The 25 Contestants I Most Want to See on the Next Season of The Challenge: All-Stars

 

The Challenge: All-Stars has been the most nostalgia fun I have had in a long time and easily the best season since Johnny Bananas started popping up every season. The cast is a great mix of people you knew would show up (Mark, Katie), people who dominated early seasons but forgot about (Jissela, Teck) and people you completely forgot about but were glad to reminded of them (Kendal, Yes).  Word is, over 100 former cast mates have contacted Mark Long (which by my best guesstimate has to be around a third of all Real World or Road Rules members), who has been trying to get a Senior Tour off the ground for those that cannot commit to seasons that take multiple months to film.  In honor of the season finale today (though supposedly there is a reunion episode next week), here are some people I hope pop up for season two or beyond (and please let there be a season two and an inevitable Old School / New School season, teams can even fight over who gets CT and stuck with Anessa).

1.   Anyone From the First Real World Season

Original Season: New York

Challenge Seasons:  Eric (3), Norm (2) Becky (1), Heather B. (1)

Seasons Won: Eric (2)

Last Seen:  The Real World Homecoming: New York

While not as entertaining as old school Challenge, it was nice to see the original seven strangers get back together in the loft, unfortunately it got a little too unreal for Becky.  But one thing missing from the first season of The Senior Tour was anyone from the original feeder show.  It Is surprising that Julie never did one of these, hopefully she is game because from the Real World Reunion, she still got it.  Plus Eric got the short stiff due to COVID so it would nice to see him actually interact with his peers.

2.   Rachel Campos / Sean Duffy

Original Season: San Francisco and Boston respectively

Challenge Seasons: 1/2

Seasons Won: 1/2

Last Seen:  The View (2014) / Congress (2019)

This duo met on the very first season of The Challenge, before it was even call The Challenge and later got married.  Sean, famous at that point for being a log-rolling champion went on to be the first elected reality star in Washington.  He has since retired so it is not like he has anything better to do than relieve the glory day; well, unless he got a job as a lobbyist like most former Congressmen.

 

3. Neil Forrester

Original Season: London

Challenge Seasons: 1

Seasons Won:  0

Last Seen: Real World/Road Rules Challenge (1999)

One of the few foreigners ever cast (though would fit right in the modern era).  Provably most known for having the tip of his tongue bitten off while trying to kiss a heckler on stage.

4.  Anyone From the Original Road Rules Season (Aside from Mark)

Original Season:  The First Adventure

Challenge Seasons:  1 (Los)

Seasons Won:  1 (Los)

Last Seen: Challenge 2000 (2000)

Mark has been such a mainstay on the show it is somewhat surprising that he has appeared on the show more times that his four cast mates combined; it is just Los who appeared on one season.  Kit went on to ESPN and is now with Access Hollywood.  Can Mark persuade any of the OG OG’s to join him for the Senior Tour abbreviated schedule?  Hopefully.

 

5.   5.  Dan Renzi

Original Season:  Miami

Challenge Seasons: 3

Seasons Won: 1

Last Seen:  Inferno II (2005)

One of the great reaction generators in reality TV history (maybe second only behind Eliza of Survivor)

6.  Tim Beggy

Original Season: USA – The Second Adventure

Challenge Seasons: 4

Seasons Won: 1

Last Seen:  Inferno 3 (2007)

I believe Timmy was the first to ever retire on the show but there are plenty of people on this season of The Senior Tour who “retired.”  Timmy was always good for a cheesy dad joke back then; imagine how cheesy those joke will be now that he is old enough to be a dad.

7.  Genesis Moss

Original Season: Boston

Challenge Seasons: 2

Seasons Won:  0

Last Seen:  Battle of the Sexes (2005)

My first favorite lesbian.  Boston is also one of the rare seasons where each housemate went on to do at least one season of The Challenge.

8.  Tara McDaniel

Original Season: Northern Trail

Challenge Seasons:  1

Seasons Won; 0

Last Seen:  Battle of the Seasons (2002)

One of the surprises of first season was long forgotten one timer Kendal ended up being one of the stars of this season, maybe another of the Miz’s fling can have that sort of resurgence.

9.  Stephen Williams

Original Season:  Seattle

Challenge Seasons:  1

Seasons Won; 0

Last Seen:  Battle of the Seasons (2002)

Boning and then confessing your love to a producer would have been the most controversial moment of most seasons, but that moment just happened on the same season as Stephen running down Irene’s cab and slapping her as she left the show.  Stephen did this because Irene called him a homosexual.  A decade later, Stephen announced he was engaged to a dude.

10.  Susie Meister

Original Season:  Down Under

Challenge Seasons:  5

Seasons Won:  3

Last Seen:  Spring Break Challenge (2010)

This one is a big question mark since Susie has since written some dispersing remarks about the show and MTV and Viacom at large really have not cleaned up their act (the latest seasons of Are You the One for misconduct) but hopefully the more mature vibe of The Senior Tour can convince one of the most visible member of the first decade to return.

11.  Veronica Portillo

Original Season:  Semester at Sea

Challenge Seasons:  12

Seasons Won:  3

Last Seen:  Final Reckoning (2018)

One of the most surprising omissions of the first season with the third most seasons under her belt of the female.  She even showed up for three seasons in the past five years.  It has to be only a matter of time before we see her.

12.  Julie Stoffer

Original Season:  New Orleans

Challenge Seasons; 5

Seasons Won:  1

Last Seen:  The Gauntlet 2 (2006)

Long before The Book of Mormon or one became a presidential nominee, Julie was America’s favorite Mormon.  And this was even after she almost murdered Veronica by messing with her harness while going between two buildings.

13.  David Broom

Original Season:  New Orleans

Challenge Seasons: 2

Seasons Won: 0

Last Seen:  The Gauntlet (2004)

New Orleans another rare season where everyone did at least one season of The Challenge and really most would be worthy of returning.  They should just bring David back to record the Theme Song.

14.  Theo Von

Original Season: Maximum Velocity Tour

Challenge Seasons: 4

Seasons Won: 2

Last Seen:  Last Comic Standing (2006)

Theo went on to a comedy career and has not looked back.  Maybe the shorter season could entice him back.

15.  Coral Smith

Original Season: Back to New York

Challenge Seasons:  6

Seasons Won:  1

Last Seen:  The Gauntlet (2004)

Along with Veronica, the most shocking omission of The Senior Tour.  So many great Coral moments.

16.  Rachel Robinson

Original Season: Campus Crawl

Challenge Seasons:  7

Challenge Wins:  2

Last Seen:  Battle of the Exes (2012)

Another early mainstay who was conspicuously absent from the Senior Tour.  Though there were two of her cast mates (Darrell and Kendal) and three from the Real World Season that year (Arissa, Alton, Trishelle).  Pretty strong year for MTV that year.

17.  Tina Barta

Original Season: South Pacific

Challenge Season:  5

Seasons Won: 0

Last Seen:  Cutthroat (2010)

Reportedly Tina came down with the COVID which is why she was not on the Senior Tour.  She was last seen as a ringer for an elimination that is best known for CT wearing Johnny as a backpack.  The last time she was an official cast member was 2006’s The Duel.

18.  Cara Zavaleta

Original Season:  South Pacific

Challenge Seasons:  3

Seasons Won:  1

Last Seen:  Inferno III (2007)

After Road Rules, Cara went on to be a Miss November 2004 and still came back for three seasons of The Challenge.

19.  Adam King

Original Season:  Paris

Challenge Seasons:  6

Seasons Won:  0

Last Seen:  Rivals (2011)

Most memorable by getting punched by CT while wearing a onesie.  But that relationship came full circle in his last season where he teamed up with CT.

20.  Casey Cooper

Original Season:  Fresh Meat

Challenge Seasons: 4

Seasons Won:  0

Last Seen:  The Ruins (2009)

Only three seasons, but Casey was pretty memorable for being one of the least athletic contestants ever but still managed to get third place in her first season and was eliminated right before the final on her last.  Sadly she was reportedly an alternative for this season but was sent home.  Hopefully that puts her first in line for the second one.

21.  Jenn Grijalva

Original Season: Denver

Challenge Seasons:  6

Seasons Won:  0

Last Seen:  Rivals (2011)

Honestly, I most want to see her return just because Bill Simmons and David Jacoby (who coined calling The Challenge the fifth major American sport) are obsessed she spelled her name with two “N’s.”

22.  Brooke LaBarbera

Original Season:  2

Seasons Won: 0

Last Seen:  The Duel II (2008)

One of my favorite Real Worlder of all time who unfortunately did not have the greatest runs of The Challenge (out on episode three both times).  I would just like an update.

23.  Tori Hall

Original Season: Viewers Revenge

Challenge Seasons:  3

Seasons Won:  2

Last Seen:  Cutthroat (2010)

Most famous for marrying Brad, baring two of his before divorcing him.  Brad returned to the Challenge and hooking up with one of the trashier contestants for all the world to see.  Weirdly Tori kept on showing up on spoiler cast list for a couple seasons straight and now I kind of want to see her again.

24.  Nany González

Original Season:  Las Vegas (2011)

Challenge Seasons:  10

Seasons Won:  0

Last Seen:  Double Agents (2021)

My favorite Challengers of all time.  Maybe my favorite reality star ever.  But she just made it to the finals for the second time in ten tries and the person she started her Real World career with, LeRoy just “retired.”  It has been a decade Nany, it is time to go to the Senior Tour.   There she would have been the same age as Jemmye who I believe was the youngest this season.

25.  Frank Sweeney

Original Season:  San Diego (2011)

Challenge Seasons:  3

Seasons Won:  1

Last Seen:  Free Agents (2014)

Frank had a memorable confrontation with Nany in their first season which made it seem that the series would have two very strong contestants for the second decade.  Unfortunately Frank disappeared after three seasons.  But I will always remember the time he started streaming how he would not made to look crazy on television while looking crazy on television.  Maybe that is why he went M.I.A.

 

Honorable mentions to David (Los Angeles) and Puck (San Francisco), Camilla (Spring Break Challenge), I am not sure they would bring back people who got banned, but maybe they will now that they are older and wiser.   Also The Miz (Back to New York), Jacinda (London), David Giuntoli (South Pacific), Jamie Chung (San Diego) who are probably all to busy even to take a couple weeks off for the show.  One more honorable mention to Tonya who will likely never go on the show again for… various reasons.

The Five Most Anticipated New Shows of 2021-22

 

I waited a week to release my Fall Television schedule after most of the networks released theirs to wait for The CW except none of their new shows made my Most Anticipated list and I will be watching nothing on their fall schedule.    Though, is it wring that I am more interested the live action Powerpuff Girls show after the head of the CW called it a mess?  I kind of want to start a #ReleaseThePowerCut movement.  As for shows that actually made my list, well, it is only comedies.  Really, this season is almost as dreadful as last one, but at least the networks last year could blame the pandemic.  I really do not have much to say about any of these other that they look mostly watchable.  Hopefully the streaming services offer something better this fall.  Hulu is premiering two new shows in late August, Nine Perfect Strangers and Only Murders in the Building, which should trickle into fall.

 

1.       1,  Ghosts (Thursdays at 9:00 on CBS)

2.       2.  Maggie  (Midseason ABC)

3.       3,  Abbott Elementary (Midseason ABC)

4.       4.  Smallwood (Midseason CBS)

5.       5.  The Wonder Years (Wednesdays At 8:30 on ABC)

 

Here is my complete network fall schedule: 

 

Mondays

8:00 – The Neighborhood (CBS)

 

Tuesdays

Nothing

 

Wednesdays

8:00 – Survivor (CBS)

8:00 – The Goldbergs (ABC)

8:30 – The Wonder Years (ABC)  

 

Thursdays

9:00 – Ghosts (CBS)

9:30 – B Positive (CBS)

 

Fridays

8:00 – The Blacklist (NBC)

 

Sundays

Nothing, wow, this schedule is really dreadful.

57 Channels and Only This is On: May 23, 2021

 

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist:  Well that was a clunky way to end the season.  Wasn’t the main reason Max was going to New York was to franchise his restaurant idea.  Sure, breaking up with Rose hurts the living situation but he does have family in the city.  And just what changed in Max’s mind from when he was singing a sexy duet with her earlier this season and later signing a song with Rose’s name in it (or well he would have song that song had Zoey’s powers not been glitching), or just singing about having a New York state of mind to the final scene?  Rose telling him he looked distracted was all he needed.  That was about as forced as Zoey just learning Max gave up his offer for her when the brogrammers were have definitely had brought that up much earlier.  But I guess all that is fine if that final scene means we get more Zoey singing and dancing next season (please let there be a next season).

 

The Nevers:  I wonder if the writers sat down after five episodes and said, sure this show is confusing, but how about we make it more confusing.  Seriously, what the fork was that?

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  There have been almost twenty seasons of this franchise and it is surprising this is the first time they have done a death cult.  I do like that there is a cop hunting down the leader and has done so since before outbreak.

 

Good Girls:  So is the gangbanger just going to kill the cop?  What about the daughter?

 

Mare of Easttown:  Oh no, not Ralph Bohner.  Granted I already saw one person in the past year get shot in the head and survive.  Since that dude is dead, I guess that can put to rest the theory that the kidnapper and the killer are the same person.  Hopefully the murderer turns out to be actually someone we have met before.

 

City on a Hill:  The past finally caught up to Jackie… or did it?  Despite being recommended for termination and tossing his badge into the bay, it did leave the door open for an appeal with Decoursey as a key witness.  But this did also seem like it could serve as a series finale.  Jackie finally got his comeuppance, Decoursey got justice for his dead, unborn child (but did not leave him completely fulfilled), Siobhan found a new purpose in life, and Cathy Ryan is also starting a new life in Florida.  But that last one seemed like a rushed conclusion to her storyline.  She just shoots a dude that I am not entirely sure who they were and bolts.   But if this is the series finale so be it, it never seemed to come completely together and Showtime already has a show devoted to two alpha males going at it and sometime teaming up.

 

Debris:  Oh yeah, the evil dude is still around.  I completely forgot about him.  But that was a pretty wild plan.

 

Cruel Summer: Well there goes my theory that Jeanette’s mom was in the crazy bin in 1995, it certainty seemed like she was just heading that way.  Instead she just had a career change.  But it was weird when she was surprised when Angela suggested she left her husband.   Seemed that way to me.  Then weird she just left it at that ad did not explain what her point of view was.  But I guess I need a new theory and this week got me thinking, just why is Angela there?  I now think she has ties to Martin, maybe the ex-girlfriend he spoke of this week.  Could Angela be Annabelle?

 

Big Sky:  If these evil doers can make the sex trafficker just disappear, why didn’t they make him disappear when he went on the run?  Sure, he had to call them, but if they can easily find him and break him out of custody, surely they could have found him before that.  But the good guys were just as dumb.  Of course it was a trap.  How about bring more fire power that the sheriff, the FBI guy, and two PI’s?  This show is so stupid.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  I would have been so mad had June been caught by Gilead yet again.  But now she is finally in Canada, reunited with her husband and child with a different dude.  At what point that she had a rom-com moment on the bridge with that baby daddy who also happens to be a higher up in Gilead?  That should be a fun conversation. And does June visit the Waterford’s in Canadian prison?

 

The Challenge: All-Stars:  Surprising the cut two people right off the bat and then did not eliminate any of the other ten contestants in the subsequent checkpoint.  But who would have guess Jonna would get the first two first places?  I guess it helps that you can pick your partner first if you are fist to finish.  But they do need to trim some fat soon.  Ten finalists is a bit much.

 

Manifest:  Okay, I am surprisingly enjoying this silly Single White Female story line and how the two family members who were not on 828 could be jeopardizing the Life Boat by ostracizing the new chick.

 

The Blacklist:  Poor Lizzie, lost her entire team and her sister.  Maybe this crusade against Red was a bad decision.  And does she now need to team up with Red to bring down the guy who hired the hitman?  Oh the irony.

 

Around the Tubes: May 22, 2021

            

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Nine Perfect Strangers, Only Murders in the Building, Hip Hop 50, The End, McCartney 3,2,1., Lord Huron, Almost Famous, Glass Animals, BET Presents The Encore, The Warning, Carpenters, The D’Amelio Show, Immigrant.

- This week, as part of the Disney/Hulu Upfront, Hulu announced premiere dates for upcoming original tentpole series “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Only Murders in the Building.” Both Hulu Original series will debut this August.

- SHOWTIME today announced HIP HOP 50, a multiyear, cross-platform programming initiative celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Hip Hop in collaboration with entertainment company Mass Appeal. HIP HOP 50 will encompass unscripted series and features, podcasts and digital shorts by and about some of the foremost names in the genre, driven by Mass Appeal partner Nasir “Nas” Jones and Mass Appeal Chief Creative Officer and partner Sacha Jenkins, writer, director and producer of the Emmy^® and Peabody-nominated SHOWTIME series WU-TANG CLAN: OF MICS AND MEN. HIP HOP 50 programming will begin airing later this year on SHOWTIME, running over the next three years and culminating with the 50^th anniversary of the genre in 2023.

- SHOWTIME announced today that the new half-hour dark comedy series THE END, starring Emmy^® nominee Harriet Walter (Succession, The Crown, Killing Eve) and Frances O’Connor (The Missing, Mansfield Park), will premiere with two episodes airing back-to-back beginning Sunday, July 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Produced by See-Saw Films, the 10-part series is a co-production between Sky UK and Foxtel Australia, and was created and written by Samantha Strauss and directed by Jessica M. Thompson and Jonathan Brough.

- Hulu announced the Original documentary series “McCartney 3,2,1.”  The six-episode music series event features intimate and revealing examinations of musical history from two living legends, Paul McCartney and super producer Rick Rubin, and hails from Endeavor Content. The series is executive produced by McCartney, Rubin, Scott Rodger, Peter Berg, Matthew Goldberg, Brandon Carroll, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern with Leila Mattimore serving as co-executive producer. All six episodes of “McCartney 3,2,1” premiere Friday, July 16, on Hulu.  

- Whispering Pines Studios is finally open for all y’all to visit from far and wide…  Lord Huron proudly present their anxiously awaited fourth full-length album, LONG LOST, out now via Whispering Pines Studios Inc./Republic Records. Get Long Lost HERE.  With the record loose upon the world, the boys hit the television circuit. Tonight, they are set to deliver an unforgettable performance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon performing “I Lied” with Allison Ponthier and tomorrow morning, they take the stage at CBS This Morning: Saturday for a performance not to be missed.

- "Look under your bed—it'll set you free."  With those enticingly enigmatic words, an empathetic, hip older sister bequeaths to her hyper-smart but nerdy 11-year-old brother her Rosetta Stone to life in the late-'60s: a prized trove of expertly curated rock, pop, and folk albums that set into chaotic motion young William Miller's eye- ear- and mind-opening journey in director Cameron Crowe's quasi-autobiographical 2000 ode to rock 'n' roll fandom, Almost Famous.  Two decades later, the Oscar/BAFTA/Golden Globe Award-winning film remains one of the sweetest love letters to the genre, one that deftly captured the look, the sound, the feel, the attitude of what rock 'n' roll meant to its creators, its most fervent adherents, its hangers-on and its worried parents during a golden era of pop music. The movie's legacy is celebrated with the first-ever release of all the music that so powerfully fueled Crowe's story, based on his own power chord-driven odyssey from wide-eyed music-loving kid to respected rock journalist to celebrated filmmaker.

- Glass Animals share a collaboration with fast-rising UK popstar Bree Runway on their huge track “Space Ghost Coast To Coast,” taken from their acclaimed third album Dreamland released last year—listen HERE.  Hot on the heels of their endearingly trippy video for “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” released last week—watch HERE—Glass Animals have also been experiencing a huge global rise in support on their single “Heat Waves,” with the original track now surpassing 530 million streams, and the band recently released a version of “Heat Waves” featuring iann dior—listen HERE.

- BET brings together nine of the most memorable solo artists and girl groups from the 1990s and 2000s to form the ultimate R&B supergroup in the new original series, “BET Presents The Encore.” Shamari DeVoe, Irish Grinstead, LeMisha Grinstead, Nivea Nash, Felisha King, Fallon King, Pamela Long, Aubrey O’ Day, and Kiely Williams have signed on to the one-of-a-kind music experiment to become the next big musical sensation. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, these talented singers turned wives, moms, and entrepreneurs, will move in together, write new music, learn choreography, record an album, and put on a live performance. The catch? The songstresses must achieve this in only 30 days, with none of them knowing who their bandmates will be ahead of time. Faced with fun twists and unforeseen constraints, the ladies will need to stretch beyond their musical and personal comfort zones to succeed as a team. An esteemed roster of music industry experts will drop in each week to prepare them for their big debut and deliver a chart-topping record, including music producer Kosine, choreographer Aliya Janell, songwriter Elijah Blake, and vocal coach Cynnamyn.  Will their artistic differences or egos get in the way of forming a group? Or will these powerhouse women show the world that they still have what it takes to make a major comeback? Only time, and the music, will tell.  “BET Presents The Encore” premieres Wednesday, June 9 at 10 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her. 

- After amassing 65 million-plus views and over 10 million streams independently, the Monterrey Mexico hard rock trio of sisters The Warning unleash a new single entitled “CHOKE” today via LAVA/Republic Records.  Listen to “CHOKE”—HERE and watch the official music video for the track HERE.  On the single “CHOKE” and working with legendary rock producer David Bendeth (Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, Breaking Benjamin) the band said: “CHOKE is a song about drowning in your feelings and coming to terms with them. Recording it with David Bendeth (while in quarantine!) was an incredible experience and he really worked with us to bring the song to life.”

- The definitive biography of one of the most enduring and endeared recording artists in history—the Carpenters—will be told for the first time from the perspective of Richard Carpenter, through more than 100 hours of exclusive interviews and some 200 photographs from Richard’s personal archive, many never published. CARPENTERS: THE MUSICAL LEGACY is coming to bookstores on October 19th. Pre-order your copy of CARPENTERS: THE MUSICAL LEGACY today, HERE:

- Get ready to get social with “The D’Amelio Show” in our first look teaser!  From relative obscurity and a seemingly normal life, to overnight success and thrust into the Hollywood limelight overnight, the D’Amelios are faced with new challenges and opportunities they could not have imagined. Charli, who at 16 became one of the biggest celebrities with over 150 million followers combined and #1 on the TikTok platform in less than a year, has the world at her fingertips and is working to balance fame and family, life with dancing, running a budding empire, making new friends in LA and battling the naysayers online. Her sister Dixie, is now 19 and experiencing her own overnight rise to fame with over 78 million followers combined, one of the fastest growing YouTube channels and ranked within the Top 10 Most Followed Creators on TikTok. Dixie is now pursuing a music career in LA. For mom Heidi and dad Marc, raising teenagers is hard enough before adding in a cross-country move, supporting their daughters’ dreams and doing the best they can to stay close as a family and protect their girls from the dark side of fame, while also trying to adjust to life in Hollywood. 

- Hulu has picked up “Immigrant” straight-to-series. The 8-episode, limited series hails from “Pam & Tommy” creator Robert Siegel and star/executive producer Kumail Nanjiani.  “Immigrant” is the true story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (played by Nanjiani), the Indian-American entrepreneur who started Chippendales. The series will detail the insane, darkly comedic, crime-ridden story behind the unique male revue that became a cultural phenomenon.  The series is written by Robert Siegel and executive produced by Siegel, Nanjiani, Dylan Sellers and Emily V. Gordon as well as Rajiv Joseph and Mehar Sethi who will also write on the series. 

Previewing The Chi: Season Four

 

There was a shocking end to the third season of The Chi.  After rescuing Keisha from her abductor, Ronnie was rewarded with a bullet to his head, a delayed payback from murdering Coogie back in the first season.  That original season was about how the lives of four black men at different stages of their development on the south side of Chicago intersected.  Now half of them are dead.

 

Now there are just Emmett and Kevin left on the show.  But their lives have intertwines with plenty of other Chicagoans in the ensuing seasons to pick up the slack of those that were lost.  Kevin, along with his two best friends Jake and Papa, have grown from boys to almost men.  Jake has two surrogate fathers in his life now, his real life brother who showed up after his other brother died and Douda, a gangsta turned politician, granted what is really the difference?  Emmett finally married his baby momma, except before that happened, he hooked up with his business partner who is now dating his father.  That is some Jerry Springer shirt right there.

 

The third season starts off with a montage set to one of the greatest song ever put on wax.  Well, it is part montage, part promo because all of it turns out to be scenes of what is to come this season as the montage culminates with something very huge happening followed by a “One Month Earlier” title card.  Unfortunately what follows is a very clunky Black Lives Matter plot and a lot of heavy hand scenes that seems like they were added because the writers felt obligated to include it since it was such a big story in the lives of black people in between seasons.  Personally, I would much rather spend time watching Papa record his new podcast.

 

The Chi airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

Previewing Black Monday: Season Three

 

Black Monday was one of the first casualties of the Coronapocalypse.  But the show was lucky that they had finished filming the season before shutdown and were able to finish editing the season and get the rest of it out by the summer.  Billions, which was airing at the same time still has not finished that season yet.  By the time Black Monday season two ended, big changes had occurred.  Dawn confessed to Black Monday.  Blair announced he was running for the seat his gay lover, who hung himself, used to have.  And we were down one Leighman brother.

 

Season three starts off with Dawn in prison, hustling while reading Shawshank Redemption (natch).  Mo has taken to producing jazz music in the old Jammer Group office after leaving Wall Street (or kicked off depending on who you ask).  Blair is a freshman congressman with an unfortunate historic office.  And there is a surprising Leighman brother replacement. 

 

The episode titles in the first season referred to the number of day until Black Monday.  They dropped that for the second season, but numbers are back for season three: the season premiere is entitled “Ten!”  Next week is “Nine!”  What are they counting down to?  It is not explicitly said, but one character does talk about heading to the nineties while the second episode features some nineties references like lyrics to a 1992 Ice Cube song.  So I guess we can assume that is it until proven otherwise.  Personally I look forward to the fourth season with Mo sporting a Kid n Play style flattop.

 

Black Monday airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

Previewing Flatbush Misdemeanors

Showtime is getting into experimental comedy game.  After the very broad comedy of Black Comedy comes Flatbush Misdemeanors.  Based on a short film of the same name that had a budget of zero dollars, the television show is also created, written, and stars Kevin Iso (High Fidelity) and Dan Perlman (That’s My Bus!).  Dan plays Dan, a teacher while Kevin plays Kevin, a painter who has to deliver food to make money because you have to be either dead or famous to make money and crashes in Dan’s apartment after moving back to Brooklyn.

 

It is an experimental comedy because it is one where the writers do not feel obligated to put in at least one joke a minute for better worse like more traditional comedies.  So the show is reminiscent in that way.  The show follows a four act structure; well the first episode does get a fifth act that is designated solely by the surprise emoji. 

 

The two leads mostly play it straight while they surround themselves with a few more outlandish characters (well, I did laugh when it was revealed that Kevin plays chess by himself).  The funniest is Dan’s new step-dad Kareem (played by Kareem Green) who keeps trying to get Dan to call him dad.  Then there is the local petty criminal Drew (played by, you guessed it, Hassan Johnson) that keeps entertaining himself in Kevin and/or Dan’s business.

 

Flatbush Misdemeanors will probably be enjoys by those who prefer their comedy more experimental like Hulu's Ramy, but those who want their comedies to have jokes that come fast and furious may want to stick with Black Monday.

 

Flatbush Misdemeanors airs Sundays at 10:30 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 15, 2021

 

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist:  When the promo looked like is was going to be a flashback I thought, well, I guess there will not be many, if any, songs this week.  But they cleverly worked in plenty of music despite Zoey not having powers (I thought maybe the flashback would reveal Mitch had that power too).  The best had to be the weird battle between Max and the man-bunned Leif.  And how could have guess Tobin worked there before anyone else?  But that seemed very unprofessional for the therapist to say the story was a love story about her and a dude that is not her current boyfriend that happens to also be in a different relationship.

 

The Nevers:  I was wondering why the cop was talking to the press like it was someone we should know.  Except there was no reason for him to know her.  Or was she supposed to look like someone on the show previously?  Was the person who died the press lady and the crazy lazy convinced her to switch places with her?  If so, how?

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  Happy Mother’s Day everyone.  Geez.  But a pretty stupid episode.  I could not understand why none of the evil doers brought guns while looking for Morgan, or why Morgan was able to murder everyone except the one guy I remembered from last episode even though he was able to stab through the chest.  Seriously, why let him walk away?  But then the guy returns with a gun?  Why not bring it with you in the first place?  Why leave it in the car?

 

Good Girls:  I am no legal scholar, but how can a councilman be able to go over federal agents to convince the district attorney to not press charges?  And why is this case going to a district attorney?  If it is a federal crime, shouldn’t a US attorney be presiding over the case?

 

Mare of Easttown:  That dude who kidnapped that girl looked pretty big, kind of like Mare’s ex-husband.  But it is weird that they just low-key mentioned that the first kidnapping victim had a kid, but the grandma cancer patient had to get a babysitter to pay the ransoms.  Just when you thought her life could not get worse, she turns out to be a single grandmother with cancer and a missing daughter.  But who is looking over that kid when she is at work?  Who is the baby daddy?  Is that who usually takes that kid?

 

City on a Hill:  Well that was a stupid plan.  Why not surprise him in a building with limited exits instead of a wide open street where there could be potential bystanders?  So now that he is dead, do we go back to Decourcy and Frankie feuding?  Granted Decourcy will have to repay a favor first.

 

Cruel Summer: So Kate thought she saw Kate at the dunk tank and thought it was Jamie, someone of a completely different height, weight, and gender?  Well that certainly helps Jeanette’s case of mistaken identity.  But I am waiting for things to pick up, after three strong episodes to start; the next two have sort of dragged.  They need more scenes of Kate confronting Jeanette, but it was Kate that ducked away from Jeanette this episode.  And those stupid trigger warning are starting to get very spoilery.  These millennial need to grow the fork up.

 

Supergirl:  I did not think things could be worse than Brainiac 5 and Dreamer going back in time episodes, but this stupid everyone manifests their fears may have actually been worse.  Okay, I did laugh at Brainiac 5 being afraid of balloons.

 

Big Sky:  I always that that wig was so bad; no way that it is fooling anyone.  It turns out it did not, the girlfriend did know he was a sex trafficker.  And did not care?  Okay, I could see a murderer being attracted to another murderer, but shouldn’t sex trafficking cross the perverable line, even for murderers? But it looks like the wrapped up the other plotline with all the male heirs dead.  Congratulations to the daughter?  But I am not sure if the family farm is going to be worth much anymore.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  So Janine survives the train only to be buried by rubble two episodes later?  But I guess we did not see the body so I guess she may have survived.  But what was Moira doing in Chicago?  And doesn’t mass bombing a city minute before a ceasefire defeat the purpose of a ceasefire?  Would people who would give aid to Gilead really think, well, that did get that mass murdering in before the deadline, so that is okay?

 

The Challenge: All-Stars:  Last week I mentioned how few people in the final who actually won an elimination and it ended up being fewer than I expected since two people that went home had won previous eliminations.  So that is just four of the twelve finalists saw the Arena.  Yeah, it is definitely time to institute the rule that you have to win an elimination to run TJ’s final.  Poor Kendal, wins three of the seven dailies, and goes into three of five possible eliminations.  Thank you Yes for calling out Nehemiah for claiming everyone needs to warn their stripes and they pick the only female that already went in multiple times.

 

Manifest:  It is sad that the white single teenage female is the most interesting part of this show. But why is Olive hooking up with the la tech and mad that the other chick is doing the same?  Doesn’t she have a boyfriend?  And where has that dude been?

 

The Blacklist:  So evil dude asked the Russian spy if he or Reddington was M13 and he whispers something to him that makes evil dud go after Lizzy.  Wait, is Lizzy M13?  What could he have possibly said to make him react like that?

Around the Tubes: May 15, 2021

           

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Olivia Rodrigo, Panic, Lavelle Crawford: The Comedy Vaccine, Temptations, Joy Oladokun, Haerts, Noah Kahan, Ariana Grande, Ida Maria, Glass Animals, Armchair Expert, The Great, Kevin Garnett: Anything Is Possible, and Los Angeles Lakers..

- Vevo, the world’s leading music video network, today announced that 2021’s break-through artist Olivia Rodrigo has been named their first LIFT artist of 2021, and has released a live performance of “deja vu,” shot on film.  WATCH "DEJA VU (LIVE PERFORMANCE) | VEVO LIFT"  Vevo’s LIFT program connects today’s up-and-coming and most relevant artists to audiences around the world through music video content. Launched in 2011, Vevo's artist development program shines a spotlight on the world's freshest new talent. Vevo LIFT alumni include the likes of Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Halsey, Khalid, Jorja Smith, YUNGBLUD, and more. 

- The official trailer and first-look episodic images for season one of Panic are available now. The ten-episode Amazon Original series will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, May 28, 2021 in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

- Lavell Crawford returns for his third SHOWTIME comedy special LAVELL CRAWFORD: THE COMEDY VACCINE, premiering Friday, May 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In the hour-long special filmed at the Tempe Improv in Arizona, Crawford reflects back on a tumultuous year of living through a global pandemic with an added punchline. From the panic of looking for toilet paper to attending virtual church services and wearing masks, Crawford brings levity to the many shared lifestyle changes we’ve experienced during a life in lockdown while also touching on his own quarantine frustrations with whimsical banter.  To watch and share the trailer from LAVELL CRAWFORD: THE COMEDY VACCINE, go to: https://youtu.be/O5nNnUZGgsw.

-  Motown/UMe is pleased to announce the kickoff of the 60^th Anniversary celebration of the legendary, Grammy Award-Winning Temptations. The Temptations are one of the most revered and prolific musical institutions of all time. Motown luminaries, The Temptations, are today, one of the most iconic, bestselling brands in the entertainment world. With Otis Williams, the founding and sole surviving member of The Temptations, their popularity is ever-increasing and their track record of continuing to sell decades worth of history-making music is breathtaking.

- Emerging singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun joined forces with Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris for her new song, “Bigger Man,” out today. Listen/share HERE. Written by Oladokun, Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, the track is the latest unveiled from Oladokun’s highly-anticipated forthcoming major label debut album, set for release on Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records.

- Nini Fabi and Benny Gebert, the German-born, New York-based duo HAERTS are sharing their latest chapter “Days Go By” HERE from their upcoming third album Dream Nation which comes out next week, May 21st via AntiFragile Records. The single comes with a filmed live version which was shot at Valentine Recording Studios in North Hollywood HERE.

- Vermont singer and songwriter Noah Kahan returns with his new single entitled “Part of Me” out now via Republic Records—listen HERE.  The introspective anthem reflects a natural progression for the artist. Noah’s signature storytelling and evocative lyrics shine over upbeat guitar and production by his frequent collaborator and Grammy Award-winning producer Joel Little (Taylor Swift, Lorde, Shawn Mendes, Jonas Brothers, Khalid). The momentum of the verses crashes right into the all-too-relatable hook as he confesses, “I don’t miss you. I miss the way you made me feel.”

- Ariana Grande just made history again. The GRAMMY® Award-winning and record-breaking multiplatinum superstar has emerged as The First Artist To Simultaneously Land Three Songs in the Top 10 of the Billboard Pop Airplay Chart and The First Artist To Simultaneously Land Three Songs in the Top 10 of the Mediabase Top 40.  These entries include blockbuster singles “positions,” “34+35,” and “pov”—available on her 2020 album, Positions. Additionally, for a second consecutive week, Grande and The Weeknd currently hold the #1 Billboard Hot 100 spot with “Save Your Tears”.

- The opening to "Dirty Money" will immediately grab listeners and confirm that this indisputable viking punk Queen Ida Maria has retained the same rebellious attitude that got her in the game, while referencing the lifestyle of an industry's enabling that took her out of the game for a brief time.  Featuring a punk blast of garage guitar, 'Dirty Money' carries the high-energy punk-pop Ida's been widely acclaimed for with cheeky lyrics that are sugar-coated with a highly addictive chorus, addressing much more serious topics that are frustrating to her. Ida's personal experiences with greed and corruption are detailed with a racket of petulant screams, among them "Pay me all your Dirty oney/I'm your favorite monkey/watch me go!!!"

- Glass Animals today release the endearingly trippy video for their single “Space Ghost Coast To Coast,” taken from their acclaimed third album Dreamland released last year—watch HERE. The UK band has experienced a huge global rise in support for their single “Heat Waves,” with the original now surpassing 500 million streams and climbing up the Top 40 Radio Chart, and the band recently released a version of “Heat Waves” featuring iann dior—listen HERE.

- Spotify (NYSE: SPOT) announced today a multiyear exclusive license agreement with one of the world’s most listened-to and shared podcasts, the award-winning Armchair Expert podcast, co-hosted by actor, filmmaker and comedian Dax Shepard and Emmy-nominated producer and personality Monica Padman. In addition to bringing the widely-popular podcast to the Spotify platform exclusively, the deal also covers a first look with Armchair Umbrella Network. All existing and new episodes of Armchair Expert, which is produced by Rob Holysz, Padman and Shepard, will remain free and available exclusively on Spotify starting July 1st.

- Hulu announced that Gillian Anderson will be joining the cast of the second season of Emmy, SAG, Golden Globe and WGA-nominated series “The Great.”  Gillian Anderson (“The Crown,” “Sex Education,” “The Fall” and “The X-Files”) will join the cast of Hulu’s critically-acclaimed Original comedy series “The Great” in a two-episode appearance as Catherine’s (Elle Fanning) mother, Joanna.  Joanna is a glamorous socialite from Germany, sometimes also known as the “maestro of marriage” for her abilities to arrange high profile partnerships for her daughters. She has heard rumors of her daughter’s coup and come to Russia to see it for herself. Though the apple of Catherine’s eye and a doting mother, it soon becomes clear Johanna has more sinister intentions to save her family’s reputation. 

- SHOWTIME Sports has announced the title and premiere date of the upcoming documentary KEVIN GARNETT: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, chronicling the career of one of the NBA’s all-time greats. The film will premiere on Friday, July 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and will include scenes from Garnett’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, taking place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut this Saturday. To watch and share a teaser of the upcoming documentary, go to https://youtu.be/RErHyWLzTN8.

- Hulu announced that a new expansive, nine-part Original docuseries chronicling the history of the storied Los Angeles Lakers franchise will join the Hulu Originals lineup. The project comes to Hulu from Lakers’ CEO and controlling owner Jeanie Buss, Emmy^® Award-winning director Antoine Fuqua, in association with Fuqua Films, as well as Haven Entertainment and Los Angeles Media Fund.  The series details the past four decades of the Lakers, and contains colorful and emotional new interviews from over 35 people within the organization, including the Buss family, legendary coaches Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, and NBA Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and team captain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, among numerous other current and former players. Also featured are interviews with a range of high-profile fans and a treasure trove of archival footage featuring never-before-seen interviews with the Lakers late owner, Jerry Buss.