Around the Tubes: February 27, 2021

   

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 Handmaid's Tale, City on a Hill, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., kid 90, Iron Mike, Solar Opposites, Ray Donovan, Lord Huron, The Who, Emily Kinney, Sheppard, Cap Carter, Sheléa, Hunger Ward, Animaniacs, Shrill, Love, Victor, The Goldbergs, The First Lady, and Halo.

- The fourth season of “The Handmaid's Tale” premieres with three episodes on Wednesday, April 28. In the 10-episode upcoming season, June (Elisabeth Moss) strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for the second season of acclaimed drama series CITY ON A HILL, starring Golden Globe winner and Emmy^® nominee Kevin Bacon and Screen Actors Guild^® award winner Aldis Hodge. The series will return for season two on Sunday, March 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Beginning April 18, the series will move to 9 p.m. ET/PT. 

- Hulu’s new adult animated comedy series “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.” premieres all 10 episodes Friday, May 21. In “Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.,” the megalomaniacal supervillain M.O.D.O.K. (Patton Oswalt) has long pursued his dream of one day conquering the world. But after years of setbacks and failures fighting the Earth’s mightiest heroes, M.O.D.O.K. has run his evil organization A.I.M. into the ground. Ousted as A.I.M.’s leader, while also dealing with his crumbling marriage and family life, the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is set to confront his greatest challenge yet!

- Get ready for a trip down memory lane with Hulu’s kid 90 trailer! Soleil Moon Frye's Hulu Original documentary premieres on March 12, only on Hulu.  As a teenager in the ‘90s, Soleil Moon Frye carried a video camera everywhere she went. She documented hundreds of hours of footage and then locked it away for over 20 years. After all this time, kid 90 unlocks the vault and presents a true time capsule of a group of friends growing up in Hollywood and New York City in the ‘90s, balancing childhood and fame pre-internet and social media explosion. It is a deeply personal coming-of-age story that explores how “sometimes we need to look back to find our way forward.” Soleil is joined by lifelong friends and fellow child stars who provide commentary on growing up in the ‘90s; including David Arquette, Stephen Dorff, Balthazar Getty, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Brian Austin Green, Tori Leonard, Heather McComb and more.

- Hulu has picked up 8-episode limited series “Iron Mike.” From the team behind “I, Tonya,” the series explores the wild, tragic and controversial life and career behind one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture – heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

- Holy Shlorp! Get a taste of this season’s craziness with the official trailer of the all-new season.  Solar Opposites returns with 8 all-new episodes Friday, March 26, only on Hulu. 

- SHOWTIME has announced a RAY DONOVAN feature-length film continuing Ray’s journey, following the hit drama series’ seven-season run on the network. Star Liev Schreiber will return in his Emmy^® and Golden Globe^® nominated role and co-write the script along with series showrunner David Hollander, who will also serve as director. Golden Globe winner Jon Voight will also reprise his role as Mickey Donovan, as will Kerris Dorsey as Ray’s daughter Bridget. The production is tentatively scheduled to begin filming later this year in New York and will air on SHOWTIME.  The new film picks up where season seven left off, with Mickey in the wind and Ray determined to find and stop him before he can cause any more carnage. It will also weave together the present-day fallout from the Donovan/Sullivan feud with Ray and Mickey's origin story from 30 years ago.

- Lord Huron gives debut television performance of their new single, "Not Dead Yet" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! - watch HERE. The band recently released the single alongside the second installment of their four-part series—Alive From Whispering Pines.  The next Alive From Whispering Pines will take place on March 18^th. Fans can purchase tickets to each livestream, a season pass to all four shows, and exclusive merch at http://www.lordhuron.com. Two more installments will premiere monthly, with the last episode airing on April 15^th.

-  Initially released in December 1967 and described latterly by Rolling Stone as “The Who’s finest album,” The Who Sell Out reflected a remarkable year in popular culture. As well as being forever immortalized as the moment when the counterculture and the “Love Generation” became a global phenomenon and “pop” began metamorphosing into “rock.”  The new Super Deluxe Edition of The Who Sell Out features 112 tracks, 46 of which are unreleased, an 80-page, hard-back, full-color book, including rare period photos, memorabilia, track-by-track annotation and new sleeve notes by Pete Townshend with comments from the likes of Pete Drummond (Radio London DJ), Richard Evans (designer) & Roy Flynn (the Speakeasy Club manager).  The Super Deluxe package also includes nine posters & inserts, including replicas of 20” x 30” original Adrian George album poster, a gig poster from The City Hall, Newcastle, a Saville Theatre show 8-page program, a business card for the Bag o’ Nails club, Kingly Street, a Who fan club photo of group, a flyer for Bath Pavilion concerts including The Who, a crack-back bumper sticker for Wonderful Radio London, Keith Moon’s Speakeasy Club membership card and a Who Fan Club newsletter. 

- Jullian Records and actress/singer-songwriter Emily Kinney (The Walking Dead, Showtime’s Masters of Sex, ABC’s Ten Days In The Valley) are excited to present “Omaha Hotel,” the latest single to be lifted from the Friday, April 9 release of Kinney’s brand new full-length album titled The Supporting Character (pre-order). Written after attending the funeral of her uncle in her home state of Nebraska, “Omaha Hotel” is an examination of life and experiences Kinney’s had through the lens of being a busy actor.  “When I first moved to NYC, I didn't have the money to go back to Nebraska often. And when I started booking big acting jobs, I didn't have the time,” Kinney says. “I felt drawn to be an artist, and spend time in big cities and live a more transient type lifestyle – very different from the small-town farming communities in which I grew up. I don't regret it, but I realize I do miss out on other things that are important.” Stream “Omaha Hotel” over at SPIN HERE and on YouTube HERE. 

- Exactly one year to the day since their year-long ‘Kaleidoscope Eyes’ project began, with the release of the first single ‘Don’t Believe In Love’, Sheppard have finally unveiled their third pop masterpiece in all its glory, alongside a brand new single and music video for ‘M.I.A’.  With a song unmasked every month throughout what was a tumultuous year, fans have taken a journey through love, loss, pain, joy, heartbreak, humour and more, with tracks including ‘Symphony’ and ‘Learning to Fly’ which have added to the band’s already impressive swag of radio hits and lit up airwaves across Europe, Latin America and more.

- Born in Manila, the western Sydney raised Cap Carter releases his debut single and video, “Relapse,” today – listen HERE.  Building a global and dedicated fan base with his original music and honest storytelling, Cap stands out for his distinctive and authentic vocals. Writing through his own personal and lived experiences, Cap works a fusion of R&B soul with an edge and grit that is unique and refreshing. Having already shared a stripped back DIY performance of “Relapse,” today’s release is a fresh new version recorded in Sydney.

- This week, acclaimed singer, songwriter, pianist, and actress Sheléa premieres a brand new video to accompany her latest single, entitled “Grace” on BET SOUL. Watch HERE.  Backed by soft piano, she delivers intimate verses before her voice takes flight on the hook. In a call-and-response with a gospel choir, she pleads, “Can I get a little grace? Can I get a little empathy?”, as her words resound. 

- MTV Documentary Films announced it has acquired the documentary short subject Hunger Ward (www.hungerward.org) which will have its world premiere on Pluto TV’s 24/7 Documentary Channel, Pluto TV Documentaries at 7pm ET on Monday, March 1st.  The film, directed by Oscar® nominated and Emmy® nominated director Skye Fitzgerald, documents the devastating human cost of the on-going conflict in Yemen, which disproportionately affects children. Filmed from inside two of the most active therapeutic feeding centers in Yemen, Hunger Ward chronicles healthcare workers fighting to save the lives of extremely malnourished children within a population on the brink of famine against the backdrop of a forgotten war. It is one of 10 films on the shortlist for consideration for an Academy Award®. 

- Following a successful first season and practically blowing up the internet, “Animaniacs” has been renewed for a third, zany season on Hulu consisting of 10 episodes. The series garnered the most social mentions of any Hulu Original to date over its season one opening weekend proving that fans can’t get enough of watching Yakko, Wakko and Dot as they wreak havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet. The second season of “Animaniacs” will debut later this year.

- The third and final season of “Shrill” premieres all eight episodes on Friday, May 7. The new season finds Annie (Aidy Bryant) energized by her breakup with dud boyfriend Ryan (Luka Jones) and her newfound momentum at work. Annie feels like everything is finally falling into place for her, but does she actually know how to get what she wants?

- The popular teen dramedy “Love, Victor” returns with all 10 episodes on Friday, June 11. Season two picks up with a newly out-of-the-closet Victor (Michael Cimino) entering his junior year at Creekwood High. However, being out brings new challenges as Victor faces a family struggling with his revelation, a heartbroken ex-girlfriend in Mia (Rachel Naomi Hilson), and the difficulties of being an openly gay star athlete -- all while navigating the excitement of his new relationship with Benji (George Sear).

- Singer/songwriter/actor Hayley Orrantia, who plays Erica Goldbergs on the ABC-TV hit comedy The Goldbergs, will pay tribute to Dolly Parton, an inspiration whom she calls “the ultimate woman,” when she sings “9 to 5” on The Goldbergs on Wednesday, March 3 at 8 p.m.  “Dolly Parton is simply an icon,” said Orrantia. “Her music has touched the lives of so many and has directly affected my music. Her songwriting ability is universal and continues to resonate with future generations. Her self-confidence is inspiring and I have always admired her quick wit. She is a class act that also doesn’t take crap from anyone.”  Orrantia recalls both excitement and trepidation when the writers of The Goldbergs told her she was going to be singing “Nine to Five” in an upcoming episode.

- SHOWTIME has announced that Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild winner Gillian Anderson (The Crown) will star as Eleanor Roosevelt in THE FIRST LADY (w/t), rounding out the trio of 2021 Golden Globe nominees starring in the scripted anthology series. Anderson joins Oscar^®, Emmy and Tony winner Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), who also executive produces, as former first lady Michelle Obama and Oscar and Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) as Betty Ford. Yet another Golden Globe nominee this year, Susanne Bier (The Undoing), will direct and executive produce. THE FIRST LADY (w/t) is a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. Produced by SHOWTIME and Lionsgate Television, the series is executive produced by Oscar winner Cathy Schulman (Crash), Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Andrew Wang, Susanne Bier, Jeff Gaspin (Rhythm + Flow), Brad Kaplan (Mr. Church) and created by author Aaron Cooley (Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court), who will write several of the episodes and executive produce. 

- ViacomCBS announced that the highly anticipated upcoming original drama series HALO will premiere exclusively on Paramount+. SHOWTIME is producing the series in partnership with 343 Industries and Amblin Television. Currently in production in Budapest, HALO is set to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2022.

57 Channels and Only This is On: February 21, 2021

 

Shameless:  I would say Terry surviving a bullet was the most absurd gunshot survivor bit the dude from Big Sky was shot right above the eye. Then we got a surprisingly earnest discussion about consent that I certainly would not expect from this show.  But the big kicker was Frank being diagnoses with alcoholic induced dementia.  Sure, this is a guy that got some dire diagnoses over the years, but since we have a couple episodes left, I think this may actually be the end for the Gallagher patriarch.  Though, maybe they might keep him alive for the inevitable reboot in five years.  But I do have a sinking suspicion this may be the end of the Gallagher homestead.  But what ever happened to the house in Wisconsin?  Couldn’t Lip get money from selling that?

 

Your Honor:    So despite the overwhelming evidence, the defendant getting caught lying under calling the prosecutor a naughty worry, the jury found the thug not guilty solely because the played the audio of his brother dying?  Seriously, that is all it took.  Then I see how poetic that the judge’s son was accidentally killed by the brother of the kid that was murdered for what he did, but did the little brother need to be that bad of the shot that he missed someone so bad that he hit someone who was not even in the shot of the thug hugging his mother?  But honestly, when I saw the little brother buying the gun, I was actually hoping he would get an assault riffle just so he would gun down everyone at that party, I really wanted to see more of the horrible people o this show die.

 

Snowpiercer:  So we do not get to see Jennifer Connelly this week but supposedly she made it to the station to ping the balloons.  Do they not have any other way to make contact with her why she is there?  I cannot imagine it was that easy.  If I were a betting man, I would say there is someone, or something, at that station.  I wonder how long until we see her again.

 

Big Sky:  Wow, when we got the flashback of Drew Carey’s brother bashing his wife with a hammer which turned out to be a dream sequence, I thought they were going to do it again but switch the characters, but she actually murdered her.  Man, survive a bullet to the brain only to be murdered by your wife.  Well, he was a horrible human being.

 

The Challenge: Double Agents:  Ugg, the wrong Amber won.  But is she going to be back next week?  They was that same thing in the previews that they used to bring Smashley back.  Is Lolo really going to quit like they kind of make it seem?  She seems to be irrationally going over the edge just because she has a partner that has a language barrier.

 

Wandavision:  So they just made Kat Dennings into some escape artist?  Meh.  But that was a funny car ride with Vision.  I liked how they had him do a testimonial outside the van.  Nice touch.  But we finally got the reveal most people have been expecting: it was Agatha all along.  But the big question is: did she have help?

 

The Blacklist:  Yet another Lizzy-less episode?  But it is weird she is working with so many Blacklisters just to get at Red.  Seems like there would be easier ways to get to him.

Around the Tubes: February 20, 2021

   

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 After the Murder of albert Lima, Lord Huron, John Mellencamp, ariana Grande, Greta Van Fleet, Lily Rose, and The Kelly Clarkson Show

- Award-winning documentary AFTER THE MURDER OF ALBERT LIMA tells the story of a son obsessed with capturing his father’s killer. Paul Lima has spent over a decade seeking justice for his slain father, Albert. Though convicted, Albert’s murderer has remained free in Honduras. After years of the legal system failing him, Paul takes the unorthodox step of hiring two bounty hunters to travel with him to Honduras to track down and capture his father’s killer. This riveting, and, at times, darkly comedic documentary explores both the importance of family and the dangers of taking the law into your own hands.  A CRACKLE ORIGINAL MOVIE - PREMIERING EXCLUSIVELY ON CRACKLE IN THE US ON THURSDAY, MARCH 18.

- Lord Huron have revealed a new single and official music video for “Not Dead Yet.”  Listen to “Not Dead Yet” Here!  The video finds the band performing in the Whispering Pines studio, where time seems to blur and the long-lost musicians who previously occupied the studio merge with present day.

- John Mellencamp announces he’s set to unveil his new live album and documentary titled: The Good Samaritan Tour this spring. The documentary, which will be narrated by Academy® Award winner Matthew McConaughey, chronicles Mellencamp’s historic free tour in 2000 when he performed on street corners and in public parks across the country.  In addition, Mellencamp will soon return to the studio to finish recording his 25^th album. Prior to the onset of the Global Pandemic, he had already cut ten tracks and plans to record another 17 for the project. Teasing what’s to come, he shared a clip of one new tune, “I Always Lie To Strangers.” Listen to the new track here. Look out for more news on the release date and touring information soon.  The new music is just one of many new projects Mellencamp has been working on including original plays, paintings and more.  His documentary It’s About You  is now available to be viewed in full at www.mellencamp.com. The documentary, which came out in 2012, highlights his 2009 No Better Than This tour with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.

- ARIANA GRANDE Positions (Deluxe) ALBUM OUT NOW  LISTEN HERE: https://ArianaGrande.lnk.to/PositionsDLXPR  INCLUDES NEW SONGS “someone like u (interlude)” “test drive” “worst behavior” “main thing”

- Greta Van Fleet presents a brand new music video for the song “Heat Above” from the band’s upcoming sophomore album, The Battle at Garden’s Gate, produced by Greg Kurstin (Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Adele) and due out April 16 (Lava/Republic Records).  According to the band:  “‘Heat Above’ is theatrical, eloquent, and exaggerated.  This is a dream in the clouds, a moment of peace in the storm.  Thematically, we are dead center in the cult of Heaven, surreal, strange, alive and free.”

- Captivating newcomer Lily Rose releases an all-new acoustic video for her conflicted and regretful anthem “Better Than That” available here. The release comes just weeks after the “Villain” singer announced she signed with Big Loud Records, Back Blocks Music and Republic Records for a joint record deal.  "'Better Than That' is about that one relationship where you just can't seem to let them go," Rose shared with PEOPLE, along with an exclusive premiere of the video yesterday. "You keep telling yourself, 'Man, no more chances!' But you two keep letting that door stay cracked open."

- Kelly Clarkson, host of the Emmy Award-winning syndicated talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” will sit down with First Lady Jill Biden for what will be Dr. Biden’s first solo broadcast interview as the First Lady of the United States. The intimate one-on-one, socially distant interview on daytime’s destination for humor, heart and connection will take place later this month at the White House.   “The Kelly Clarkson Show: White House Edition with the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden” will air on Thursday, Feb. 25. “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios, airs in syndication in 100% of the country. 

57 Channels and Only This is On: February 14, 2021

 

Your Honor:  So last week we had one sole person wearing a mask in the middle of a pandemic in all of New Orleans and this week the judge is worried about social distancing?  If you are that worried, put on a forking mask and require them in your courtroom.  But I feels like this show has gone on forever yet with one episode left, it feels like nothing is close to being resolved.  Except it looks like the end of the teacher student relationship.  Yet that felt anti-climactic, it feels like she may come back all Fatal Attraction next week. But at least that will be it.  Hopefully this is not another mini-series call that mostly for award show fraud and get renewed anyway.

 

Snowpiercer:  I really thought the daughter was going to go with Jennifer Connelly to the station.  Really bizarre that she is going alone.  Plus I am not entirely sure what happened at the end.  Were they supposed to just dumb her like that?  Wasn't something supposed to take her to the station?  But when is Layton going to exchange Mr. Wilford frostbite ability to cure his friend?  And just what is he going to give up for it?

 

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist:  Ooo, a very special episode.  But really, Tobin doing Tracks of My Tears may be the second best thing this season after Zoey rapping.  And the new girl is starting to grown on me, give her some more screen time and some ninties angst heart song to go with her vibe.

 

Big Sky:  Man, things went off the rails from the trucker and quick. The walls are closing in on him for kidnapping the girls and what does he do?  Kidnap another kid… and kills a priest.  Not to mention the whole Norman Bates homage in his freezer.  Might be time to hit the rode buddy and move to Maine.

 

The Challenge: Double Agents:  Amber on Amber violence!  But Amber M, is the clear winner as she got the best line of possibly the season when she backhandedly called Amber B. a bench.  But as great as that was, how did they manage to ruin trivia?  C’mon T.J., you do not give them a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right even if they have no clue.  But a lackluster really sums up what has been a season of lackluster challenges.

 

Wandavision:  Awesome, Kat Dennings got sucked into Wandaland.  If she does not show up next week working at the local diner in a hideous mustard uniform, I will be irate.  But boy, are the writers toying with us with one of the kids saying “kick-ass,” followed by Wanda lingering on the phrase.  Kind of makes me wonder is Kick-Ass, who also played the MCU Quicksilver, will actually show up before the end of the season.  But this Quicksilver is still a big mystery.  I originally thought someone at S.W.O.R.D., or maybe a yet to be seen villain, sent him in to mess with Wanda.  Or did Wanda conjure him back and is taxing her powers too much (the people furthest from her are just on super slow-mo) that she cannot control him like everyone else?

 

The Blacklist:  Oh yeah, the DMV guy died in real life.  But this was a pretty good send off for him.  But they ruined the Huey Lewis surprise by putting his name on the guest star list at the beginning of the episode.  They really need to do away with that.

Around the Tubes: February 13, 2021

  

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, Genius: Aretha,  Boss Level, COVID Diaries NYC, Hulu documentaries, The Show, Greta Van Fleet,  and Bellator MMA.

- Golden Globe nominee Elle Fanning revealed an exciting first look at Empress Catherine the Great in season two of Hulu's Golden Globe and SAG nominated comedy series The Great. In season two, Catherine becomes both a mother to Russia and a child.  

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- National Geographic and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” “The Color Purple”) revealed today during the network’s TCA session the highly-anticipated premiere date and official series trailer for the multiple Emmy award-winning anthology series GENIUS: ARETHA. From 20th Television and Imagine Television, this new season will premiere in the U.S. on the channel with double-stacked episodes across four consecutive nights, beginning on Sunday, March 21, at 9/8c. The premiere episodes will be available the next day on Hulu, culminating in a celebration of Aretha Franklin’s birthday, with all eight episodes available to stream by Thursday, March 25. 

- The official trailer and key art for Hulu’s action-packed Original Film BOSS LEVEL is here!  BOSS LEVEL premieres Friday, March 5, on Hulu.  Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) uncovers clues about a secret government project that could unlock the mystery behind his untimely death. In a race against the clock, Pulver must hunt down Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson), the powerful head of the government program, while outrunning skilled ruthless assassins determined to keep him from the truth in order to break out of the loop, save his ex-wife (Naomi Watts) and live once again for tomorrow.

- COVID DIARIES NYC, debuting TUESDAY, MARCH 9 (9:00-9:40 ET/PT), chronicles the lives of five young filmmakers, ranging in age from 17 to 21, who turn their cameras on themselves to tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. The deeply personal film illuminates the plight of essential workers and their families during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis as they navigate the deadly virus and a country riven by social upheaval.  The film will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max. The trailer is available now on YouTube.

- Hulu's Spring Original Documentary Slate:  

kid 90 premieres Friday, March 12.  As a teenager in the ‘90s, Soleil Moon Frye carried a video camera everywhere she went. She documented hundreds of hours of footage and then locked it away for over 20 years. After all this time, kid 90 unlocks the vault and presents a true time capsule of a group of friends growing up in Hollywood and New York City in the ‘90s, balancing childhood and fame pre-internet and social media explosion. It is a deeply personal coming-of-age story that explores how “sometimes we need to look back to find our way forward.” Soleil is joined by lifelong friends and fellow child stars who provide commentary on growing up in the ‘90s; including David Arquette, Stephen Dorff, Balthazar Getty, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Brian Austin Green, Tori Leonard, Heather McComb and more.

WEWORK: OR THE MAKING AND BREAKING OF A $47 BILLION UNICORN premieres Friday, April 2.  WEWORK: OR THE MAKING AND BREAKING OF A $47 BILLION UNICORN is a feature documentary that explores the rise and fall of one of the biggest corporate flameouts and venture capitalist bubbles in recent years - the story of WeWork, and its hippie-messianic leader Adam Neumann. Utilizing interviews with journalists, experts, high-ranking former employees, and former WeWork members, WEWORK: OR THE MAKING AND BREAKING OF A $47 BILLION UNICORN takes a look at the community-centric, people-first ideal that sent the little co-working venture sky-rocketing into unicorn investment territory, and then investigates what was really going on behind the scenes.

Sasquatch premieres Tuesday, April 20.  While visiting a pot farm in Northern California in 1993, investigative journalist David Holthouse heard a story that still haunts him: On a nearby farm three men were torn limb from limb in a savage Bigfoot attack. Sasquatch follows David as he revisits the Redwoods 25 years later, in search of any evidence that might lead to the truth of what happened that night. As he pulls at the threads of this story he’ll be taken down a path that’s far more terrifying than anyone would have imagined. 

- SHOWTIME has announced that it will air THE SHOW, a 90-minute feature documentary that will provide a unique, first-ever look into the making of the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show. This year’s show starred The Weeknd and was executive produced by Emmy nominee Jesse Collins (BET Awards, Grammy^® Awards, Oscars^®), Roc Nation and directed by acclaimed multi-award nominated Hamish Hamilton (who has directed the Halftime Show since 2010). Directed by Emmy nominee Nadia Hallgren (Becoming), THE SHOW is produced by the Pepsi in-house content studio and Boardwalk Pictures (Cheer, Chef’s Table) and will premiere later this year.

- Hot on the heels of their fifth #1 at rock radio, GRAMMY®-winning band Greta Van Fleet today announce a luminous new single, “Heat Above.” It is the third track released from their forthcoming sophomore studio album, The Battle at Garden’s Gate, produced by Greg Kurstin (Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Adele) and due out April 16 (Lava/Republic Records).  “Heat Above" is an ethereal track that opens with a Hammond B3 seeping in slowly to set the tone for a triumphant sonic build. You can listen to the song HERE,

- Bellator MMA and SHOWTIME Sports, both leaders in the combat sports arena, have teamed up to bring live, world-class mixed martial arts events back to the premium television service for years to come. Bellator MMA and SHOWTIME Sports, both owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, will air live events exclusively on SHOWTIME on Friday nights and will launch with three consecutive weeks of action-packed fights beginning Friday, April 2, live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, and continuing on Friday, April 9 and Friday, April 16. The upcoming live events will emanate from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., where Bellator MMA and SHOWTIME Sports have held more than 20 live combat sports events since July 2020. 

-  Under Comcast NBCUniversal’s newly launched Plan Your Vaccine awareness campaign, Telemundo, the leading media company for U.S. Hispanics, will provide news, information and resources in Spanish, through Planifica Tu Vacuna, a comprehensive interactive tool in Spanish, to help Latinos plan for their COVID-19 vaccination.  The tool’s launch marks the kick-off of Telemundo’s year-long company-wide initiative to raise awareness in the Latino community about the COVID-19 vaccines and provide critical information to help Hispanics navigate the vaccination process and overcome this unprecedented global health crisis.  Data shows Latinos make up a lower percentage of people getting vaccinated for COVID-19 despite being disproportionately affected by the virus. Comcast NBCUniversal’s customizable tool offers Spanish-language users detailed information about when and where to get a COVID-19 vaccination. It will help users track the vaccine rollout process by state, providing up-to-date local and national information including who’s eligible, vaccine availability plus state specific requirements and rules.

Previewing Into the Dark: Tentacles

Into the Dark banked a few episodes before the Coronapocalypse before shutting down productions going all the way to July before going on hiatus.  This was very unfortunate for me because August is the month I most look forward to being the month with no major holidays.  Though the first season gave us a start of school themed episode which was kind of anticlimactic but did make plenty of sense.  The anthology series is back just in time for Valentine’s Day which gave us one of the best episodes of the first season, but also one of the worst episodes of the second season.

 

The third February episode Tentacles falls in the middle of those two.    The story follows a homeless woman who goes around to open house for the free cookies and if she is lucky, no one notices she hid in the closet and finds a place to sleep for the night.  But after a chance encounter with a photographer / house flipper who has a place where she can crash, she may have some stability in her life.  Well, stability and copious amount of sex with the photographer / house flipper including a sex session so long they showed it is fast forward as to not add an extra ten to twenty minutes to the episode.

 

After a slow start (probably why they put in copious amounts of sex at the beginning) things start to get really creepy and you begin to realize what you thought the episode was about is a completely different thing leading to a pretty satisfying ending for fans of the horror genre.  But this makes the eleventh episode released in the second season and the twelfth and final episode coming next month.  So I do wonder if it is renewed, will Hulu start season three right in April or wait to launch in October like the previous season.  Hopefully it is right away, might as well produce the August and September scripts I am sure were already written, and yes I am suggesting this so I would not have to wait another year and a half for the next August episode.  Really, I mostly want weird, more obscure holidays for a potential third season.

 

Into the Dark: Tentacles premieres tomorrow only on Hulu.

57 Channels and Only This is On: February 7, 2021

 

Your Honor:  So people are people now just wearing masks in court now?  That was just ransom for a show that I do not believe has referenced the Coronapocalypse up to this point.  And the judge says the gangsters son is easily going to be convicted even while dismissing the juror?  So is he lying to her or is he really going to let the jury convict him?  But we did get the teacher back for the first time in maybe a month.  I originally said I found this relationship more interesting than the one on A Teacher, but now that show is over, it feels like this relationship just got ickier.  Granted the lady teacher wants to move to New York to be closer to her even though that relationship was severely undercooked since she disappeared for about a month.

 

Snowpiercer:  So to stave off global warming, they shot something into the atmosphere to cool the planet but it did too good of a job?  Huh?  This is why it is a bad idea to try and explain a sci-fi plot; you are just going to sound silly.

 

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist:  More drugged up Zoey please.  If that is a way they get more musical numbers with her, so be it.  But what is up with the neighbor and his Aussie accent so thick that it even comes through when he sings?  Is he originally from there and moved next door as a teen?  Did he spend so much time Australia after school he picked it up?  Did they hired the actor because he was hot and when they realized he could not do an American accent they just said fork it?

 

Big Sky:  So if you are shot in the head, the frontal loab is the place to be hit?  Got it.  But just when I thought the show could not get any any weirder, here comes Dre Carey’s brother’s lawyer with her story of biting the head off a chick. And she said it to a doctor.  Oh my.

 

The Challenge: Double Agents:  Just how incompetent is Meechie that Josh just kept on hilariously throwing balls at places in te wall that had a brick wall against them and still lost?  Ugg, I really need Josh gone.  But after that performance, everyone left without a Gold Skull will want to send him in to take Josh’s.  But we finally got out first challenge this season that did not completely suck, yet they almost screwed it up with that stupid rule that they would keep going until both partners won in the final round.  I wonder if CT just gave up because no way Big T ever wins a round so why waste your energy?

 

Wandavision: Well, that was shocking.  Sure, with all the talk of her brother over the last couple episodes, it is not that surprising that Quicksilver showed up, but it was completely shocking that it was that Quicksilver who showed up.  I was not expecting mutants to show up this soon and on Disney+ and definitely was not expecting they were going to do the Fox X-Men.  But gotta love Darcy’s line about Wanda recasting her brother.  Though it would have been even better had they did the old soap opera troupe of having the announcer say, “This week, Quicksilver will be played by Evan Peters.”  

 

The Blacklist:  I feel like we have done this episode before where Lizzie needed to testify in court to keep a Blacklister behind bars.  That is the problem with a show that has gone on for this long.

Around the Tubes: February 6, 2021

 

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 Alienist, COVID  Diaries NYC, Billie Eilish, .38 Special, Emily Kinney, The Weeknd, The Go-Go's, 3 Doors Down, Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler.

- Follow the trail – find the killer! Get ready to test your investigation skills with TNT’s award-winning psychological thriller as Warner Bros Home Entertainment brings more plot twists and shocking turns with the release of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness on Blu-ray and DVD on May 18, 2021. Uncover the secrets and go on an edge-of-your-seat journey with all 8 episodes from the second season, plus enjoy the captivating extra features including a season 1 recap, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a set tour, and series overview! The Alienist: Angel of Darkness is priced to own at $24.98 SRP for the DVD and $29.98 SRP for the Blu-ray, which includes a Digital Copy (US Only). The Alienist: Angel of Darkness is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.  It is June 1897. A year has passed since Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a pioneer in forensic psychiatry, tracked down the brutal serial killer John Beecham with the help of a team of trusted companions and a revolutionary application of the principles of his discipline. Kreizler and his friends--high-living crime reporter John Schuyler Moore; indomitable, derringer-toting Sara Howard; the brilliant (and bickering) detective brothers Marcus and Lucius Isaacson; powerful and compassionate Cyrus Montrose; and Stevie Taggert, the boy Kreizler saved from a life of street crime--have returned to their former pursuits and tried to forget the horror of the Beecham case. But when the distraught wife of a Spanish diplomat begs Sara's aid, the team reunites to help find her kidnapped infant daughter. It is a case fraught with danger since Spain and the United States are on the verge of war.

- COVID DIARIES NYC, debuting TUESDAY, MARCH 9 (9:00-9:40 ET/PT), chronicles the lives of five young filmmakers, ranging in age from 17 to 21, who turn their cameras on themselves to tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. The deeply personal film illuminates the plight of essential workers and their families during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis as they navigate the deadly virus and a country riven by social upheaval.  The film will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max.

- Five-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist Billie Eilish has partnered with Vevo for an exclusive behind the scenes look at her self-directed “Therefore I Am” music video in the latest installment of Vevo Footnotes. WATCH “THE MAKING OF ‘THEREFORE I AM’ | VEVO FOOTNOTES”  Eilish reveals that after spending an entire day trying to come up with the perfect concept, the idea to film “Therefore I Am” at a mall came to her and her manager while waiting in line at a Starbucks drive-thru. The video was filmed in one night at the Glendale Galleria Mall in Los Angeles, a familiar stomping-ground for Eilish during her early teen years, using only her mother’s iPhone.

- After performing together for more than four decades, 38 SPECIAL will commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the release of their first single, “Hold On Loosely” with a special inclusion as the featured song on an all-new episode of ABC-TV’s The Goldbergs on Wednesday, February 10 at 8 p.m. “A great ‘80’s song and the wacky Goldberg family! – a perfect match!” said Don Barnes, co-founder and lead singer, 38 Special. “We’re still blown away by the continued enthusiasm for our first big hit. I’m positive the show will stand the test of time just as our song has!”  The Goldbergs, a sitcom featuring a suburban family living in the 1980s, features a hit song from the 1980s into each episode. The inclusion of “Hold On Loosely” aligns perfectly with the 40th anniversary of the release.  “’Hold On Loosely’ was a simple view into personal relationships and how it’s important to accept each other as they are,” recalled Barnes. “So many have commented on it as great advice. Combine that with an intense guitar track and it was a formula for success. In my opinion, that’s what has kept it popular all these years.” 

- Jullian Records and actress/singer-songwriter Emily Kinney (The Walking Dead, Showtime’s Masters of Sex, ABC’s Ten Days In The Valley) are excited to announce the Friday, April 9 release of Kinney’s brand new full-length album titled The Supporting Character (pre-order). Staying busy this past year, Kinney took advantage of 2020’s endless days of social distancing and time at home to finish up one of her most personal albums to date. Produced by Benjamin Greenspan, The Supporting Character touches on themes of heartbreak, loss, family history, creativity and personal growth, and finds Kinney tackling difficult subjects with her trademark lyrical honesty.  Released this week and streaming with Entertainment Weekly, the album’s new single, “Fifteen Minutes,” is a love-turned-breakup song Kinney wrote for her boyfriend at the time that explains how she would easily trade the time she spent becoming successful for more time with the person she really loves (him). "He said he didn't get it. We broke up,” she says. Though some relationships inevitably end, Kinney finds comfort in the fact that each relationship of hers has solidified her sense of independence and has confirmed the aspects of her romantic life that are truly important to her. “I’ve observed people who constantly struggle and who are addicted to ups and downs and conflict, whereas I know that I seek stability.” Stream “Fifteen Minutes” over at Entertainment Weekly HERE and on YouTube HERE.

-  The 104-date global tour will kick off on January 14th in Vancouver at Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena with stops in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, Berlin and more, before wrapping November 16th in London at The O2.  The worldwide tour announcement comes just days ahead of the multi-platinum singer’s headlining Super Bowl performance, and also includes a handful of rescheduled dates shifting from 2021 to be a part of the After Hours World Tour in 2022.  With the addition of 39 new tour dates, The Weeknd will also release The Highlights on Friday, February 5th. The Highlights is a way to present some of The Weeknd’s most notable works in one place.  While this isn’t a “Greatest Hits” album it does provide a new listener a rich foray into some of the iconic artist’s best and favorite work. Fans can pre-save and pre-order the album HERE.

- On May 14, 2021, The Go-Go’s’ critically acclaimed 2001 reunion album, God Bless The Go-Go’s, celebrates its 20^th anniversary and will be reissued on CD, vinyl and digital formats via Eagle Records. This is the first time the original album version of God Bless The Go-Go’s will be available on LP and is pressed on 140gram, blue colored vinyl. The deluxe CD and digital versions feature new cover art and includes the bonus tracks “I Think I Need Sleep” and “King of Confusion.” Pre-order here.  Featuring Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals), Belinda Carlisle (lead vocals), Gina Schock (drums, percussion, vocals), Kathy Valentine (bass guitar, vocals) and Jane Wiedlin (guitar, vocals), God Bless The Go-Go’s was the band’s first studio album in 17 years following 1984’s Talk Show and reached No. 57 on the Billboard 200 and No. 17 on the Top Internet Albums chart. The album was produced by Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade (Radiohead, Hole) and features Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong on the single “Unforgiven,” Rame Jaffee (The Wallflowers and Foo Fighters) on “Here You Are,” as well as Roger Manning (Jellyfish. Imperial Drag and The Moog Cookbook) on the track “Daisy Chain.” Upon its original release, it was hailed by Uncut magazine for its “sheer, punchy exuberance” while Billboard was impressed with its “deliriously buoyant, unadulterated adult-made pop.” 

- On March 26, 3 DOORS DOWN will release a re-mastered, 20^th Anniversary Edition of The Better Life album along with the nine-song "Escatawpa Sessions" as a box set on high-quality 3LP vinyl. The "Escatawpa Sessions," recorded in the band's Mississippi hometown in 1996, features seven demo versions from The Better Life, as well as three previously unreleased tracks. The 3LP box set features a custom lithograph, a six-page booklet with never-before-seen photos and extensive liner notes, and interviews with the band and executives from their label and talent agency.  A 2CD and an expanded digital album will also be available.  The 2CD and digital album each feature four new bonus tracks including, "The Better Life (XX Mix)," a new mix by Grammy Award-winning Chris Lord-Alge, "Kryptonite (2000 Acoustic)," "Be Like That (2000 Acoustic)," and "Wasted Me (With Harp Version)." Pre-order THE BETTER LIFE 20^th Anniversary Edition now and listen to the Bonus Track "The Better Life (XX Mix)," HERE. Watch the new lyric video for The Better Life (XX Mix)" on the 3 DOORS DOWN Official YouTube Channel HERE.

- After receiving widespread critical acclaim and inciting fan anticipation around their reunion, singers, songwriters and producers Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler unveil their anxiously awaited new EP, brent ii—listen HERE.  On the release of brent ii, Jeremy says, “for chelsea and i making ‘brent ii’ was an important reminder of why we love making music, especially during such a difficult year. it has been almost 2 years since this first ep, and i think that project really set a standard for us and our fans. i’m extremely proud of ‘brent ii’ and think it shows fans a lot of personal and artistic growth from both of us, while keeping things in the same world we created with ‘brent’. i’m so incredibly proud of the 5 new songs that became ‘brent ii’.”

- In honor of Black History Month, Apple Music has launched a highly curated editorial music experience across Apple Music, Apple Music radio and Apple Music TV, celebrating the incredible community of black artists, moments and movements that have shaped music and global pop culture for generations. Check out Black History Month on Apple Music here: http://apple.co/BHM2021  All month long, Apple Music will feature curated playlists, essays, original videos, radio shows, and more from black influencers, musicians, authors, and directors including Ava DuVernay, Tracee Ellis Ross, Monica, Dame Pat McGrath (DBE, Founder/CEO Pat McGrath Labs), John Legend, Erykah Badu, Naomi Campbell, Common, Jaden Smith and many more. Apple Music TV will have four 24 hour music video takeovers featuring artists like Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Pharrell Williams and H.E.R., among others.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 31, 2021

  

Snowpiercer:  Well, there goes my theory that the show actually took place in the same universe as the film, just that the real Mr. Wilford was on a different train. But I am a bit fuzzy on just how we got here.  So Wilford train was just circling North America waiting for the perfect time to connect to Snowpiercer?  And his train just happened to be able to latch onto other trains and powerful to stop them?  But at least the new train has some weirdos on it.  That was one of my problems with the show was that the people on the train just were not as weird as they were in the movie.

 

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist:  One of the best jokes of the premiere was when Mo mocked Zoey for having to choose between the handsome guy or the more handsome guy.  And now there is a third handsome guy who seemed to be plucked from some WB teen drama from the nineties, complete with a crappy nineties one hit wonder to sing.  Hopefully he is less annoying than the dude Zoey just fired.

 

Big Sky:  There have been some pretty absurd cliffhangers where a character is left for dead only to be miraculously still alive when the next episode rolled around on television, but getting a bullet to the head, right above the eye, has to take the cake.  Seriously.  Unless he learn he had a steel plate in his head, there is no way anyone could survive it.  But I guess this is a show where a widow and a side piece can sing together at a funeral.

 

The Challenge: Double Agents:  So last week TJ got all soft when Lio Rush quit, but I thought he would redeem himself this week when we had a violent two hand push, but all we got from TJ was a stern warning.  Even his quitters do not get their votes count decree ended up being pretty toothless because the same people went in regardless of if they counted or not.

 

Search Party:  After what was a pretty weak start to the season, we finally got what is probably the best episode of the series.  The car chase around the roundabout was the funniest thing I have seen in a while.  Unfortunately that was not the turning point of the season as the season just sputtered to the end.  I may have enjoyed the ending much more if they actually killed Dory, but alas.  A potential season five with a potential ghost Dory could have been interesting. 

 

WandaVision:  Finally Kat Denning.  I do wonder if maybe instead of a full episode of what is going on in the real world, they should have sprinkled some of these scenes after the “WandaVision” sitcom was over.  Seems like we spent too much time away from the titular characters.

 

The Blacklist:  I do not buy it, no way is Lizzie actually going to fork Ressler.  I do not believe that at all.