Around the Tubes: May 16, 2020

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 Good Lord Bird, One Day at a Time, The Go-Go's, Love Fraud, Belushi, Pearl Jam, Oh Wonder, Anthony Hamilton, ABBA, somegirlnamedanna, Command Sisters, and St. Louis Superman.

- SHOWTIME^® has released the official poster and trailer for its new limited series THE GOOD LORD BIRD, premiering on Sunday, August 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Starring and executive produced by Oscar^® nominee Ethan Hawke, who plays the controversial abolitionist John Brown, the seven-episode series is from Blumhouse Television and based on the National Book Award-winning novel The Good Lord Bird by bestselling author James McBride.

- Pop TV today announced the ONE DAY AT A TIME animated special will premiere on June 16^th and include special guest stars Gloria Estefan, Melissa Fumero and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The critically acclaimed Sony Pictures Television series had its mid-season finale on April 14^th due to production stoppages as a result of COVID-19. The animated special, titled, ‘The Politics Episode,’ will be fully executed remotely and premiere on Pop TV Tuesday, June 16^th at 9:30PM ET/PT following a marathon of the current season.  Gloria Estefan and Melissa Fumero, both return to ONE DAY AT A TIME, reprising their roles, but this time, they’ll be animated. As for Lin-Manuel Miranda, he makes his debut on the series. The special will center around Penelope’s conservative cousin Estrellita (Melissa Fumero), Tia Mirtha (Gloria Estefan), and Tio Juanito (Lin-Manuel Miranda) coming to visit and with the impending election, they won’t be able to avoid fighting over politics.

- SHOWTIME announced the premiere dates for the non-fiction programs THE GO-GO’S, LOVE FRAUD and BELUSHI. 

• THE GO-GO’S will premiere Saturday, August 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Director Allison Ellwood’s documentary feature, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, chronicles the first all-female band to play its own instruments, write its own songs and soar to No. 1 on the album charts. The Go-Go’s made history. Featuring candid testimonies, Ellwood’s film charts the meteoric rise to fame of a band born of the L.A. punk scene that not only captured but created a zeitgeist. 

• LOVE FRAUD will premiere on Sunday, August 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s four-part series follows a con-man on the run and the dynamic women determined to put him behind bars, and takes viewers on a bizarre, engrossing ride through the twisted mind of a criminal and the chaos he leaves in his wake. 

• BELUSHI will premiere Sunday, September 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Using previously unheard audiotapes recorded shortly after John Belushi’s death, director R.J. Cutler’s documentary feature examines the too-short life of the once-in-a-generation talent who captured the hearts and funny bones of devoted audiences.

- Pearl Jam revealed the music video for the Gigaton single “Retrograde.”  Watch it HERE.  For the visual, the band teamed up with director Josh Wakely [Beat Bugs, Motown Magic]. The animated clip opens with a lone traveler driving through the rain and descending upon a strip mall. Visiting a psychic, the protagonist witnesses the destruction of the world in a crystal ball as the seas overtake the Eiffel Tower in Paris, London Bridge in London, and the group’s native Seattle. Fluid animation moves like an oil painting in motion as the animated musicians—Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, and Matt Cameron—step out of their respect tarot cards and into a march. While the water continues to rise climate change activist and revolutionary Greta Thunberg appears behind the crystal ball as a clairvoyant.

- Oh Wonder continues their acclaimed Home Tapes project with “Oceansize,” their fourth song written, recorded, produced and released under lockdown, out now. Listen to “Oceansize” HERE!  “Oceansize” is an affecting addition to the furiously creative duo’s new material—a direct reflection “on lockdown and our consequent yearning for freedom, space and nature.” Home Tapes was introduced by “Lonely Star,” and followed by “Keep On Dancing” and “I Like It When You Love Me.” The band’s fan-sourced music videos to accompany Home Tapes have received thousands of submissions from around the world, with Oh Wonder currently creating a visual for “I Like It When You Love Me” out soon.

- With over 50 million albums globally and proclaimed a "national treasure" by the Los Angeles Times, GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer, actor, author, and R&B icon Anthony Hamilton, returns with his first original solo single in two years “Back Together” [feat. Rick James]. Get it HERE!  Written by Anthony Hamilton, Ed D. Kane and produced by 9th Wonder [Mary J. Blige, JAY-Z, Drake], a simmering beat and strings wrap around Hamilton’s instantly recognizable delivery on the verses. Meanwhile, he duets with none other than the late legend Rick James by way of a sample 9th Wonder dug out of the crates. Complemented by a classic James harmony, he carries the hook—“Why can’t we just get back together?”—to the heavens and back. 

- Nearly 40 years since the release of their last album, ABBA are celebrating their entire studio discography with an 8LP box set that features each of their ground-breaking records for the first time on colored vinyl, and with replica LP artwork. Due for release on July 3, ABBA: The Studio Albums is an essential release for fans of one of the greatest pop groups of all time. Preorder here: http://abba.lnk.to/The-Studio-Albums-Box-SetPR.  Across eight studio albums released over eight years, ABBA established themselves as a truly boundary-pushing force in music. Dominating the charts throughout the 70s, and continuing their winning streak into the early 80s, the Swedish four-piece redefined what pop music was capable of, with each new album charting an astounding artistic progression. Four decades after their last release, 1981’s The Visitors, their music remains a fabric of our culture, with stage shows, cinematic blockbusters and even themed restaurants bringing ABBA to new generations of fans.  Taken together, these eight albums represent one of the most stunningly creative runs in pop music history, setting the bar for all those who followed in ABBA’s wake.

- somegirlnamedanna premieres the official music video for “kitchen table,” captured at her childhood home in Minnesota using a VHS camcorder.  Watch HERE.  “We originally had an entirely different treatment for the music video” somegirlnamedanna sets up the story behind the music video, “but when the pandemic hit I drove home to Minnesota and had to find a way to create something just as special while social distancing at home. We got ahold of a ton of old home video footage and my brother and I decided to shoot the music video on the same VHS camcorder to capture the same nostalgic feel.  I wanted the video to honor all of the memories I had from growing up, so I ran in the fields like I was a kid again and kissed my horse’s nose like I did when I was little.”  Listen HERE via LAVA/Republic Records.

- Introducing the band that will eventually need no introduction: Command Sisters. Comprised of Charlotte [vocals, keys] and Sarah Command [guitar] (yes Command is their real last name!), the Alberta-born and Toronto-based sibling duo unleash their debut single “I Can Do What I Want To” today via 21 Entertainment/Universal Music Canada/Republic Records.  Stream “I Can Do What I Want To” HERE & watch the track’s official music video HERE!

-  MTV Documentary Films Academy Award® nominated St. Louis Superman, produced by Al Jazeera Witness will premiere Monday, May 18 at 9PM ET/PT on MTV, VH1 and MTV2 via simulcast. The award-winning film directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, tells the story of Representative Bruce Franks Jr., a Ferguson activist and battle rapper who was elected to the overwhelmingly white and Republican Missouri House of Representatives.  Known as “Superman” to his constituents, Franks Jr. cuts a unique figure - an unorthodox politician who has overcome a tremendous loss to become one of the most dynamic and unapologetic young leaders in the country. Forced to deal with the trauma he's been carrying for nearly 30 years after witnessing the shooting death of his nine-year-old brother, the film chronicles his work toward overcoming both personal trauma and political obstacles in an effort to pass a bill that is critical to his community. Only by confronting his pain can Franks Jr. find peace and truly fulfill his destiny as a leader.  

 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 10, 2020

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Well that was sad. The longer the season went on, the more obvious that this would be the outcome, but it stlll was sad. But oh my, that last scene, a six minute (mostly) one shot musical was just amazing piece of art. You can download Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist on iTunes. 

Killing Eve: They brought back Eve’s husband just to have someone stab him through the neck? Although they jumped around way too much, I kind of got lost of what was going on. You can download Killing Eve on iTunes. 

Supergirl: They really should not have postponed this episode for over a month because I mostly forgot everything that happened as this episode was going on. But Miss Tessmacher being a deadly assassin was sillier that her being Lex’s mole. But at least she is no longer a robot, or whatever Lena turned her into earlier this season. You can download Supergirl on iTunes. 

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Nathan Lane as a grizzled detective is a hard sell, but hanging out in a car full of old Jews seems much more his speed. Too bad they killed half of them. I would have enjoyed a season of a bunch of old Jews hanging out in a car solving crimes. 

Good Girls: Well that almost, kind of worked as a season finale. Sure, you have to forget that the assassin plot just disappeared. But I wonder if now that the new FBI agent is on to them, will she use them to get the gangbanger like the last one. Sure, that did not work out well for him. You can download Good Girls on iTunes. 

Survivor: Winners at War: When the first Tribal Council happened about a half an hour in, I thought, this is going to go for a while or we are actually going to get the Edge of Extinction return challenge this week. That and the second Tribal were pretty short and early affairs, and yet we did not get the return challenge. Instead we get a lengthy confessional from amber, disturbingly similar to Chris’s who seemingly at the time got a random confessional the episode before the finale and we know how that turned out. After that we got a lengthy recap followed by a lengthy preview of the finale. Meh. The editing has been pretty poor for a season that finished filming about ten months ago. Nick got a rare confessional taking about how his first vote was not about this Tribal but what will get him to day 39. Which made me think, great, he is finally going to turn on Tony and vote with Jeremy and Michele… and he voted for Jeremy instead. Meh. Michele rightfully ripped into him leading him to put Ben at a disadvantage which hilariously made her safe and lead to Nick to be voted off. Seems apropos. So is everyone just going to let Tony win? Sarah seems pretty content. Ben is probably too delusional to realize it, but might finally be realizing he is the hyena not the lion after getting the disadvantage and not have one person give him a Fire Token or advantage. Denise pretended to be checked out but, really, it does not seem like she was acting very hard. Tony and Michele seem to be the only one left trying. Oh, and there will be one more person who comes back in the game and I really fear Tony will be the Rick of this season and whoever comes back will pull a Rick. You can download Survivor: Winners at War on iTunes. 

The Challenge: Total Madness: There was nothing more annoying when it would take the show two or three episodes to actually eliminate someone. How hard is it to eliminate someone each week? Survivor manages to do it. I figured that when the Challenged moved to 90 minutes, we would actually get eliminations every week. But not only did we not even get to elimination at the end of the episode, they did not even get to nominations this week. Instead we got a half an hour of relationship drama that was very skippable followed by a forty-five minute ad for a movie that is not even coming out this year. Meh. You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes. 

In the Dark:  C’mon, evil criminal in jail shanks drug dealer guy and does not manage to kill him? About as believable as evil cop not at least putting drug dealer in isolation for helping him. You can download In The Dark on iTunes. 

Blindspot: So Reade was the one who “died.” I put that in quotations because I would not be surprised if he was rescued before he perished. When the evil chick lead the mercenary to someone out of focus, I actually thought that was going to be Reade first before the random person came into view. 

The Blacklist: So the warden was just doing a Suicide Squad but for criminals? Sad thing is, I kind of think this is one of the more believable episodes. You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: May 9, 2020

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 Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, OUTCRY, Gary Busey: Pet Judge, Bryan Adams, BENEE, somegirlnamedanna, JP Cooper, Morgan Harper-Jones, AMERICAN SOUL, BASKETBALL COUNTY: In The Water, and Scandal.

- Republic Records releases Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1, Episode 12 (Music from the Original TV Series) in conjunction with the season finale of the critically acclaimed NBC television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, produced by Lionsgate and Universal Television in association with the Tannenbaum Company, Feigco Entertainment and Universal Music Group’s Polygram Entertainment. Get it via Republic Records HERE. New EPs have been released in tandem with each new episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which aired weekly on Sundays at 9pm ET/ PT on NBC. 

 - SHOWTIME has released a first look at its five-part investigative documentary series OUTCRY, produced and directed by Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis, and announced a new premiere date of Sunday, July 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. New OUTCRY episodes will debut every Sunday through August 2, while the entire series will release for on-demand streaming or download on the SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME® apps and partner on-demand platforms July 5. OUTCRY examines the gripping story of Texas high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction for child molestation, and the quest for truth and justice that followed in the wake of his sentencing. In a never-before-seen clip from episode one, Kelley, his supporter Jake Brydon, and Cedar Park Chief of Police Sean Mannix present their sides of the story depicting a juxtaposition of innocence and guilt. OUTCRY captures a raw and divided community over the course of three years as both sides of the appeal process work in pursuit of opposing truths.

 
- Each year across the country there are thousands of pet disputes. Those who want their cases tried by the best know there is only one man they can turn to, and he is thirsty for PET JUSTICE! That man- Gary Busey: Pet Judge. The six-episode season will be available on Amazon Prime and other streaming services as well as for purchase, and will be entirely binge-able on May 25, 2020. The series stars Judge Gary Busey as he presides over the fates of litigant pet owners. Each half-hour show presents two cases with a veritable menagerie of animals including monkeys, goats, birds, dogs, meerkats, turtles, robot raccoons, and more. Is Gary Busey a real judge? Absolutely not. Does he know anything about pet law? Probably not. Can he look into your soul and suss out your spirit animal while delivering a verdict with a trademark Buseyism? You bet your sweet ass (the donkey kind).

- A selection of Bryan Adams’ official music videos will be released in remastered high definition (HD) video and high-res audio via YouTube’s Remastered program, a pioneering partnership between YouTube and Universal Music Group. Adams’ restoration campaign includes several videos, and the first launches today with “Cuts Like A Knife,” watch it HERE. The YouTube Remastered program began last summer and has since been remastering some of the most iconic videos of all time, to ensure current and future generations will get to enjoy these timeless classics.

- New Zealand’s indie pop sensation BENEE unveils “Lownely,” a brand new rendition of her breakthrough international smash “Supalonely” feat. Gus Dapperton—listen HERE!  BENEE strips down “Supalonely” to raw elements of ethereal guitar, delicate production and lush strings. Her vocals and lyrics echo with emotion over the dreamy and soulful soundscape. Recorded with producer Josh Fountain at Golden Age Studio the night that New Zealand went into COVID-19 lockdown, “Lownely” was made in the last few hours before the midnight curfew.

- After introducing herself in March, somegirlnamedanna opens up about her childhood on the new single “kitchen table.”  Get it HERE via LAVA/Republic Records.  About the song, she shared, "The kitchen table growing up is where so many important moments happened—talking with my family about anything from how my day was to some of the most defining moments of my life. The sense of connection and support I needed all happened when we were sitting there together. For me, that kitchen table reminds me of the people I love and where I came from, and it holds so many memories that I look back on."  Be on the lookout for the official “kitchen table” music video to arrive on May 14.

- JP Cooper gifts us with his feel-good new single ‘Little Bit Of Love’, which is released globally today [8th May 2020], released via Island Records.  'Little Bit Of Love' eases us in with a raw acoustic melody, which is followed by the powerful voice we are used to hearing from Cooper. His unique style of soul, electronic and upbeat sounds allows us to create our own perception of the song, whether it be taking in the purposeful lyrics or getting up and dancing to its infectious beat. The song tackles loneliness and the importance of being there for others in hard times, an extremely relatable subject in which Cooper prescribes a "Little bit of love". Subtle, sleek and inspiriting, the result is a brilliant defiant anthem to carry us through into Summer.

- Hailing from Rochdale in Greater Manchester, 23 year-old newcomer Morgan Harper-Jones has today revealed her latest track "Typical", a soaring song instilled with the spirit of self-love, which builds on the young artist’s previous sublime release "Lie To Me". Listen and watch its accompanying video HERE.  Morgan Harper-Jones only unveiled her mesmerizing debut single "Breathe" at the beginning of February, which came accompanied by a stark and subtly moving one-take performance video but has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most candid and enrapturing new voices around.

- BET announces “AMERICAN SOUL” season two will premiere on Wednesday, May 27 at 10 PM ET/PT.  Inspired by the personal trials and professional successes of a young, ambitious and troubled impresario Don Cornelius, the period drama picks up two years later in 1975.  As Don becomes a rising star, he continues to manage an assortment of spectacular talent that comes to his show, a complicated family life, failing personal health, and perhaps most importantly, his ego. The eight-episode season of “AMERICAN SOUL” features a cast of multi-talented actors including Sinqua Walls who plays a young Don Cornelius. Series regulars also include Kelly Price, Jason Dirden, Iantha Richardson, Katlyn Nichol, and Christopher Jefferson.  

- SHOWTIME Sports has released a first look at its upcoming documentary BASKETBALL COUNTY: In The Water, premiering Friday, May 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®. The film, from executive producers Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman, offers an examination into Durant’s hometown of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and how it has recently produced more elite basketball players than anywhere else in the world.
- “Scandal” Joins Hulu’s extensive library of hit dramas and award-winning Originals including: “Little Fires Everywhere”, “This Is Us”, “ER”, “Killing Eve” and “The Handmaid’s Tale”.The series was created by Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice”). Shonda Rhimes and producing partner Betsy Beers (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away with Murder”), Mark Fish, Mark Wilding and Tom Verica are executive producers. “Scandal” was produced by ABC Studios. The Washington, DC drama centered around political fixer Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and her team of associates who sacrifice their time, and often their morals, to “handle” unimaginable crises affecting the nation’s elite. Throughout its seven seasons, Scandal used OMG storytelling to explore political culture, gender disparities, sexual politics and race in America. 

Previewing: Into the Dark: Delivered

When the Veronica Mars reboot happened last summer, unfortunately Tina Majorino decided not to participate. But she finally comes to Hulu with the latest installment of in the Dark. Another May themed Mother’s Day episode, but as last one dealt with a mother tending to her grown son, the new one, Delivered, features expecting mothers.

Natalie Paul (The Sinner) is the expecting mother with a loving boyfriend, Michal Cassidy (Men at Work), but something does not feel right. It has been a rough pregnancy for and the dreams of her future kid punching out of her stomach Alien style probably are not helping. But those are just dreams and she has plenty of them which get kind of annoying as there is maybe one too may be one too many fake out.

No, this is not a demon baby story; it is more reminiscing of another horror movie and subject of another Hulu show from last fall Castle Rock. Yeah, there are plenty of Misery references throughout the episode. Everyone kind of has to see what is coming when Paul meets Majorino in a yoga for pregnant women and invites her to her house for dinner and realize Majorino lives way out there in the middle of nowhere. It is like they never saw a horror movie themselves, never, under any circumstance, go to someone's house in the middle of nowhere espiecally if you just met them.

Even though it is a bit predictable in its main plot, there are some twists and turns to keep things interested throughout. Plus it is always nice to see Tina Majorino stretch the acting chops further than nerdy sidekick that she usually plays.

Into the Dark Season Two Power Ranking:

1. Uncanny Annie (October)
2. A Nasty Piece of Work (December)
3. Pooka Lives! (April)
4. Delivered (May)
5. Crawlers (March)
6. Pilgrim (November)
7. My Valentine (February)
8. Midnight Kiss (December)

Into the Dark: Delivered premieres tomorrow on Hulu.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 3, 2020

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: That was the weakest batch of songs yet. The only one I liked was Leif at karaoke. Hopefully they were saving all the great stuff for the finale.
You can download Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist on iTunes.

Homeland: I seemed to miss why the Russians did not kill Saul. Wasn’t him being dead a key to the whole plan? How did they convince the sister if he was dead when he was not? But in the end it was a nice full circle moment with Carrie playing the Brody role. But poor Frannie, both parents were considered traitors. Although, could make for an interesting storyline for the inevitable reboot in 5-10 years.

Killing Eve: There were always heavy lesbian themes but Eve kissing the crazy French assassin was a bit eye rolling.
You can download Killing Eve on iTunes.

Good Girls: Ugg, can they just kill the gangbanger already? Having the assassin shoot out someone else’s window was a bit annoying. Beth trying to fulfil the payment to the assassin will likely be more entertaining than the last season and a half.
You can download Good Girls on iTunes.

Survivor: Winners at War: What the fork Ben? Early this season, Danni hatched a plan to get Rob out and Ben just blabbed it to Rob. Now he is outing the play to get out Tony to Tony himself. Then after gunning for Jeremy for week, who is the target this week, just flips his vote to get out Kim.
You can download Survivor: Winners at War on iTunes.

The Challenge: Total Madness: So they nearly kill Jay and then just end it there on a cliffhanger? I had to rewind to see if I missed something. If why not just tell us if he is dead or not. It will be pretty anticlimactic if he gets pulled after that or if he comes back to just lose to Rogan. I had cheap editing like this.
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

In the Dark: Okay, the blind chick’s two lovers stuck in the elevator was pretty funny. Almost as funny as the annoying new partner who ruined the plan. But of course the IRS guy did not want to fork the blind chick, she only attracts horrible people. She will probably fork the dead guy before he dies. Although, I have to say, I have the flash forward scenes.
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

The Blacklist: So Ressler killed a dude. But I actually thought he was the other kid for most of the episode since the he looked much more like the other brother. How exactly did he go from brunette to a ginger later in life? Lizzy being able to clean up the trunk was more believable than Ressler’s hair throughout the years.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: May 2, 2020

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 RAMY, Trying, One Day at a Time, Oh Wonder, Shannon LaBrie, Noah Kahan, Ingrid Michaelson, The Clash, POV, Long Gone By, Basketball County: In The Water, and Batwoman.

- Check out the official trailer for season two of Hulu’s critically-acclaimed comedy series RAMY starring Golden Globe® Award-winner Ramy Youssef! All 10 episodes of RAMY season two premiere on Friday, May 29th on Hulu.


- All Jason and Nikki want is a baby. But it's the one thing they just can't have. Starring BAFTA nominee Esther Smith, SAG nominee Rafe Spall, alongside BAFTA Award winner Imelda Staunton, Trying is a new comedy series about growing up, settling down and finding someone to love. The complete first season (eight episodes) of "Trying" available now.


- Pop TV announced a first of its kind One Day at a Time animated special. “In my 97 years, I've never known of a multicam comedy to animate a single episode as a special. Even this I get to experience," remarked legendary producer Norman Lear. The critically acclaimed Sony Pictures Television series premiered in March and has grown its ratings week-over-week, setting a new season high with its fourth episode on April 14th . In response to COVID-19, production was put on hold so executive producer and co-showrunner Gloria Calderón Kellett landed on the idea of an animated special. Production will be completed remotely and will premiere later this spring.

- Oh Wonder releases “I Like It When You Love Me,” the latest installment from their Home Tapes series—listen HERE! Home Tapes sees the widely loved London duo write, record, produce and release brand new music direct from isolation. The band also shares the video for their recently released track, “Keep On Dancing” (a song inspired by Josephine having to cancel her birthday party), which once again sees the duo use fan-created footage of their own lockdown birthday parties from across the globe—watch HERE!

- Shannon LaBrie has released a new single, “Firewalker;” a powerful track about survival, co-written by LaBrie, Tia Sillers, and Joe Robinson. The new song, produced by multi-Grammy Award-winners, Brent Maher and Charles Yingling, is now available on all digital retailers and can be found HERE. “Firewalker” along with its quarantine versioned music video premiered with Guitar Girl Magazine (HERE) and was chosen as a Daily Discovery for American Songwriter (HERE).

- Singer, songwriter Noah Kahan surprises fans with a new EP, Cape Elizabeth, out now—listen HERE! Returning to his hometown of Strafford, VT during quarantine, Kahan recorded and produced Cape Elizabeth where his music career began. He enlisted his friend, Phin Choukas, to co-produce the project, as they worked out of the Choukas family home where Noah “grew up making music in the same house, same vocal studio and with the same guitar.” Within six days and “without overthinking anything,” Kahan completed the five-track EP.

- UMe, the global catalog company of Universal Music Group and Spirit Music Group, one of the world’s leading independent music publishing companies, today announced they have entered into a worldwide deal for the physical and digital distribution of the majority of acclaimed singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson’s catalog. Spirit Music Group acquired the majority of Michaelson’s publishing and masters in 2019. The distribution deal with UMe will encompass hits “The Way I Am,” “Be OK,” “You and I,” and “Girls Chase Boys,” as well as eight albums, including Girls & Boys (2006), Be OK (2008), Snowfall EP (2017), Everybody (2009), Human Again (2012), Lights Out (2014) and a corresponding deluxe edition, It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense (2016), and Alter Egos EP (2017). It also includes all of Michaelson’s non-album singles released during this period as well as her highly popular official music videos.

- Called “The Only Band That Matters” in the 1980s, it is only fitting that ABC-TV’s hit comedy The Goldbergs, a show about a suburban family growing up in the 80s, will pay homage to The Clash in an all-new episode entitled “The Fake Out” on Wednesday, May 6 at 8 p.m. In the episode Barry Goldberg, hoping to win the affection of Ren, the girl of his dreams, attempts to score tickets to see the Clash in concert. While he is unsuccessful, Ren presents Barry with a Clash T-shirt which he proudly dons for the episode. At the conclusion of the show, the two attend a Clash concert, dancing to their hit “Should I Stay Or Should I Go.” Formed in 1976 in the vanguard of British punk, The Clash would soon become the most iconic rock band of their era, a symbol of intelligent protest and stylish rebellion in the turbulent years of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Just as importantly, they were to become unflinching musical pioneers, integrating first militant reggae, then dub, funk, jazz and hip hop into their music, which has helped to make them one of the most respected and sampled bands by modern DJs and dance musicians.

- POV’s historic 33rd season kicks off with Linda Goldstein Knowlton’s We Are The Radical Monarchs on July 20 at 9 p.m., available to stream on all PBS platforms, including PBS.org, the PBS Video App and pov.org. The documentary, which debuted at SXSW Film Festival 2019, follows a group of young girls of color on the frontlines of social justice. Radical Monarchs co-founders Anayvette Martinez and Marilyn Hollinquest—two queer women of color and working mothers—share their journey as they grow the group in Oakland, a city with a deep history of organizing movements. “I think self-empowerment and self-worth for young girls of color is really critical, and it’s really lacking,” says Martinez. “How do we create alternative spaces where that can happen?”

- HBO is poised to premiere the feature film Long Gone By, starring Erica Muñoz who is also the associate producer, directed by Andrew Morgan and produced by Emily Morgan. The film will air on HBO Latino linear channel at 8pm, Friday May 1, 2020, and on digital platforms, HBO NOW, HBO On Demand and HBO GO. Origianally premiered at HBO's New York Latino Film Festival last summer, Long Gone By, tells the tale of Ana Alvarez, a single mother from Nicaragua living in Warsaw, Indiana with her teenage daughter, Izzy. When a routine check in leads to a deportation order, life as Ana knows it ends. The timing could not be worse as Izzy has just been accepted to Indiana University, a dream that becomes a nightmare when she discovers that because of her immigration status she will not qualify for the needed scholarships or federal aid. Faced with an impossible reality of a lifetime away from her daughter, Ana decides to risk everything in a last chance effort to leave Izzy's tuition paid before her time runs out. An intimately unnerving portrait of a woman willing to sacrifice everything to give her daughter the chance at a life she never had.

Long Gone By :: teaser from Untold on Vimeo.

- Showtime Sports has released the official trailer and poster for the upcoming documentary film Basketball County: In The Water, premiering Friday, May 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. A collaboration with NBA star Kevin Durant and sports business executive Rich Kleiman’s Thirty Five Ventures, BASKETBALL COUNTY examines how Durant’s hometown of Prince George’s County, Md., has recently produced more elite basketball players than anywhere else in the world.


- The future of Gotham is in her hands with the release of Batwoman: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray and DVD on August 18, 2020 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Strap yourself in for an exhilarating ride with all 20 episodes from the first season, plus The Best of DC TV’s Comic-Con Panels San Diego 2019, deleted scenes and a gag reel. A limited-edition bonus disc featuring all five DC Crossover Event Crisis on Infinite Earths episodes will be available exclusively for fans who purchase the Blu-ray. Batwoman: The Complete First Season is priced to own at $39.99 SRP for the DVD ($44.98 in Canada) and $44.98 SRP for the Blu-ray ($49.99 in Canada), which includes a Digital Copy (U.S. only). Batwoman: The Complete First Season is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.

Previewing Billions: Season Five

Did Billions tease us just how the show will end during the season four finale when Taylor said, “They’re both lined up to destroy each other. At the right moment, when both of their guns are raised, I’ll step out of the way and let it happen.” The first two seasons saw the U.S. District Attorney Chuck Rhodes and Hedge Fund manager Bobby Axelrod tried to bring each other down even through mutual assured destruction. They called a truce when their respective protégées tried to stop this war because they were losing site of everything else.

At the end of season four, the duo got Chuck’s protégé Brian Connerty to break the law in attempt to bring him down (which is ironic considering Connerty’s biggest gripe against Chuck was that he was willing to break the law to bring down Axe). While Axe’s protégé had to come back to his company after Axe crushed the fledgling new shop. Now with those problems vanquished, it is time to turn their sight back at each other and Chuck fires the first shot when asking Taylor to be a mole, who, as seen by the quote has plans of her own.

Axe on the other hand starts the new season acting like the truce is still going on. Granted he is too blind to see Chuck’s behind the scenes scheming because he has a new antagonist on the scene as he enters the Deca Club (for ten billion dollar club, although I am not sure how they distinguish between that and the ten million dollar club, or just billion because that is ten digits, I may have went with the Hendeca Club myself, but I digress). He is joined in the club by Corey Stoll (The Strain) who is the current face of the Deca Club who seems to be as worthy of an advisory as Chuck Rhodes.

Also popping up this season is Julianna Margulies (The Hot Zone) as a professor at the college Chuck decides to teach a class at. Sure it is a little weird that the sitting Attorney General of the state is teaching law, but hey, not the weirdest thing I have ever seen on television. Frank Grillo (The Purge: Election Year) also shows up as an aloof painter who finds himself in the middle of a feud between Axe and Stoll. Granted both guest stars seem to be brought in to help further separate the Rhodes marriage that was severely fractured last season. Granted the most interested guest stars are the random actors that are brought into a storyline involving Wags.

Will Taylor actually end this season standing over the bodies of Chuck and Axe? Sure, it will be a while until we find out because the Caronapocalypse delayed production so only the first seven episodes will air in this run with the last five will return (hopefully) this fall. It is teased, but five seasons in, it is hard to think anyone but Chuck or Axe will be the ones to bring down Chuck and/or Axe. The best Taylor can do is like she suggests, just step to the side when the guns do go off.

Billions airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

Previewing Normal People

When Hulu first announced an adaptation of Sally Rooney’s book Normal People, my first thought was cool, this kind of sounds like an Irish version of another literary adaptation they had just done, Looking for Alaska. The show based on the John Greene novel was a quintessential teen based television show by Josh Schwartz, the guy who pretty much invented the new millennium teen drama. That show started with a car crash before transitioning into The Killers’ All These Things I’ve Done and never let up with zippy dialogue, loud songs, and always something to catch your eye.

Normal People, it turns out, is the furthest thing from Looking for Alaska as you can get. Teen drama is about the only thing the two shows have in common. Where Looking for Alaska starts with a big set piece and a great pop song, Normal People just starts. The start is so subdued, a couple minutes into it I had to look to make sure I clicked the first episode to play. There are no big pop songs, or really songs at all in the series premiere except what sort of sounds like a muffled Chvrches song during a party. Music is used very sparingly throughout the season, there is not a proper montage set to music until the fifth episode. Then when you think they are going to do more traditional television music scene with Carly Rae Jepsen or Selena Gomez, those songs only last for maybe five seconds.

Instead the show starts what looks like in the middle of a school day. Maybe it was the first time Marianne (who could pass as a younger Anne Hathaway) catches the eye of Connell or maybe vice versa. He is a jock while she is a nerdy girl with an attitude, though still plenty pretty, this is not an absurd She’s All That story. Of course that was another flashy blockbuster teen movie; Normal People is much more of the indie film version of a television show. All the character are very subdued and quit except for Marianne’s bother that seems like he is antagonist from a Nicholas Sparks movie, but he is even in maybe five scenes throughout the season.

Normal People, for twelve half hour or less episodes, follow Marianne and Connell as they come in and out of each other’s lives over the course of maybe four years. Roles get reversed as the characters transition to college with Marianne, with a more flattering haircut, is now the popular one with Connell, no longer the sports star but a struggling writer is having troubles fitting in.

Oh, and then there is the sex. Lots and lots of sex. Half of the second episode is pretty much just the first sexual encounter. Sometime awkward, sometimes kinky when one of them starts dabbling in BDSM, but always a little too real. They do tease what I thought was going to tease what I though was going to be a Chekov’s threesome but clearly one of the leads is just not as adventurous as the other, which probably leads to them to drift apart.

While never flashy, Normal People is at the very least always compelling. They play with the limited time length very well, twelves half hour episodes does seem to work a lot better than had they tried six hour length episodes because any longer and I feel like I may had been tempted to peak at my phone. I liked it better when the characters left their native county to go to Italy and elsewhere but it is always at its best when the two main character are together.

All episodes of Normal People are available on Hulu starting today.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: April 26, 2020

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: C’mon, how are you gonna singe Here I Go without draping someone across the hood of a car? But anyway. I knew the title of the episode was Zoey’s Extraordinary Outburst, but oh my goodness did she go off on everyone harder than I was expecting. You just do not see a protagonist get that raw very often. Though very realistic because if you have to watch a loved one slowly die, you are about to explode eventally.
You can download Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist on iTunes.

Killing Eve: Oh hey, Yara Greyjoy. Weird her smile.

Homeland: Well, Russian dude just ramped things up really quickly. Now, I could see Carrie sell out Saul to get that asset to retrieve the black box, but kill Saul? Oh my. That would be going out with a bang in the final season. Though I could see Carrie killing Saul, getting the black box, and then the final shot being a not very dead Saul.

Good Girls: I have long thought they should have gotten rid of the gang banger and brought in a new big bad every season to freshen things up. I really hope the sniper actuvlly kills him and then they have to spend a season trying to pay off the rest of the bill. That guy was a hoot.
You can download Good Girls on iTunes.

Little Fires Everywhere: Well, that was unexpected. I believe the first line of dialogue was Lexi saying that Elena would find a way to blame this on Izzy. Well, of course, she was the one who dosed her stuff with gasoline first. I never really suspected the kids mostly because of that line. But the fire really took a back seat to the trial, but that ended anti-climatically as we did not even get to see the verdict being read, just the aftermath. I guess I should have seen the ending to that storyline coming as it pretty much line up with Mia’s story of stealing a child and living a life on the run. But what the whole, once a human touches a baby bird its mother rejects it, supposed to be a metaphor for Izzy with Mia and that is why Izzy bolted? Elena seemed to pretty much give up on Izzy long before Mia showed up. I wonder of Reece will try to squeeze another season out of this show like she did Big Little Lies. You could also have a search for Izzy and Maribelle but I am not sure how you can work in Mia and Pearl, cannot imagine they ever set foot in Shaker Heights ever again. Well, unless Pearl really did end up getting knocked up by Tripp and she felt guilty enough to keep the baby and did not want her kid to grow up without knowing her father. I am sure I would watch.
You can stream Little Fires Everywhere Hulu.

Survivor: Winners at War: We have had plenty of dumb player on the show that give up immunity, try to play fake Idols, vote for the wrong player which results them getting voted out but I figured on an all winner season we would not get many dumb movie. But I was shocked this week when not one, not two, but three people who somehow won this game gave a Fire Token to Tony. Okay, I could sort of get Jeremy who was in clear danger, but Nick and Ben have absolutely no reason to do this. I hope they at least got their tokens back that Tony then won.

Then Tony came up with the most convoluted plan. Instead of getting Kim and Denise who was with Jeremy the previous week, he goes with a three split vote to get out Sophie. Again, everyone he pitched it to were dumb enough to go along with it. Seriously, how did Nick win his season again? He has been nonexistent this season only to pop up to be creepy or make dumb moves.
You can download Survivor: Winners at War on iTunes.

The Challenge: Total Madness: Why was everyone ganging up on Ashley? It was Mattie who fired the first shot by saying Ashley had worse things in her mouth. That seems worse than what Ashley said. If you do not want people to bring up your prison time, do not do anything that will and you in prison. Mattie slut shaming was a lot worse in my book.

In the Dark: Oh yeah, I forgot about the blind chick’s other evil boyfriend. She sure knows how to pick them. I somehow think he will not be leaving Chicago. But I was surprised the Queen Pin did not ask for proof that the other guy took care of him. Aren’t you supposed to ask for a finger when you kill someone?

The Blacklist: There have been weirder Blacklisters, but a dude who inseminates prostitutes with dead men sperm to extort their family for money has to be pretty high on the list. Then the twist of actually keeping the babies made it even weirder. It looked like there was a teenager there which means he has been doing this for a very long time. But what is going on with Ressler? Have we met hi brother before? Do we know what he did?
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: April 25, 2020

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 Great, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Beastie Boys Story, Into the Dark, Black Monday, Pearl Jam, Kōkua Festival 2020- Live From Home, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, BENEE, James Blake, The Score, Planet of the Humans, Jesus Trejo: Stay at Home Son, and FilmRise.

- Check out the official trailer for Hulu Original comedy series The Great. All 10 episodes of The Great will premiere May 15, only on Hulu.


- Showtime has released the series premiere of its new drama Penny Dreadful: City of Angels early for free online sampling, on streaming platforms and on demand. The series stars Tony® and Emmy® winner Nathan Lane, Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, Kerry Bishé, Rory Kinnear, Adriana Barraza, Michael Gladis, Jessica Garza and Johnathan Nieves. Tony and Golden Globe® winner and three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, the creator, writer and executive producer of the Emmy-nominated series PENNY DREADFUL, continues in those same roles. Michael Aguilar (KIDDING) also serves as executive producer. The premiere episode is available for free now on YouTube and SHO.com. The 10-episode series will officially premiere on-air this Sunday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. Showtime is also supporting the Farmworkers Covid-19 Pandemic Relief Fund to help raise funds for farmworkers and their families, similar to the Vega family depicted in the series. California produces over two-thirds of the fruits and nuts and over a third of the vegetables consumed in the U.S. With this series set in Los Angeles, the network is donating in support of those who feed us through their labor and ensure our food supply, as these communities may be among the hardest hit due to lack of resources.

- Beastie Boys Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz tell you an intimate, personal story of their band and 40 years of friendship in this live documentary experience directed by their longtime friend and collaborator, and their former grandfather, filmmaker Spike Jonze. "Beastie Boys Story" is set to premiere on the heels of the 26th anniversary of the release of Beastie Boys' No. 1 charting 1994 album, "Ill Communication." The film reunites Beastie Boys with director Spike Jonze over 25 years after directing the music video for the album's immortal hit single, "Sabotage." On Apple TV+ now.


- Check out the new trailer for Into the Dark's May episode, DELIVERED! In the series' Mother's Day installment, a pregnant woman's life is upended when she realizes someone close to her has darker plans for her and the baby.


- The final four episodes of the second season of the acclaimed Showtime comedy series Black Monday will premiere Sunday, June 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, concluding with the season finale airing on Sunday, July 19. The series, which began its 10-episode run in March, aired six episodes of its second season before pausing due to post-production issues related to COVID-19. Viewers can catch up on the first six episodes Sundays, starting May 17 at 8:30 p.m., or watch On Demand or streaming.

- Pearl Jam announced the Gigaton Visual Experience – a special audio-visual event available free to all Apple TV app users in over 100 countries for seven days before being available to rent or buy. This immersive visual album experience pairs the band's inspired visuals, produced by the award-winning Evolve Studios, to create an unparalleled experience that enhances Gigaton's massive scope. The event will be available in Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, revolutionary audiovisual technologies developed by Dolby, which will bring the album alive through immersive audio and ultravivid picture quality.* This audiovisual album experience is only available as a limited time event on Apple TV 4K and on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac users. Their eleventh album, and first in nearly seven years, Gigaton has received acclaim as their greatest and most adventurous work to date. Watch here: https://apple.co/PearlJam.

- In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and in support of the Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation and Covid-19 relief efforts, multi-platinum artist and environmentalist Jack Johnson announces Kōkua Festival 2020- Live From Home, a livestream on Saturday, April 25th in partnership with Amazon Music. Jack Johnson will host and perform within a two-hour livestream from his front porch in Hawai‘i and share the digital stage with special at-home performances from Kōkua Festival alumni including: Ben Harper, G. Love, Ziggy Marley, Lukas Nelson, Paula Fuga, Kawika Kahiapo, John Cruz, Anuhea, Ron Artis II and his brother Thunderstorm Artis. Viewers will also be treated to at home cooking lessons from some of Hawaii’s top chefs, Ed Kenney and Mark Noguchi. Additionally, fans can get ready for the festival with the Kōkua Festival 2020 Playlist, and tune into Amazon Music’s Twitch channel at 12pm HST/3pm PT/6pm ET on April 25th at www.twitch.tv/amazonmusic or Jack Johnson’s Facebook to watch the show.

- Republic Records releases Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1, Episode 10 (Music from the Original TV Series) in conjunction with the critically acclaimed new NBC television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, produced by Lionsgate and Universal Television in association with the Tannenbaum Company, Feigco Entertainment and Universal Music Group’s Polygram Entertainment. Get it via Republic Records HERE. New EPs will be released in tandem with each new episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which will air weekly on Sundays at 9pm ET/ PT on NBC.

- Poised to be one of the best new artists of 2020, New Zealand’s indie pop sensation BENEE has become one of the most-listened to artists in the world this month as her latest track reaches over 200 million in total streams and over 1 million in global consumption. Within a short time, BENEE has gone from canvasing Soundcloud with covers out of her teenage bedroom to rising the charts with her latest song “Supalonely” [feat. Gus Dapperton] and amassing over 400 million streams of her catalog around the globe. Listen to “Supalonely” ft. Gus Dapperton HERE.

- You’re Too Precious' marks James Blake’s first release of 2020, and a period in which James has also won widespread praise for his intimately uplifting live streams under lockdown. These have already featured a 2-hour production masterclass, on top of career-spanning sets including fan favourites, intimate covers, and a further taste of brand new material...

- Gold-certified and critically acclaimed LA-based, New York-born rock band The Score—Eddie Anthony and Edan Dover—reveal their new single “Best Part.” Get it HERE via Republic Records. On the track, bold percussion echoes beneath the sing-song refrain, “I can be a liar, I can be a cheat, I can be neurotic, I can be a freak, I can be everything in between, but you always find the best part of me.” Bold guitars roar as “Best Part” resounds with raw rafter-reaching power.

- Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Michael Moore announced today that he is releasing a brand new documentary film on his Rumble Media label – and is offering it as a gift, free of charge, in the midst of the global pandemic. On Tuesday, April 21st, beginning at 9:00 am EDT, Planet of the Humans, directed by filmmaker and environmentalist Jeff Gibbs and executive produced by Michael Moore, will make its world premiere on Michael Moore’s YouTube channel at YouTube.com/MMFlint (click here for direct link to the full film: https://youtu.be/Zk11vI-7czE). Moore is scheduled to be the main guest on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night to make his first appearance for the film.

- Jesus Trejo takes the stage in his first Showtime comedy special Jesus Trejo: Stay at Home Son, premiering on Friday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Filmed at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood, the hour-long special is full of candid humor as Trejo gives us a front-row seat into his amusing family dynamics. An only child of immigrant parents, Trejo learned many life lessons in some of the most unconventional ways. From running his first marathon to winning his first fight, JESUS TREJO: STAY AT HOME SON explores the lengths he’ll reach to meet his parents’ expectations.

- In this new frontier of self-quarantine and sheltering in place, streaming TV has become a must in providing some much-needed comfort and distraction while we’re indoors and staying safe. FilmRise, the company at the forefront in shaping the ad-supported free streaming landscape, is happy to help with its selection of nostalgic and comforting TV shows streaming for free. FilmRise content can be seen on free streaming platforms including The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, IMDb TV, Crackle, Vudu, Sling, Stirr, Samsung TV Plus, Stirr, Xumo and many more – including FilmRise’s own apps on Roku, Fire TV and on iOS and Android powered devices. FilmRise is happy to announce that two very popular classic TV series - “My Favorite Martian” and “The Rifleman” are now available to stream for free beginning this month. “My Favorite Martian” stars Ray Walston as a Martian who gets stranded in Los Angeles and is rescued by a newspaper reporter played by “The Incredible Hulk” star Bill Bixby. “The Rifleman” chronicles the adventures of a Wild West rancher (Chuck Connors) who wields a custom rapid-fire Winchester rifle. The series had many notable guest stars throughout its run, including Dennis Hopper, Harry Dean Stanton, Martin Landau, and Sammy Davis, Jr., to name a few.