her death reveals the atrocities encountered by millions of Jews during the Holocaust. In a solemn remembrance of the horrors that Anne Frank and millions of others suffered during the dark days of World War II, National Geographic Channel (NGC) takes viewers inside the concentration camps in a two-hour special, Anne Frank’s Holocaust, premiering Sunday, June 21, at 9:00. In keeping with NGC’s tradition of unparalleled storytelling, Anne Frank’s Holocaust incorporates new findings and rarely seen photographs to reintroduce the story of the massacre of Jews in one of the most comprehensive documentaries to date.

- Indie rock raconteur and singer-songwriter Ike Reilly will release his seventh studio album, Born On Fire, on June 16, 2015. The record will be issued as a joint release between Rock Ridge Music and Tom Morello’s new label Firebrand Records. Morello who hails from the same hometown as Reilly (Libertyville, IL), says, “There's something in the water in my hometown of Libertyville. Marlon Brando, Adam Jones of Tool, my humble self, and now Ike Reilly. Ike is not just a great, authentic songwriter of the highest caliber but he's always ready to throw down at a union rally... or a bar fight. Ike's songs are a poetic cracked window into the lives of the heartland heroes trying to get by, find and keep love, and carve a place for themselves with humor and dignity. But we love him most because at the drop of a hat he'll travel 1,000 miles to play one song for a dying anti-war veteran. We are very proud to have heartland hero, Ike Reilly, on Firebrand Records.”

- The second season of the critically-acclaimed Shotime hit drama series Ray Donovan is available now for purchase on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, VUDU, Sony’s Video Unlimited and PlayStation store and Verizon FiOS. Ray Donovan: The Second Season also arrives on Blu-ray and DVD today from Showtime Networks, CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The series stars two-time Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominee Liev Schreiber as LA’s best professional fixer, the man called in to make the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls’ most complicated and combustible situations go away. Ray Donovan ranks as one of the network’s highest-rated series, and earned two Golden Globe wins and multiple Emmy nominations in its first two seasons. Season three will premiere on Sunday, July 12th at 9:00 on Showtime.

Viewers can go to the following platforms now to purchase the second season of Ray Donovan:

iTunes: http://s.sho.com/RD2iTunes
Amazon Instant Video: http://s.sho.com/RD2Amazon
Google Play: http://s.sho.com/RD2GooglePlay
VUDU: http://s.sho.com/RD2VUDU
Sony’s Video Unlimited and PlayStation Store: http://s.sho.com/RD2SonyP
Verizon FiOS: http://s.sho.com/RD2FiOS

I Want My Music Television: 5/28/15

She's Not Me Jenny Lewis


It would be hard for Jenny Lewis to follow up Just One of the Guys, but it looks like she did just that with her new video, this time recruiting SNL vets Vanessa Bayer and Fred Armison along with fellow singer-songwriter Fiest to poke fun as Lewis's time as a child star when she guested on Golden Girls and starred in movies like Troop Beverly Hills and the video game championship epic The Wizard starring Fred Savage (which begs the question where is the reboot starring Luke Dunfey as Fred's son? Actually why is Boy Meets World the only reboot in the Savage clan? Where are the reboots to The Princess Bride, Vice Versa, or Little Monsters?)

1,2 1,2 - Raekwon featuring Snoop Dogg


After some embarrassingly bad years it is weird hearing Snoop Dogg on an actual hot track.  There is one that is kind of good that was also released on his album out last week (the embarrassingly titled Bush) but it is not nearly as hot as this song with Raekwon with its nineties remix posse vibe for the video.

California Roll - Snoop Dogg featuring Stevie Wonder


As for the previously mentioned Snoop Dogg, this is probably the best song off of the new album except that I would actually would like the song much more if the song was just Pharrell and Stevie Wonder instead. And is this video supposed to be a tie in to Tomorrowland?

Photograph - Ed Sheeran


Ed Sheeran does not really like being in his own music videos (Think Out Loud being the lone exception), it is weird to see he really mugged for the camera as a child.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 5/23/15

Orphan Black: Meh, an episode without Allison is not an episode worth watching.
You can download Orphan Black on iTunes.

Mad Men: I know the show was about advertising, but ended the series with a Coke ad was silly, not autistic boy imagined the whole thing a snowglobe silly, but silly nonetheless. Matthew Weiner had stated that last season's ending of Don showing his kids was how he originally was going to end the series (not to be confused of last year's half season finale of Bert Cooper dancing his way off this mortal coil). That worked as a much better ending to the show than the one we got. Mad Men was depressing and everyone getting a happy ending (well, except Betty) just did not fit with the ending of the show, everybody finds love and / or gets a better or more full filling job then after "retiring" Don comes up with what some call the best commercial of advertising (at least that is what I am assuming that final scene was about).
You can download Mad Men on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: I always find it interesting when shows go full flashback for an entire episode. Basically it is a flashing "This Is Important!" for the viewers, or least the writers want you to think that. Sometimes it seems like the writers came up short breaking a story so they add a flashback episode to fill the season. Timing is also interesting, this show was smart to have it at the beginning of the season because when it falls near the end, it just breaks the momentum of a show going to a conclusion (Lost comes to mind who would always try to cute with stunts like that). Overall, I am not sure if this episode added much to the overall arch of the season, we already knew the witches were evil, we may not needed that reinforced by having her manipulate someone to burn the witch in between her Vanessa. And I am not sure we really learned enough of Vanessa's past to really warrant an entire episode. All I was left with was wondering once Vanessa left the premises, how did it take the witch a couple more years to track Vanessa down again?

Survivor: Blue Collar vs. White Collar vs. No Collar: Watching the reunion just reminded me just how horrible this season was considering the spent almost the entire show talking about just how horrible Dan and Will were. And they did not even have enough time to get to the Masshole who said some pretty offensive things too. Thankfully they had the Second Chance vote which meant five less minutes spent on this cast.

As for the actual finale, I was shocked that Mike won. Not that he did not deserve it, I thought for sure the Second Chance voting was a spoiler and his inclusion meant he would not win. But win he did, taking home the last two Immunity Necklaces and even somehow convinced Dan to vote for him in the end even though Dan refused to forgive him during the game which could have meant he had been in the finale. I was a bit surprised Carolyn did not get more votes, tying Will for second. Tyler ended up being more bitter than I expected and I originally though the Blue Collar would end up voting for her. But in retrospect that was stupid thinking Dan and the Masshole would actually vote for a woman.

Even more shocking than Carolyn's lack of votes at the Final Tribal was her lack of votes in the Second Chance voting. I figured everyone from the last two seasons would be a lock (with maybe the exception of Max who was booted early this season and lacked a defining moment). I was also shocked Not-Dante Culpepper was also passed on considering Probst man crush on him that may only be rivaled by his man crush on Boston Rob. I am glad more people were with me than Probst. And Not-Dante should have had an easier route than Carolyn since Mike became ineligible. I wonder who took Mike's spot. My guess would be one of the elder men from the early season be it Terry or Andrew.

As for the shocking inclusions, I am a bit befuddled with who voted for Kass and to a lesser extent Kimmi. I was also surprised Kelley Wentworth got one of the two token hot chick nods considering I did not even remember her despite her being on last season (I did vote for her solely for physical reasons). Hopefully she gets on an opposite tribe from Kelly Wiglesworth because that could be annoying. I thought Mikayla may get the other out of pity for absurdly of being voted out solely so Brandon Hantz would not do something immoral to her.

Overall I am surpised that of the twenty people I voted for fifteen made it. Sure I wouild swapped Kass and Kimmi for Mikayla and Sabrina. I did not vote for Shirin but I am fine with her addition and will probably will be better than Natalie whom I voted for instead (mostly because no one on thirty seasons looked better in a bikini than her). I am also fine with the two guys I did not vote for, Terry and Joe (I went with Max and Troyzan but did not felt strong about either). But after one historically bad season and one meh season I m really looking forward to Second Chances. Which could only mean Kass and Kimmi will be making the finals.

I did not have a place to put it in earlier, but I have to say the way Probst revealed the cast was extremely awkward. It felt like a Maury Pauvich type reveal. As a stats guy it is also interesting that of the six runner ups on their seasons, half gote voted onto Second Chance while half went home (Carolyn, Natalie, and Sabrina). Weirdly, there were five tenth placed finisher and all of them are heading to Cambodia. Then Kimmi and Kelley (not to be confused with Kelly) were the only two that finished worse than tenth to board the bus. The other five double digit finishers are going home. Five was an unlucky number, because besides the three runner ups and the five double digit finishers, two of the other three not boarding the plane (T-Bird and Shane) finished fifth. Granted Ciera and Peih-Gee also finished fifth.
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