Even though I usually check them out, I not a big fan of the Artists to Watch for the next year that pop up at the end or beginning of each year. My ears usually meet each artist with a resounding yawn. Most are not really that new, usually artists that put out albums or singles months before to crickets and outlets are dusting them off now because they have to write about something and less and less artists are putting out music in the winter. Really there are just less and less big name artists that push the needle period.
One artist that caught my ear on Billboard’s list was Maggie Rogers. Her song Alaska was somehow familiar and weird at the same time. Then the song kept popping up again and again over the last couple month until one day I heard it and realized, oh wait, this song is kind of great. So I went on a deep dive and there was a viral video of Pharrell listening to her song in front of her at the NYU Clive Davis Insitut where she talks about coming to the school as a banjo player who fell in love with French dance music, hence the “familiar and weird at the same time” vive. Maggie’s segment starts at 18:18.
What is great about the video, beside Pharrell bizarrely comparing her to Wu-Tang Clan which he manages to make a convincing argument, is Maggie awkwardly trying to sneak a look at Pharrell’s expression but clearly to scared to. And like I mentioned, she went to music school to play the banjo so clearly there is musicianship to her behind the French dance music esthetic which you can definitely her in the acoustic version of the song which turns the song into a heartbreak anthem that could have been been on one of Ryan Adams more sad albums.
Maggie has released a new single since them with an EP coming February 17 called Now That the Light Is Fading, (she also released two albums in high school that you can find on Bandcamp if you are interested in her banjo phase). Dog Years is another great song that gives me a modern update of Laurel Canyon feel to it. After a dire year for new music last year, and really music in general, 2017 is already looking up.
The Affair: Wait, what just happened? They teased Noah going crazy in the lake and his act ends with the exact same moment, except there was someone there. Or was there? That was young Noah right? But yeah, there should be a Noah segment every episode.
Conviction: I am not entirely sure why I am still watching this dead show walking (oh yeah, my irrational love of Peggy Carter) but that had to be one of the most awkward kisses in television history.
You can download Conviction on iTunes.
:Good Behavior: 57 Channels was off last week so here are my thought on the post Christmas episode followed by this week’s episode: The previous week’s with the ballad of Javier’s family was a bit of a drag, but boy did they made up for it this week with shocker after twist after shocker. I guess you have to start at the end with Letty asking Javier to kill her baby daddy. Oh, yeah, we learned Jacob’s father was a porn director turned video fitness guru. And to think, most episodes I would have started off with Nelson being played at a wedding reception. Oh yeah, and then the Godmother learned her husband enjoys getting rammed by dudes in his office. I was thinking the Godmother may be the only one on this show worth rooting for. Then the parole office popped into my mind. Where has that guy been? If my memory is correct, the last we saw of him was being questioned by the FBI after he and Letty robbed the hotel. That thread has to be tied by the end of the season.
1/3 – So that is what happened to the parole officer; just waiting for the right time to have him and his new FBI buddy to try to get Letty to turn on Javier. Quite a pickle, turn him in seems obvious until you realize dude is resourceful. Maybe the smart thing would have been to give him a heads up, I do think him just leaving town is good enough. Should make for an interesting finale.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Blindplot: Well I was completely wrong about who was going to die because apparently no one did. Meh. But the big bad let Kurt live again, what could she possibly want with him? Is he going to turn out to be a Manchurian Candidate?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.
Emerald City: I will say this, the show looks very beautiful (NBC got the guy who directed The Cell to direct all ten episodes) but it became clear pretty quickly that we probably do not need a dark re-imagining of The Wizard of Oz with a Christ-like Scarecrow with amnesia.
You can download Emerald City on iTunes.
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 Sea of Hope: America’s Underwater Treasures, OBAMA: The Price of Hope, Independent Lens, The Detour, Rock'N’Roll Inventions, Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992, Titanic: The New Evidence, Debbie Reynolds, The Handmaid's Tale, and Shameless.
- As the country prepares for Donald Trump to be sworn in as the 45th U.S. president, both critics and supporters believe they’re saying farewell to one of the most memorable presidencies in the nation’s history. On Sunday, Jan. 15, just days before the inauguration, National Geographic commemorates President Obama’s legacy with a night of programming, beginning at 8:00 with the one-hour documentary Sea of Hope: America’s Underwater Treasures, followed by the two-hour special OBAMA: The Price of Hope, premiering at 9:00.
- BS uncovers the awesome and terrifying power of the atom in a three-night marathon of nuclear-themed programming from January 9-11, 2017 (check local listings). Exploring nuclear power and global nuclear arsenal, the programming block will explore the many sides of the nuclear issue by looking to history, examining the present and imagining the future. The following programs will air January 9-11, 2017: Independent Lens’ “Containment”, a disturbing documentary that explores attempts to plan for a radioactive future and the failures in managing millions of gallons of waste left over from the Cold War, premieres Monday, January 9 from 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET.
- Hospice care is rarely associated with song and dance, unless the songs happen to be dirges or solemn hymns. But a new hospice-centered documentary, Seven Songs for a Long Life, sings a very different tune. Filmmaker Amy Hardie goes inside Strathcarron Hospice in Scotland, where six patients, some stricken with terminal illness, face pain and uncertainty with song and bravery. Three years in the making, Seven Songs for a Long Life captures the often quirky patients’ reflections on life and their own mortality, as well as their heart-tugging renditions of pop music classics by everyone from Sinatra to R.E.M. The film debuts on the PBS POV series on Monday, Jan. 30.
- TBS's hit comedy series The Detour is making its way back for its second season, slated to launch with back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 10:00. Created, written and executive-produced by Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, The Detour stars Jones, along with Natalie Zea, Ashley Gerasimovich, Liam Carroll and Daniella Pineda.
- A new Smithsonian Channel series is about to make some noise as some of the biggest names from the recording industry break out their drumsticks, synthesizers, and everything in between to explain the technology and innovations that have provided the soundtrack to our lives. The new six-episode series, Rock'N’Roll Inventions premieres Monday, January 16 at 8:00.
- Academy Award-winner John Ridley has teamed up with ABC News’ Lincoln Square Productions to produce a feature-length documentary titled Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992 about the Los Angeles uprising of April 1992. The two-hour documentary is scheduled to air on the ABC television network in the spring of 2017 pegged to the 25th Anniversary of the rioting, looting and gun violence that unfolded after the verdict in the Rodney King case.
- The sinking of the RMS Titanic has been the subject of countless investigations, and the true cause of the tragedy is hotly debated. Now, explosive new photographs have surfaced containing shocking revelations about a series of shortcomings which contributed to the legendary ship’s tragic sinking. The images are unveiled in a new one-hour Smithsonian Channel documentary that tells the story of the unluckiest ship in maritime history. Titanic: The New Evidence (WT) premieres Saturday, January 21 at 8:00.
- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of legendary actress Debbie Reynolds, the vivacious actress, singer and dancer who entertained audiences in musicals such as Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) with a 24-hour film tribute on Friday, January, 27. Reynolds, who passed away Wednesday, Dec. 28 at the age of 84, became a sensation after starring with legendary hoofers Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor in the immortal MGM musical Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and received her only Oscar® nomination for pla ying the title role in The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). Reynolds recording of “Tammy” spent five weeks at No. 1 in 1957 and was nominated for an Academy Award for best Original Song.
- Last week, Hulu announced Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale will premiere on Wednesday, April 26th, 2017. The drama series, based on the award-winning, best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred (Elisabeth Moss) is a Handmaid in the Commander’s household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world. In this terrifying society where one wrong word could end her life, Offred navigates between Commanders, their cruel Wives, domestic Marthas, and her fellow Handmaids – where anyone could be a spy for Gilead – all with one goal: to survive and find the daughter that was taken from her.
- On the heels of its seventh season finale last night, Showtime has ordered an eighth season of Shameless. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc. One of the network’s longest-running and most successful series ever, Showtime season seven ranks as its highest-rated season to date. The series stars Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner William H. Macy and Golden Globe® nominee Emmy Rossum. Production on twelve new episodes will begin in 2017.
- ast week, Main Street Alliance member businesses joined a national day of action–urging their Senators and Representatives in Congress to oppose efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The GOP leadership's health plan, to be voted on in early January, would take health coverage away from 30 million people nationwide and collapse the insurance market–leaving small business owners scrambling to find health insurance.
2016 sucked. Massively. We lost too many people who shaped my childhood to named. I have not been as ashamed of my Best Songs of the year’s list since 1999. Music was so bad last year; somehow Justin Beiber landed a Best Album nomination. Really, since music was so bad last year and so many great artists, died, the Grammy’s this year should just be a three hour tribute show. In some years, Leon Russell or Leonard Cohan would have gotten a lengthy tribute but they may just get stuffed in the In Memorium package this year as neither are in the top five this year (and that is not even counting David Bowie or Glen Frye who were paid tribute at last year’s ceremony). Oh yeah, and we also witnessed the worst presidential election in my lifetime, probably ever. Also as hit musical Hamilton taught us, at least no one is participation in duels. Instead we had dudes bragging about the size of his penis at a televised debate, bragging about being able to molest women, claiming political opponent’s father was involved in the JFK assassination, openly admitted to wanting to have sex with his daughter, promising to lock up his political opponents, and siding with Russia over our CIA. And that is just the guy that won. But as the great philosopher Adam Duritz one said, there is reason to believe that this year will be better than the last. So with that said, here are seven things to look forward to in 2017.
7. Obligatory Superhero Movie Mention: Superhero movies have been a mainstay on my Most Anticipated lists for a while now but honestly I am getting a bit worn out. I have had the Batman v. Superman blu-ray sitting on my desk for about a month now unopened, and I am two movies behind on the Marvel movies. Basically I did not watch one Superhero movie that was released in 2016. I am sure I will eventually and it may not happen this year, but eventually I am sure I will get around to watching Logan (March 3), Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (May 5), Wonder Woman (June 2), Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7), Thor: Ragnorok (November 3), and Justice League (November 17). And really, you might as well put Star Wars: Episode VIII (December 15) in this category too.
6. Kong: Skull Island (March 10), The Mummy (June 9): Superhero’s are no longer the only films getting their own cinematic universes, now other movie studios are getting in on the action. Kong: Skull island takes place in the same universe as 2014’s Godzilla. Although that is a pretty limited universe because it is just the two large mutant animals that will not even appear on screen together until 2020. As lackluster the concept is, it is a pretty impressive cast: Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and John Goodman. Universal is getting a bit more ambitious, rebooting the very first shared cinematic universe with its monster movies, first up, The Mummy. If all goes well, there will also be movies featuring Frankenstein's monster (starring Javier Bardem), Count Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man (starring Johnny Depp), and Bride of Frankenstein.
5. A Few Good Men Live!(?): Hiding at the bottom of NBC’s press release for their upfronts last year was one line about adapting the Aaron Sorkin play, a break from their string of live musicals. Supposedly it was coming “early 2017.” Well here we are in early 2017 and I have not heard anything about it since. NBC.com does have a page for it and it just says, “coming soon.” Hopefully they are just making sure they are getting it right and not just quietly forgotten about it because I am much more interested in it than the Jennifer Lopez starring Bye Bye Birdie.
4. The Ends of Orphan Black and Pretty Little Liars: Two show on the opposite of the quality spectrum are ending this year. After introducing one of the more adventurous ideas in television history, Orphan Black will be coming to a close. Here is hoping there is an Alison spin-off into a bad CBS sitcom. Then there is Pretty Little Liars which stretched a murder mystery further than any show before. I long ago lost track of how many different A’s there have been. And yet, I was never able to stop watching.
3. Prisoner - Ryan Adams (February 17): In the first decade of this century, Ryan Adams put out ten albums, this decade he has only put out two proper albums and none since 2014 (obviously I am not counting his Taylor Swift cover album a “proper” album. After his output last decade, three years is a long time sso hopefully he has a lot of great tunes lined up and no Rihanna covers.
2. Powerless (February 2) – The last couple years saw multiple superhero shows hit the small screen but this current season will only see one network superhero show, and that does not even star someone with powers, hence the title. (Do not fret traditional funny book fans, Legion premieres next week on FX, the ongoing Netflix shows, and ABC has already greenlighted Inhumans to premiere this fall as well as the return of Young Justice to some yet announced channel or possibly streaming service). Instead the show will follow incurrence agents living in a superhero world that sees city blocks destroyed regularly. I cannot wait to not watch this show when it gets demoted to The CW in the fall.
Shameless: Odd they would end the season devoting the whole episode to Monica dying, leaving most of the season plotlines just hanging there. The biggest being that Svetlana still owns The Alibi with no retribution. Something to look forward to next season. I will be more interested in what is up with Fiona’s new building. Are she and the family (and Kev and Vee) going to move in? Even a building in progress is still better than what they are currently living in. Of course Frank will figure out a way to sneak in. But that is only if the building is really up to code, I do not really trust the guy selling.
The Affair: I thought we were going to get two wildly different accounts of Block Island. Instead Noah starts off his act in flashbacks with creepy Brendon Frasier only to flash forward to where Allison left off and then another flashback and back to the present. I wanted to see how Noah recounted Allison being the one who wanted to go into the hot tub. Oh well. But creepy Brendon Frasier is the best part of this season. Maybe we will get a creepy Brendon Frasier episode.
:Good Behavior: After an interesting plot twist, Javier killing the guy who hired him to kill his wife in the first episode, kind of a drag that the rest of the episode was dragged down but his over dramatic family. But at least we now know how he grew up to become a cold hearted hitman.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Shameless: By my count, this is the third chick who died after hooking up with Frank. But really, in the even seasons, it is Frank that pretty much dies and somehow survives. Then I pretty much figured that Ian would not go with Micky. Now my big prediction this week is that after finally getting a win with the laundromat, I think Fiona will some hoe get swindled by the apartment guy.
The Walking Dead: Geez, I thought Negan was starting to like the fat chick; that was cold. But at least he had the decency to shoot her in the head, he lead the douchebag mayor’s son bleed out from the gut so he would come back as a walker. Well at least the gang is back together (or at least those that are left minus Eugene). So I guess the back half of the season will be the planning and joining forces until the finally when they start their assault on Negan. Ugg, this show is as slow as the walkers on the show.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
The Affair: Cole has always been number four in the The Affair power ranking, but goodness that first act was a complete and utter bore. I would much rather have a Haddie Braverman centered act than another Cole one. Unless of course he was the incompetent stabber. Granted Allison’s was not that much better, but we did get the return of different recounting of events. And her interaction with the detectives was really weird in the way they were acting. And then maybe the most different of any two perspective with what happened after Joanie feel off the horse.
Timeless: Really, they kill Riddenhouse and we do not get to see how present day was changed, if at all. I was kind of hoping they would return to a post-apocalyptic present day, but hey, at least Lucy’s sister and boring white dude’s wife are now alive again! Instead Lucy gets kidnapped and no glace at present day which leads me to believe nothing changes even though they killed some dude who was supposed to sign some treaty in a couple years.. I liked the idea of Timeless but the execution is leaving less than entertained.
You can download Timeless on iTunes.
:Good Behavior: When the promo focused on Letty looking for her son in the mega store, I first thought, oh no, The Killing went off the rails when the frumpy sweater lady spent an entire episode looking for her runaway kid. I guess this episode did not focus solely on searching for the kid, had some funny moments, and had a couple plot twists. Seriously, who expected seeing the Godmother’s husband getting rammed by another dude? And like almost every episode so far, I left the episode with no idea where the show goes from here.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: You had to have the sense Adam was going to win after they got down to the final three, but in my views, Hannah gave a significantly better case to be a winner at the Final Tribal so I was shocked that Adam won by a clean sweep. Really, Ken should have had a good argument, single father, won a bunch of challenges, cashed in the very first Legacy Advantage, loyal but knew when to turn on an alliance to help his game, lone Gen Xer in the finals; he just did not make it, or really any argument.
That Hannah did not get even one vote, I had to wonder that much like the nation that picked an incompetent man as president, are the Survivor contestants getting more and more sexist? Recently we had those two overtly chauvinistic seasons (Worlds Apart and Cagayan) so I looked it up and five of the last seven season were won by men and one was in an all-female final (Blood vs. Water II), the other being two girls and Tai (Kaôh Rōng). Granted before this stretch, there was a three women win streak. So I guess this just may be an anomaly.
But of course the most important part of every Survivor finale: the preview for the next season. And what a weird roll out. First there was a vague trailer and we were left to wonder if the people they were highlighting were actually going to be in the next season or not. Then I seemed like they were going to announce the cast, but then only brought out eight of them, including Michaela who was already on stage. So why fly in just those seven? Were they the only ones available? Were they on a budget and just picked them at random? Were they picked because they are going to go far? Making things weirder, Probst announces Michaela was in the cast, but not Zeke who spoilers say is also in the cast. I more disappointed that also only the spoiler list, Andrea, was not at the reunion and I do not even remember seeing her in the promo.
As for those that did show up, what a mixed bag. It started out horrible, Tony was one of the most annoying ever, Tai not that far behind. The third guy I even had to look up (apparently Caleb was the guy who got air lifted from the last Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty). Then Ozzy? Seriously, they let the porn star back for, what, the fifth time? Please stop with Ozzy. Does he know something about Probst? Did they film a porn together? Ugg. The rest were fine. Ciera is always a welcome edition even though I cannot imagine she will go far. Same for Cirie. But I wonder why Sandra came back after two straight wins. C’mon girl. Wait for an all winner’s season to come back. Coming back to battle the likes of Tai and Ozzy is beneath you. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.
I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Path, Cream, The Killers, Secret of the Six Wives, Street Light Harmonies, The Real Mad Men of Advertising, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, Claws, National Treasure, People of Earth, and Search Party.
- This week Hulu released the season two trailer of The Path as well as first look photos. The first two episodes of the 13-episode season will launch on Wednesday, January 25th.
- Showtime has released the teaser for the highly-anticipated second season of its hit drama series Billion. The series, starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, will premiere its second season on Sunday, February 19 at 10:00.
- Late January 2017 sees the deluxe edition release of Fresh Cream, the debut album by British, blues boom, power trio, Cream. The 3-CD + 1 Blu-Ray Audio disc come housed in a gatefold sleeve within a rigid slipcase and includes a 64-page hardback book, featuring new sleeve notes by respected Rolling Stone writer, David Fricke. The set comprises various alternate and new stereo mixes plus several, previously unreleased BBC sessions. A special 6LP 180g Vinyl edition of Fresh Cream will also be released in April 2017.
- The Killers – vocalist/keyboardist Brandon Flowers, guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci -- emerged from Las Vegas, their name a tribute to the logo on the bass drum of the fictitious band seen in their favorite band New Order’s music video for “Crystal.” They released their major label debut album, Hot Fuss, on Island Records, June 15, 2004 in the U.S., peaking at #7 on the Billboard 200, a week after it came out in the U.K., where it quickly went to #1 and went on to spend an astounding 247 weeks, more than four-and-a-half years on the album chart. Hot Fuss has gone on to sell more than seven million copies worldwide, including three million in the U.S., and has also been certified platinum or multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, The United Kingdom and Germany as well as many other International territories. A dozen years after it first catapulted the band to international stardom, The Killers’ Hot Fuss is being reissued on standard weight vinyl as a single LP by UMe on January 13. A limited edition, white vinyl LP will also be available exclusively on uDiscover.
- The 16th century legend of King Henry VIII is turned on its crowned head as the dramatic stories of his six tumultuous marriages are told from the wives’ perspectives in Secret of the Six Wives. The three-part dramatic and historical series, co-produced by the BBC, premieres Sunday, January 22, 2017, at 10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings). It joins a full night of head-turning drama that evening that also includes the second season premiere of PBS’ original American drama Mercy Street at 8:00 p.m., followed by the second episode of “Victoria” on Masterpiece at 9:00 p.m.
- An entertaining journey through bands, songs and harmonies that evoke both days gone by as well as current hits, Street Light Harmonies is a new documentary that uncovers the definitive period of doo-wop music and the artists that defined it. Millions know the music but few know the artists and their history that laid the foundation for rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and built a bridge to the civil rights movement. Featuring commentary from Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Lance Bass (NSYNC), Brian McKnight, Jimmy Merchant (The Teenagers), La La Brooks (The Crystals), Charlie Thomas (Drifters), Al Jardine (Beach Boys) and more, Street Light Harmonies will be a combination of present-day interviews and archival footage. View the extended trailer now online.
- A new Smithsonian Channel four-part series provides an inside look into the men and women who re-invented the advertising industry from post-WWII America through the 1980s. Driven by memorable, classic ad campaigns, many of which are in the collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the series also features clips and interviews with the creators of the groundbreaking series Mad Men. The Real Mad Men of Advertising premieres Sunday, January 8th at 9:00.
- Prophets, spiritual enlightenment and the afterlife — they are mysteries as old as time. National Geographic and Revelations Entertainment seek clarity on some of humanity’s biggest questions in season two of the Emmy-nominated hit series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, premiering on Monday, Jan. 16, at 9:00. As host of the network’s most-watched series of all time, Freeman will again take viewers around the world on a quest for interfaith understanding and connectivity through the lens of the world’s major religions, science, anthropology and archaeology. The series, hailed as “fascinating” by the Wall Street Journal and “eye-opening” by MediaPost, will also air globally later this spring on National Geographic channels in 171 countries and in 45 languages, and in Spanish on Nat Geo MUNDO.
- It used to appear so simple for many of us: you were a boy or you were a girl. Girls wore pink, and boys wore blue; girls played with dolls, and boys played with trucks. Yet around the globe, these traditional notions of gender are changing rapidly, and labels are no longer so clear cut. National Geographic sets out to explore this evolving concept of gender through the lens of science, society and culture in the groundbreaking new two-hour documentary Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, premiering Monday, Feb. 6, at 9:00. Produced by Katie Couric Media with National Geographic Studios and World of Wonder Productions, the special will also air on National Geographic around the globe in 171 countries and in 45 languages.
- Turner's TNT has given a series greenlight to Claws, a midnight-dark, wickedly funny meditation on female badness set in a South Florida nail salon. Niecy Nash (Getting On, The Soul Man), Carrie Preston (True Blood), Harold Perrineau (Lost, OZ), Jenn Lyon (Justified), Judy Reyes (Scrubs), Jack Kesy (The Strain), Karrueche Tran (The Nice Guys), Kevin Rankin (Dallas Buyers Club, Friday Night Lights) and Jason Antoon (Famous in Love) star in the hour-long dramedy from executive producers Rashida Jones (Angie Tribeca, Toy Story 4, Celeste and Jesse Forever, A to Z,), Will McCormack (Toy Story 4, Celeste and Jesse Forever, A to Z) and < strong>J anine Sherman Barrois (ER, Criminal Minds), who also serves as showrunner. The pilot was written by series co-executive producer Eliot Laurence (Welcome to Me) and directed by Nicole Kassell (The Americans, The Leftovers). Claws is produced by Jones and McCormack's Le Train Train, in association with Warner Horizon Television and Turner's Studio T.
- In a deal with All3Media International, Hulu has acquired the U.S. rights to all episodes of hit series National Treasure, the ratings-winning drama produced by The Forge Entertainment for Channel 4. The first season of the series from Jack Thorne will debut in the U.S. as a Hulu Original on March 1, 2017.
After debuting on UK’s Channel 4 to strong ratings, National Treasure quickly became a must-see television event. Hulu’s audience will soon be able to experience the series in its entirety when all episodes land on the service under the Hulu Original slate.
- Turner's TBS ends an impressive and transformative year with renewals of all six of its 2016 scripted comedies. The network today announced 10-episode season 2 renewals of its two most recent critically acclaimed comedies, People of Earth and Search Party, which join the network’s previous 2016 renewals of Angie Tribeca, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Detour and Wrecked, in addition to comedy mainstays Conan and American Dad!
- An online petition at https://www.change.org/p/hillary-ms-clinton-release-your-electors-in-favor-of-mr-romney is calling for Ms. Clinton to release her electors in favor of Mr. Romney. “The only way Democrats stand any chance of persuading Republican electors to abandon Trump is with a dramatic gesture of true bipartisanship. If all 232 Democratic electors pledge to reach across the aisle and vote for a Republican alternative to Trump, it would take just 38 GOP electors to make that person the next president” wrote Michael F. Cannon of the CATO Institute in the Washington post.
Once Upon a Time: So Belle and Mr. Gold’s son grows up to kill Emma. Alrighty. How very Angel of a plot.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.
Shameless: So dos Micky not remember he has a kid? I was kind of disappointed that we did not get to see his reaction to the whole sisterwives situation his kid is growing up in. But I guess that relationship is already messed up without him popping up. He did not even run into Ian’s new trans flame. And oh wow, I am shocked Fiona sold the laundromat, she had plenty of reasons to give up on it and just take advantage of Edna, I’d figure she would keep it. Of course I have a feeling she is not going to like what her boss is going to do with the neighborhood. But the biggest shocker, Ian actually got in the van.
The Walking Dead: I did not dislike Negan while he was on screen for the first time ths season (and I hate in a hate to hate kind of way, not a love to hate kind of way; dude is seriously annoying and way too over the top), but I did laugh when he hit on the fat chick, got slapped by her and said that only made him fifty percent more attracted to her. Of course everything else about the episode mostly sucks. Seriously Carl, I know you are down to one eye, but how do you miss a guy standing right in front of you? I fear the second half of the season will be people trying to kill Negan and missing. Carl missed. Rosalita got her one bullet. Jesus is roaming around somewhere. You have to figure Rick and Dayrl are waiting for their chance. Hopefully the fat chick who was in charge of the arsenal will have a few hiding around and will be the one who does Negan in.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
The Affair: Wait, was that Brendon Frasier? Oh my, the last two decade have not been kind especially when you consider the new trailer for The Mummy reboot was released the same weekend with Frasier being replaced by Tom Cruise. And it was pretty obvious he would survive on account he is the main character, but c’mon, how does Noah survives an assault like that? Seriously who stabs someone in the neck and just leaves without making sure their mark is not dead?
:Good Behavior: Well that was interesting, did not see the parole officer go full heel. Is he going to join Letty and Javier’s gang now.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: So when did Adia replace May (and why is it may that always seems to get replace)? Was it when May was sent to retrieve May or was it sooner than that (come to think of it, May was unusually chippy early in the episode before she was sent to get Adia). Oh yeah, and why did she do it? But when it comes down to it, I am not sure Adia will make for a very interesting Big Bad for the second half of the season. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.
Hairspray Live: NBC really needed to step its live musical game up after Fox blew them out of the water with Grease Live. Unfortunately they decided on a lackluster musical that already got a big screen adaptation not too long ago and ended up the worst live musical yet. Sure NBC stole some Fox ideas that I have been suggesting from the beginning: a live audience and a curtain call. Expect the crowd was only there for the show inside the musical and all other scenes were completely quiet which actually made it weirder. Then the curtain call was a gratuitous excuse to highlight the two biggest names in the cast. But at least their next live musical is Bye Bye Birdie. Wait, it is going to be Bye Bye Birdie starring Jennifer Lopez? Meh. Wake me up when they get Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling to star in Guys and Dolls.
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 SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol, MVP: Sports Stars and Their Most Valuable Pets, Final Space, Bringing Up Bates, Growing Up McGhee, and Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour.
- This holiday season, Turner's TBS & TNT are going to turn the Christmas spirit on full blast with SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol, an all-new music special that puts a unique twist on the caroling tradition. The one-hour special – featuring such celebrity carolers as Conan O'Brien, Rashida Jones, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Jane Lynch, Ludacris, Kenny G, Tony Sirico, Vincent Curatola, Joseph Gannascoli, A$AP Ferg, Three Loco, Samantha Ronson, Alfonso Ribeiro, Fred Willard, T-Pain and many surprise appearances – is set to premiere on TBS on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 10:00. And the night before Christmas, Saturday, Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT), TBS & TNT will join forces for a simulcast of SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol. It will be followed by TBS & TNT's simulcast of the annual 24 Hours of A Christmas Story marathon, celebrating its 20th year as one of television's most enduring holiday traditions.
- Devoted sports fans can readily recall their favorite athlete’s bio and stats. They know that Serena Williams is a 22-time Grand Slam Champion and Olympic Gold medalist, and that Tim Tebow was the first college football sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy. But fewer people know about a MVP in their favorite athletes’ lives – their pets. In the fur-st ever MVP: Sports Stars and Their Most Valuable Pets, viewers will get to know the canine companions that brighten the lives of sports biggest stars, hear athletes discuss how their relationship with their dogs keep them in the game, and learn how these pups got their creative names. CBS Sports NFL Today Analyst Boomer Esiason hosts MVP: Sports Stars and Their Most Valuable Pets, CBS Special Airing Christmas Day at 4:00.
- Turner's TBS has greenlit the new animated series Final Space, an interstellar comedy created by independent filmmaker, actor, comedian and entrepreneur Olan Rogers. Slated to launch in 2018, Final Space is being produced by Conan O'Brien's Conaco and New Form, in association with Turner's Studio T. Rogers and creative partner David Sacks will write the episodes, executive-producing them along with O'Brien, David Kissinger, Larry Sullivan and Jeff Ross of Conaco and Kathleen Grace, Melissa Schneider and Matt Hoklotubbe of New Form. Part of TBS's continued push into animation, Final Space is a serialized intergalactic space saga about an astronaut named Gary and his adorable, planet-destroying friend, Mooncake. The series will follow their adventures as they embark on a quest to unlock the mystery of "Final Space," the place where the entire universe ends.
- UP TV, the entertainment destination that showcases stories about modern American families and the relationships that define them, announced this week that Bringing Up Bates season five will premiere Thursday, January 5 at 9:00 Joining the Thursday night lineup on UP will be the second season of Growing Up McGhee, premiering Thursday, January 12 at 9:30, following an all-new episode of Bringing Up Bates. UP has ordered 15 original episodes of Bringing Up Bates and ten original episodes of Growing Up McGhee.
- Madonna’s highly-anticipated concert film, Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour will premiere this Friday, December 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, on-air, on demand and over the internet. For the official trailer, go to: https://youtu.be/9bNbvu0A8WI. MADONNA: REBEL HEART TOUR was shot around the world and features a collection of live and behind these scenes footage culminating in performances at the Sydney Olympic Park in March of this year. The film is co-directed by Danny B. Tull and Nathan Rissman, both of whom have worked extensively with Madonna on her feature films and tour movies.
- President-Elect Trump announced his nomination of Linda McMahon to head the Small Business Administration (SBA), immediately raising eyebrows in the small business community. With a personal net worth of more than $500 million, Ms. McMahon is out of touch with the real small business owners she is tasked with assisting at the SBA. Having contributed at least $6.5 million to the President-Elect’s campaign and associated super PACS, and $5 million to the Trump Foundation, the selection of Ms. McMahon raises conflict of interest concerns that have become synonymous with Mr. Trump and his Cabinet nominations. It begs the question, how much does a Trump Cabinet position cost? For Linda McMahon, the position carries a $11.5 million price tag.
- You’ve probably heard: President-elect Donald Trump has a strong opinion about Boeing’s contract with the US government for an upgraded Air Force One. Here’s Boeing’s official statement regarding Air Force One.
Hulu is at a crossroads. It started out as a great way to catch up on last night’s television you missed with a few webseries quality shows, usually underwritten by a advertiser who put gratuitous product placements throughout. But it clearly became envious of Netflix and all its buzz and deep pockets. Hulu slowly started adding movies you have actually heard of and more credible original programming. It also started providing commercial free version and put most of the movies and original programming behind their paid wall.
They took a very huge step earlier this year eliminating their free tier leaving people like me who are not bothered by ads and primarily use Hulu for catch-up with the choice between ponying $7.99 a month (or an extra $4 to get rid of those pesky commercials) to continue using the service or go back to channel specific websites to catch up on what we missed last night. I chose the latter and really forgot how much I hate the other video players (especially ABC).
So now that you have to pay, Hulu really need to step its game up when it comes to original programming if it even want to get to Amazon Prime territory, let along Netflix. The Path was good but a little underwhelming and Casual was solid but will not be winning any awards or show up on anyone’s top ten lists. Hulu really stumbled out of the gate with their first post no free tier era with Chance which was met with a resounding meh. Personally I was not even able to make it through a full episode. And this is coming from someone who somehow watched every episode of Wicked City.
Now comes Shut Eye which seems like it want to be The Sopranos except instead of gangsters, the show focuses on psychics. And instead of seeing a therapist, the lead sees another type of head doctor after an angry boyfriend gives him a concussion after telling his girlfriend he was cheating on him. Oh, and we are led to believe this concussion may have also given him real psychic power that are triggered whenever he is around doughnuts.
Shut Eye stars Jeffery Donovan as the small time hustler who is looking for a big score after leaving Vegas and his cushy job as the guy who builds tricks from magicians. But in Los Angeles he has run into real gypsies who do not like people taking their business (Isabella Rossilini plays the matriarch) and expect their cut from any pretend psychic. Hey, selling $5,000 candles to simpletons can only get you so far.
So Donovan sees and opening when an obvious gangster (Dexter’s David Zayas) comes in seeing help for his kid with Asperger’s. Needless to say, when you get in bed with gangsters, bad things start happening. And there is the problem with Shut Eye, I actually had to put the phrase “needlessly to say” in a review. It is kind of easy to predict where the show is going from the opening scenes. And since the show is trying to be prestigious, the show is peppered with just enough gratuitous violence (someone gets dunked in a doughnut fryer), gratuitous sex (though not gratuitous enough because Emmanuelle Chriqui manages to stay pretty hidden during a lesbian sex scene in the first episode). And what want to be prestigious show be without a worthless teenage son who abuses drugs? Though it fell flat in places, The Path was a much more ambitious attempt for Hulu to get their named made. Shut Eye just seems to be recycling decade’s old attempts at making television.
All episode of Shut Eye are streaming now on Hulu starting today.
Shameless: I thought Monica revealing she was dying was going to be the big reveal of the episode (though I am not complete sold she is telling the truth, this is Shameless), then they end with Micky breaking out of prison. I wonder what will make him more upset, his ex-boyfriend hooking up with a dude without a manhood or his ex-wife shacking up with Vee and Kev.
The Walking Dead: Did we really need to devote a full extended episode to Tara? I completely forgot she even existed.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
Gotham: They could not get Michelle Pfeiffer to play Catwoman’s mother? Oh well. What exactly has she been up to? I cannot think of anything since the nineties. But where, and why, has momma been hiding all this time? But I guess Jim should find her hiding hole because he broke his bring Falcone’s son in alive promise. Oh well. Hopefully this ends the Mad Hatter storyline and we move onto something new. Oh, the return of Jerome is the something new? Meh. Can’t they just have Black Manta crawl out of the Gotham harbor?
You can download Gotham on iTunes.
Supergirl: So after promoting a big four night crossover for months, the Flash shows up for thirty seconds with some annoying hippie. I guess I should not complain since the other crappy CW superheroes did not ruin Supergirl worse than The CW already has this season. Seriously what was with Cyborg Superman’s silly Phantom of the Opera mask? He has this intimidating Terminator with half his face peeled off, yet he covers that up with something silly.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.
Lucifer: So we have known since early last season Chloe had some sort effect on Lucifer that made him more mortal, but never knew why… until now. So she was blessed by an angel before she was born. Why the angel picked an actress is still unknown, but it is a start.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.
:Good Behavior: The one thing I like about this show is that I am not entirely sure where it is going. I was disappointed with thinking that the show was going to be a procedural with Leddy and Javier conning and/or killing new people every week. Except they parted ways in episode three leaving me wondering here exactly the show was heading again. Although with that ending, should I worry it will turn into a procedural again or will there be another twist in an episode or two?
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: What a worthless gift, her, have some worst “advantage” ever in the history of the show, one that will guarantee you not to win and will likely be voted out next if you use it. Although I actually think the new owner is dumb enough to use it. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.
