Around the Tubes: January 14, 2023

  

  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 Yellowjackets, History of the World, Part II, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, How I Met Your Father, Up Here, Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, Complete Mountain Almanac, Tennis, Jessia, and Circa Waves, 

- SHOWTIME has released the first official teaser for the highly anticipated second season of the Emmy-nominated drama YELLOWJACKETS. As the sun rose this Friday the 13th, the official YELLOWJACKETS social channels went live with a flickering candle and as fans engaged, the candle melted in real time for an hour until dawn broke and finally revealed the first official teaser for season two. Season two will return starting Friday, March 24 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season one, which has a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received seven Emmy nominations, averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in SHOWTIME history. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.

- We are excited to share the new teaser for Hulu's upcoming 8-episode comedy series "History of the World, Part II," which premieres Monday, March 6 with two episodes. Two new episodes will drop daily, with our finale on Thursday, March 9.  Additional cast announced today include: Pamela Adlon, Tim Baltz, Zazie Beetz, Jillian Bell, Quinta Brunson, Dove Cameron, D'Arcy Carden , Ronny Chieng, Rob Corddry, Danny DeVito, David Duchovny, Hannah Einbinder, Jay Ellis, Josh Gad, Kimiko Glenn, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Jake Johnson, Richard Kind, Johnny Knoxville, Lauren Lapkus, Jenifer Lewis, Poppy Liu, Joe Lo Truglio, Jason Mantzoukas, Ken Marino, Jack McBrayer, Zahn McClarnon, Charles Melton, Kumail Nanjiani, Brock O’Hurn, Andrew Rannells, Emily Ratajkowski, Sam Richardson, Nick Robinson, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Timothy Simons, J.B. Smoove, David Wain, Taika Waititi, Reggie Watts, and Tyler James Williams.

- Hulu has released the official trailer and key art for "Wu-Tang: An American Saga" season three. The final season launches with three episodes on Wednesday, February 15. New episodes will follow every Wu-Wednesday, with the finale dropping on April 5.  Off the release of their debut album and their continued rise to fame, we follow the Wu-Tang Clan over the course of their five-year plan as they face and overcome different challenges. While each of the members go on separate journeys to figure out where they fit in the music world, RZA struggles to stay on top of things in order to fulfill the promise he made to his Wu brothers. As money, fame, ego, and business threaten to tear the group apart, they must find a way to come together and cement their legacy.

- Check out the trailer for season two of Hulu Original series, "How I Met Your Father." The comedy series returns for its second season with one episode on Tuesday, January 24. New episodes will follow weekly, only on Hulu. In the near future, Sophie (Duff) is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the present where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options.

 - Mae Whitman revealed the premiere date and a first look at her upcoming Hulu Original musical romantic comedy series “Up Here.” The series premieres all episodes March 24 on Hulu.  A musical romantic comedy set in New York City in the waning days of 1999, following the extraordinary story of one ordinary couple, Lindsay and Miguel, as they fall in love and discover that the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves – and the treacherous world of memories, obsessions, fears and fantasies that lives inside their heads.

- The Songs of Bacharach & Costello, personally compiled by Elvis Costello, brings together all of the published songs that Costello has written with the legendary Burt Bacharach, one of the great composers of popular music in the 20^th and now 21st Century.  Releasing March 3 via UMe, The Songs of Bacharach & Costello, celebrates a collaboration which began in 1995 and which continues to this day.  Those who were surprised by the writers of “I’m Not Angry” and “What’s New Pussycat?” working together perhaps overlooked that Bacharach was engaging in musical collaboration for only the second time in his storied career - the first resulting in just a handful of songs musically written with Neil Diamond.  It was Costello who wrote the first musical draft of “God Give Me Strength,” communicating from Dublin to Los Angeles by fax - back in the 20th Century - and far from being offended by this presumption, Bacharach sent back an amended copy, laying out the signature intro motif for flugelhorn, adding the expansive bridge section and making all sorts of subtle but crucial amendments to the melodic and rhythmic phrasing of Costello’s first draft.  Listen to the live tracks here: https://elviscostello.lnk.to/TSOBACPR

- With their self-titled debut album due out January 27 via Bella Union, and having previously shared a video for lead track “May”, Complete Mountain Almanac share a second single, “February”, from this much-anticipated release. Commenting on the track lyricist Jessica Dessner says: “February is a song that began as a reckoning with the profound physical changes wrought by breast cancer and how they threaten to dismantle every aspect of life, and yet, somehow the spirit rises, remains constant, immutable, a force, like nature.” Vocalist Rebekka Karijord adds: “To me, February is like an ancient myth. A road trip dance, moving between vulnerability and resilience. It journeys through layers of odd meters, restlessness and mystery, and then lands in a musical landscape of acceptance and clarity.  Complete Mountain Almanac is the musical collaboration of Norwegian-born, Sweden-based singer and composer Rebekka Karijord and American-born, Italy-based poet, dancer and multimedia artist Jessica Dessner, joined by her brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National.  Listen to "February" HERE

- Acclaimed indie-pop duo Tennis is back with a new single and music video out today. "Let's Make A Mistake Tonight" is the second release from Tennis' highly anticipated sixth studio album, Pollen, arriving next month via their own Mutually Detrimental label on Friday, February 10, 2023. Pre-orders are available now. The "Let's Make A Mistake Tonight" self-directed official music video is streaming now.  "'Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight' is all hubris, attitude, and wish fulfillment. I’m turning water into wine," says Tennis. "I’m reshaping my reality through projection or denial. While tracking with Patrick I kept envisioning the same scene: I’m in the passenger’s seat. Patrick drives with one hand on the wheel and one on my thigh. This song plays us out."  LISTEN TO "LET'S MAKE A MISTAKE TONIGHT"  WATCH "LET'S MAKE A MISTAKE TONIGHT" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO  PRE-ORDER POLLEN

-  Months after sharing the viral first verse with fans on TikTok, JUNO Award-winning pop artist JESSIA, releases her new heartfelt ballad, “Nobody Hates You,” today via Artist Driven Records in partnership with Republic Records. The earnest, candidly written track reminds listeners the importance of self-love and allowing themselves grace when facing personal struggles.  “Many of us walk through life with a preconceived notion of how people view us. We think that asking for help is annoying, vulnerability is a burden, and relationships are fickle,” says JESSIA. “We feed ourselves these narratives that tear us down and keep us spiraling. We believe them all to be true. I wrote this song to challenge these thoughts and remind people that ‘Nobody Hates You.’”  Stream / Download “Nobody Hates You” HERE

- Circa Waves have released their new album Never Going Under, listen here.  Never Going Under is the band’s highly anticipated fifth album, which is out today via PIAS / Lower Third, and features the singles “Hell On Earth”, “Do You Wanna Talk”, “Carry You Home” and “Living In The Grey”.  Never Going Under is the encapsulation of a continued upward trajectory for Circa Waves over the last decade. Becoming one of Britain's most influential and adored guitar bands across five genre-defining albums. 

Previewing Your Honor Season Two

 

Many Limited Series that get renewed are accused of doing so for category fraud reasons though you really cannot lob that accusation at Your Honor because it managed to rack up zero Emmy nominations.  While critics and award shows did not warm up to the show, Showtime did tout that it “ranks as the top debut season ever” for them.  Not Dexter, not Homeland which won Outstanding Drama Series its debut season, not Yellowjackets that had a lot of buzz last yet, but Your Honor.  But according to star Bryan Cranston, this season is definitely the last.

 

For those that need a refresher on season one: Judge's son kills gangster's son accidentally, judge gets black guy to steal the car in hit and run but gets caught, gangster thinks black guy did it, gangster's other son kills black guy in prison and gangster blew up his house, black guy’s little brother was not in the house, tried to kill gangster's other son but hit judge's son.  That little brother has been promoted to the main cast this season along with the two living Baxter children, as well as Big and Little Mo. 

 

The second season opens up with the judge in prison looking like Ted Kaczynski.  It has been a year since the events of last season and the judge is being force fed because as the guards tell him, “We’re not gonna let you die here.”  There is about five minutes of this before we get some flashback on how we got here and why the judge is there.  Things start to pick up when Rosie Perez arrives as a Assistant US Attorney who gets things set in motion of where this season is going forward.

 

For critics, and any viewers out there, that were not that into the first season, not much has changed this time around.  All the characters are still inherently stupid for the sake of pushing the plot forward.  Then giving more screen time to the kid who killed the judge’s son seems like an unnecessary detour.  Also unnecessary was the plot twist at the end of the premiere that is really forced just to add tension to the second season.  While the first season might have been the top debut season, I do wonder how many will turn into season two.  It may be best that Cranston already announced that it is ending.  Hopefully they do not reverse course again.

 

Your Honor airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime, but episodes will be available to stream and view On Demand for subscribers the preceding Friday.

The Twenty-Five Best Movies I Saw in 2022

1. The Menu

2. Prey

3. Fresh

4. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

5. Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe

6. Rosaline

7. The Valet

8. DC League of Super-Pets

9. Inside Out

10. Spider-Man: No Way Home

11. OLIVIA RODRIGO: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film)

12. Significant Other

13. Honor Society

14. Emergency

15. The Princess

16. No Time to Die

17. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

18. Crush

19. Orphan: First Kill

20. See How They Run

21. Darby and the Dead

22. Werewolf by Night

23. No Exit

24. 7 Days

25. Turning Red

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 8, 2023

 

 Quantum Leap:  Really, they are going to entitle an episode, “Fellow Travelers” on a show like this and have it be the title of a song and not have the leaper run into any other fellow travelers?  What a troll move.

 

Leverage: Redemption:   I am surprised how much Hardison we are getting this season.  Though I wonder just where the actor was because clearly he is just doing this on a green screen on the set of whatever else he was filming at the time this season was being filmed.

 

Big Sky:  Oh yeah, Jenny’s mom is still around.  But instead of tying into the overall mystery, she instead stumbled upon some weird cult?  Alrighty.  This show is just all over the place this season.  Oh, and Lyle Lovitt is back, but Hootie is gone.  Weren’t these guys introduced as partners?

 

Doom Patrol:  Um, so are they just not explain why Cliff kept the zombie butt with teeth in the freezer?  That was pretty obvious he did not close the freezer.  Of course there is still one out there living with the scientist.  So who exactly will be the big bad this season: Immortus or the zombie butts with teeth?  Maybe the bigger question is when will we get to see the remainder of this season and Titans?  I kind of assumed that after this half season of Doom Patrol, Titans would return, but that is not on the January schedule.  So when, then?  Maybe they should have waited until after Pennyworth ended to start Titans, then maybe there would not be this break between superhero shows.  But HBO Max seems to be a mess right now with little rhyme or reason.

 

Quantum Leap:  Really, they are going to entitle an episode, “Fellow Travelers” on a show like this and have it be the title of a song and not have the leaper run into any other fellow travelers?  What a troll move.

 

Leverage: Redemption:   I am surprised how much Hardison we are getting this season.  Though I wonder just where the actor was because clearly he is just doing this on a green screen on the set of whatever else he was filming at the time this season was being filmed.

 

Big Sky:  Oh yeah, Jenny’s mom is still around.  But instead of tying into the overall mystery, she instead stumbled upon some weird cult?  Alrighty.  This show is just all over the place this season.  Oh, and Lyle Lovitt is back, but Hootie is gone.  Weren’t these guys introduced as partners?

 

Doom Patrol:  Um, so are they just not explain why Cliff kept the zombie butt with teeth in the freezer?  That was pretty obvious he did not close the freezer.  Of course there is still one out there living with the scientist.  So who exactly will be the big bad this season: Immortus or the zombie butts with teeth?  Maybe the bigger question is when will we get to see the remainder of this season and Titans?  I kind of assumed that after this half season of Doom Patrol, Titans would return, but that is not on the January schedule.  So when, then?  Maybe they should have waited until after Pennyworth ended to start Titans, then maybe there would not be this break between superhero shows.  But HBO Max seems to be a mess right now with little rhyme or reason.

Ghosts:  I really do not care for the new assistant, a little too annoying.  But the ghost living in his care is pretty entertaining so there is a bit of a payoff.  I wonder how long they will last.

Around the Tunes: January 7, 2023

 

  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 Koala Man, How I Caught My Killer, Shania Twain, I Didn’t See You There, and Murder in Big Horn.

- "Koala Man" star Hugh Jackman ("Big Greg") has debuted the official trailer for the Hulu Original animated series "Koala Man."  Check out his post on Instagram HERE.   "Koala Man," which stars Michael Cusack, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Snook, Jemaine Clement, Demi Lardner and more, will premiere all 8 episodes on Monday, January 9th on Hulu.  "Koala Man" follows middle-aged dad Kevin and his titular not-so-secret identity, whose only superpower is a burning passion for following rules and snuffing out petty crime in the town of Dapto. Though it may seem like any other Australian suburb, forces of evil both cosmic and man-made lie in wait to pounce on unsuspecting Daptonians. On a quest to clean up his hometown, and often roping his frustrated family into his adventures, Koala Man stands at the ready. He’ll do whatever it takes to defeat villainous masterminds, supernatural horrors, or worse: jerks who don’t take their rubbish bins down on the proper days.

- Check out the trailer for Hulu's upcoming Original docu-series, "How I Caught My Killer." All nine episodes premiere Thursday, January 12, only on Hulu.  TRAILER: HERE  “How I Caught My Killer” is a true-crime docu-series that highlights the real-life stories behind unique homicide cases with in-depth interviews, authentic archival material and cinematic recreations all packaged together into a fresh spin in the genre.  Whether it’s a fraught letter to a friend, an urgent text message detailing a heated argument, a private diary entry describing a horrifying experience, or an ominous social media post revealing a motive for murder…these victims all leave a case-breaking clue that will one day help to solve their crime.

- Strutting into 2023, five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning legend and the best-selling female artist in country music history Shania Twain shares a brand-new single entitled “Giddy Up!” today.  Listen to “Giddy Up!” HERE and watch the video HERE.  The track sets the stage for her eagerly awaited new album, Queen of Me, arriving on February 3, 2023. It notably stands out as her sixth original full-length offering, first record since 2017, and official debut for her new label partner Republic Nashville, a division of Republic Records.

- The award-winning documentary feature I Didn’t See You There will have its national broadcast premiere on PBS television series POV this Monday, January 9, 2023 at 10:00 pm ET (check local listings) and will be available to stream with no PBS Passport membership necessary until February 9, 2023 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app.  As a visibly disabled person, filmmaker Reid Davenport sets out to make a film about how he sees the world, from either his wheelchair or his two feet, without having to be seen himself. The unexpected arrival of a circus tent outside his apartment in Oakland, CA leads him to consider the history and legacy of P.T. Barnum’s Freak Show and its lingering presence in his daily life in the form of gawking, lack of access, and other forms of ableism. Informed by his position in space, lower to the ground, Davenport captures indelible images, often abstracted into shapes and patterns separate from their meaning. But the circus tent looms in the background, and is reverberated by tangible on-screen interruptions, from unsolicited offers of help to careless blocking of ramps. Personal and unflinching, I Didn't See You There forces the viewer to confront the spectacle and invisibility of disability. Offering both a perspective and stylistic approach that are rarely seen, Reid brings an urgently needed storytelling eye to filmmaking with a documentary that is powerful and emotional, thoughtful and raw, intimate and political.

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films announced that MURDER IN BIG HORN will make its SHOWTIME debut on demand and on streaming Friday, February 3 and on-air on Sunday, February 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT following its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, January 22. Directors Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin craft a powerful portrait of tribal members and their communities within Big Horn County, Montana battling an epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) that has been prevalent since colonization.  The three-part docuseries examines the circumstances surrounding many of these cases, told solely through the perspectives of those involved: Native families, Native journalists, and local law enforcement officers. All three episodes will also release on demand and on streaming platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers on February 3.  To watch the trailer, visit https://youtu.be/FxdY-KRQaa0.

The 13 Most Anticipated Events of 2023

 

The great Adam Duritz told us that it was a long December but there is reason to believe that this year will be better than last.  Here are thirteen reason why 2023 may actually be better than last year.

 

 

13.  Obligatory Superhero Mention:  It was a rough year for superheroes in 2022 and it looks like fatigue is finally settling in.  Marvel Phase 4 fizzled to an incoherent end.  It was even worse for DC which saw a Batgirl film get canned when it was almost finished filming and chaos ensued when the control given to James Gunn.  Henry Cavill was out as Superman days after it being announced he would return so Gunn could direct a Superman movie himself (that is some Big Dick Cheney Energy).  But as of now, DC will be releasing four zombie films tied to the last regime: Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 7), The Flash (June 16), Blue Beetle (August 18), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, half of which star someone with a lot of bad press last year and it is unlikely anyone in these movies will be seen again in these roles.

 

12.  Marvel launches Phase 5 with Ant-Man: Quantumania (February 17) featuring the theatrical debut of Kang who was last seen in the season finale of Loki, though this Kang is a variant of that one.  Yeah, that was one of the problems with Phase 4, it started getting confusing.  That will be followed by Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 (May 5), which will likely be Gunn’s last contribution to Marvel (at least until he gets fired by DC), The Marvels (July 28), featuring one of the few bright spots of Phase 4: Ms. Marvel.  On the small screen, there will be new seasons of What If…? and Loki, spin-offs starring Echo and Agatha as well new show Secret Invasion (featuring Emilia Clarke’s MCU debut after unsuccessful stints in the terminator and Star Wars franchises)  and Ironheart.  Oh, and Sony is still trying to make their Spider-Man Cinematic Universe a thing and will release something called Kraven the Hunter (October 6).  Oof.  But at least they have Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2), a sequel to the entertaining animated movie.

 

12.  The Drop (January 13, Hulu):   I am not sure if this is a mockup of The Slap, but I am just going to pretend it is.

 

11.  Orphan Black: Echoes (TBD, AMC):  Does we need more Orphan Black, especially without Tatiana Maslany?  And how exactly do you do this show without her if there are about a hundred people in this world who look like her?  Little is known about this show other than it stars Krysten Ritter, though we do not know how many Krysten Ritters there will be.

 

10.  Evil Dead Rises (April 21, theaters):  This is the second attempt to revive the Evil Dead franchise without Sam Rami writing or director or starring Bruce Campbell (both or producing).  This is the first one to take outside a cabin in the woods but instead the Book of the Dead will be found in the bowels of an apartment building.  Hopefully the change of scenery will add something to this film that the first reboot did not.  Unfortunately this is one of the films that Discovery took off the HBO Max schedule and put it in theaters.  So I guess I will have to wait an extra 45 days to watch.

 

9.  Community: Six Seasons and Finally the Movie (TBD, Peacock):  During the third season, Community was preempted for couple months to air The Cape.  In the show, Abed became obsessed with the show even declaring that it would run for six seasons and a movie, a phrase that became a rallying cry for the show’s fans as it was perpetually on the bubble.  Of course NBC canceled it one season shy.  Yet, somehow, Yahoo! Screen (almost a big footnote as The Cape) picked it up for that sixth season.  Then seven year after its six season, the show is finally getting a movie on Peacock. 

 

8.  Party Down (February 23, Starz):  Speaking of long gestating revivals of cult comedies, rumors of a Party Down movie date back over a decade but it is getting a full series return to the same network that axed it thirteen years ago.  Everyone from the second season is back except Lizzy Caplan (Chloe Zoe joins the cast to replace her) and as depressing their lives were when the original aired, I can only imagine how more depressing it will be this time.  My one hope for the revival is that, much like Rob Thomas’ last revival, he brings back Jason Doring (I believe he played a Young Republican in the first season) just to kill him off.  That would be hilarious.

 

7.  The Last of Us (January 15, HBO):  I never played the video game, but if the adaptation is half as good they say the game is, we will start off 2023 on a high note.

 

6.  The Curse (TBD, Showtime):  Emma Stone is quickly becoming the queen of weird television shows.  She recently appeared in the trippy Maniac and next up is this comedy which also stars Nathan Fielder (who is also set to direct) about a cursed house being renovated by an HGTV show.  Sounds wild.

 

5.  More Star Wars:  Not as rough as the superhero movies and shows, but quite an uneven year for Star Wars.  The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan were not highly regarded and while Andor was one of the most critically acclaimed shows of the year, it was also, reportedly, the least watched live action Star Wars show yet.   Oh, and no The Mandalorian, though the titular character and his little green friend did pop up a couple times on The Book of Boba Fett.  Oh, and it is now three years since the last movie and still no official date for the next one.  But the little green savior will be back on the small screen this year (March 1).  The Asoka spin-off will also be this year as well as a new show Skeleton Crew from the guy behind the latest Spider-Man movies.  But the year will be kicked off by a second season of The Bad Batch (January 4).  A new season of Visions and new animated show Young Jedi Adventures are also expected early this year.

 

4.  Only Murders in the Building Season 3 (TBD, Hulu):  Shockingly, Paul Rudd showed up in season two finale.  Even more shocking, he died in his second season.  Even more shocking than that, the show then announce, despite just killing him off, Rudd would be joining the cast for season three setting up a Fundamentals of Caring reunion and a reunion of 5-timers club members.  I am guessing there will be copious amounts of flashbacks in season three, though evil twin brother cannot be ruled out in a show like this.

 

3.  Women’s World Cup (July 20, Fox):  You know it has been a bad World Cup when  journalist dies at a game and most people think the government had him killed because he dared to wear a rainbow shirt to a game.  The men’s world cup was an unmitigated disaster from all the migrant worker deaths, FIFA banning arm bands, and the government banning beer hours before kickoff and getting caught bussing in fans to cheer for their team.  The good thing about the women’s world cup is that most despots are too sexists to bid on them.   The field has been expanded 32 teams which has led to first time world cup appeared by the Philippines and Zambia in either men’s or women’s cups.  Two time defending champs America have to be the favorite going in, but after a three game losing streak last fall, it looks like European teams are starting to catch up.  Despite the games on the other side of the world in Australian and New Zealand, the first two games for the US are at 9:00 EST, though the third start at 3:00 in thr morning.

 

2.  Yellowjackets Season 2 (March 26, Showtime):  All hail our new Antler Queen Lottie Forking Mathews!!!  Unfortunately the PR people at Showtime ruined that both Lottie and Van will make it to present day with casting of their adult versions (Elijah Wood has also been cast as a Citizen Detective).  But despite that annoyance, I am extremely excited to see the teenagers dissolve into madness as winter quickly fell on the Canadian forest, and mostly fell on poor Jackie.

 

1. Justified: City Primeval (TBD, FX):  One of the five greatest shows of this century is getting a reboot.  While Raylan Givens does not actually appear in the Elmore Leonard book, they are fudging that for the show.  As of now it looks like Raylan will be the only one from the show to return, unless you count his daughter who will be played by Timothy Olyphant’s real life daughter. 

 

 

Here is everything else I will be watching this winter:

 

Mondays

8:00 – The Neighborhood (January 16, CBS)

10:00 – Quantum Leap (January 2, NBC)

10:30 – Miracle Workers: End Times (January 16, TBS)

 

Tuesdays

Leverage Redemption (already back, Freevee)

How I Met Your Father (January 24, Hulu)

Extraordinary (January 24, Hulu)

8:00 – Night Court (January 17, NBC)

9:00 – La Brea (January 31, NBC)

 

Wednesdays

The Bad Batch (January 4, Disney+)

Wu-Tang: An American Saga (February 15, Hulu)

The Mandalorian (March 1, Disney+)

8:00 – The Challenge (already back, MTV)

8:00 – Survivor (March 1, CBS)

8:30 – The Goldbergs (January 11, ABC)

9:00 – Abbott Elementary (January 4, ABC)

10:00 – Big Sky (January 4, ABC) 

10:00 – Grown’ish (January 18, Freeform)

 

Thursdays

8:30 – Ghosts (CBS, January 5, CBS)

 

Fridays

8:00 - Young Rock (January 6, NBC)

 

Sundays

8:00 – The Blacklist (Febuary 26, NBC)

9:00 – Mayfiar Witches (January 8, AMC)

9:00 – The Last of Us (January 15, HBO)

9:00 – Your Honor (January 15, Showtime)

9:00 – Yellowjackets (March 26, Showtime)

The 100 Best Songs of 2022

1. Another Man's Jeans - Ashe 

2. Numb Little Bug - Em Beihold 

3. Diet Coke - Pusha T 

4. The Ocean - Jillian Jacqueline feat. Charlie Worsham

5. Gelato - Echosmith 

6. Turning Onto You - First Aid Kit 

7. omw - Ashe 

8. Thinking 'Bout Love - Wild Rivers 

9. London Is Lonely - Holly Humberstone 

10. Emotional - Ashe 

11. SNAP - Rosa Linn 

12. Face Down in the Moment - Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats 

13. Human Being - Arkells feat. Lights 

14. A Feeling That Never Came - First Aid Kit 

15. No Gold Teeth - Danger Mouse and Black Thought 

16. Red Moon - Big Thief 

17. Living My Best Life - Ben Rector 

18. all my ghosts - Lizzy McAlpine 

19. Ready to Run - First Aid Kit 

20. erase me - Lizzy McAlpine feat. Jacob Collier 

21. Out of My Head - First Aid Kit 

22. Better with a Broken Heart - Jillian Jacqueline feat. TJ Osborne 

23. sad disco - mxmtoon 

24. Wet Dream - Wet Leg 

25. Angel - First Aid Kit 

26. Nobody Gets Me - Sza 

27. Grace - Marcus Mumford 

28. The Hardest Cut - Spoon 

29. Wild Child - The Black Keys 

30. Palomino - First Aid Kit 

31. Oh Caroline - The 1975 

32. A.M. RADIO - The Lumineers 

33. Hospital - Madison Cunningham 

34. Strangers - Danger Mouse and Black Thought feat. A$AP Rocky and Run the Jewels 

35. It Ain’t Over - The Black Keys 

36. Cate’s Brother - Maisie Peters 

37. Because - Danger Mouse and Black Thought feat. Joey Bada$$, Russ, and Dylan Cartlidge 

38. Bird Sing - Anna of the North 

39. Don't Look Now - Jack Johnson 

40. Brother the Cloud - Eddie Vedder 

41. Virginia (Wind in the Night) - The Head and the Heart 

42. Sleep Tight - Holly Humberstone 

43. 12345 - Em Beihold 

44. I Was Born To Love You - Ray LaMontagne feat. Sierra Ferrell 

45. Hurts (But It Goes Away) - The Head and the Heart 

46. The Getting By II - The Killers feat. Lucius 

47. Tattoos - Reneé Rapp 

48. Coast - Hailee Steinfeld feat. Anderson .Paak 

49. That's Where I Am - Maggie Rogers 

50. Tippa My Tongue - Red Hot Chili Peppers 

51. SUMMER RENAISSANCE - Beyoncé 

52. fun out of it - Johnny Orlando feat. BENEE 

53. Black Summer - Red Hot Chili Peppers 

54. High - Caitlyn Smith 

55. hate to be lame - Lizzy McAlpine feat. FINNEAS 

56. Believe - Caamp 

57. Good Day - Seratones 

58. Iconic - Jillian Jacqueline 

59. Watching Love Leave - Maddie & Tae 

60. Past Life - Arkells feat. Cold War Kids 

61. Wretched - Bartees Strange 

62. One Step Ahead - Jack Johnson 

63. Can You Afford To Lose Me? - Holly Humberstone 

64. Dreamin's Free - Caitlyn Smith 

65. Call My Bluff - Pusha T 

66. Anyone for You (Tiger Lily) - George Ezra 

67. In The Kitchen - Reneé Rapp 

68. Anti-Hero - Taylor Swift 

69. Lover's Game - The War and Treaty 

70. Sweet Symphony - Joy Oladokun with Chris Stapleton 

71. All She Wanna Do - John Legend with Saweetie 

72. Don't Fade - Vance Joy 

73. Angry Woman - Ashe 

74. Birthday Cake - Dylan Conrique 

75. Shower with My Clothes On - Ashe 

76. Too Well - Reneé Rapp 

77. Passengers - Aoife O'Donovan feat. Madison Cunningham 

78. she's all i wanna be - Tate McRae 

79. Four Moons - Mandy Moore 

80. Anxieties (Out of Time) - The Regrettes 

81. camera roll - Kacey Musgraves 

82. Atomized - Andrew Bird 

83. Poster Child - Red Hot Chili Peppers 

84. Monday - The Regrettes 

85. For My Friends - King Princess 

86. Head on Fire - Griff feat. Sigrid 

87. Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Allison Ponthier 

88. Hope You're Not Happy - Ashe 

89. what would you do? - Tate McRae 

90. First High - Nikki Lane 

91. Little Dreams - Mandy Moore 

92. Love You When You’re Gone - Daya 

93. frown - mxmtoon 

94. Don't Tell My Mom - Reneé Rapp 

95. Gold - The Lone Bellow

96. B-Side - Khruangbin feat. Leon Bridges 

97. You're So Fucking Pretty - The Regrettes 

98. Find a Way - Phillip - Michael Scales 

99. I Pray For You - Pusha T feat. Labrinth & MALICE 

100. Beg for You - Charli XCX feat. Rina Sawayama Rina Sawayama

57 Channels and Only This Is On: December 18, 2022

 

The White Lotus:  I predicted the "rich" gays (I feel like I get half credit), but I was not expecting it to go down like that.  So did Ethan and Daphne hook up? I was expecting him to confess since he never lies but in never came, so maybe not.  My prediction for season three is that either Craig or Portia (if Craig is is in prison) will be taking Tonya’s ashes to her favorite White Lotus in Southeast Asia to spread them like Tonya did her mother in the first season.

 

Let the Right One In:  From the start, I wondered how do you do a show about a young vampire who does not age for multiple seasons when the actress is definitely going to noticeably age every year.  Well, you take away her immortality.  So what now?  Are vampire Naomi and Isiah going to go on the run with Mark and Eleonore?  Is she going to star in New York, get a job on the graveyard shift and work with Claire on a cure?  What does she tell her partner who knows a killer’s print was found in her trash?  I may actually be more interested in a second season that I have about the first.

 

His Dark Materials:  How exactly does the greatest blacksmith in all the land not have opposable thumbs?  Kind of seems important to the profession.  But it did lead to a pretty unintentionally funny montage.  But when Lyra comes back to the land of the living, will she be able to join back up with her Deamon?  That trip just seems a little too risky.  I do wonder just who will she bring back with her because there will be a few familiar faces across the river.

 

Leverage: Redemption:  Why was the Christmas episode this week and not the one just days before the holiday? 

 

Survivor:  This is the problem with the Big Movez era of Survivor; the moment you make a game winning move, like Jesse taking out Cody, everyone else sees this and they will do everything they can do to get you out before Final 3. But Jesse and Karla seems like they were from the Bitter Jury era because it really looked like she lived up to her promise to taint the jury against Cassidy after she voted her out. And Jesse wanted all the credit for taking out his closest ally but did not respect Kassidy for taking out hers and then executed the best plan at taking Jesse out.  So if you are going to make a Big Move on Survivor these days, you better be able to make fire.

 

The Challenge: Ride or Dies:  I complain that they let the peanut gallery help people during the eliminations, but it was really absurd that it was positioned that everyone could see into Kacey’s brother’s end to help him.  This really needs to stop.  And just as I finished cheering that Kacey’s boring brother was finally gone, TJ has the latest dumb twist and he is still around until Kacey is out.  So with the Ride or Dies be able to run TJ’s final together as long as one makes to the end?

 

Doom Patrol:  The emotional vampire is really infringing on What We Do in the Shadows’ energy empire’s domain.

 

Around the Tubes: December 17, 2022

  

 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 Extraordinary, Your Honor, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, How I Met Your Father, Yellowjackets, How I Caught My Killer, UMe's Christmas Music playlist, Joy Oladokun, 7D7D, Sammy Davis Jr., Megadeth, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, and Adult Swim Yule Log.

- That awkward moment when everyone has a superpower except you.  Hulu has released the official trailer for new comedy series "Extraordinary, a hilarious new spin on superpowers from debut writer Emma Moran and the producers of "Killing Eve."  All eight episodes will launch on Wednesday, January 25th.  “Extraordinary” is set in a world where everyone develops a power on their 18th birthday… everyone, that is, except for Jen. She’s turning 25 and is still waiting to get hers. She’s not even fussy about what that could be: super speed? Laser eyes? The ability to plug in a USB the right way every single time? She’ll take it. Like a caterpillar surrounded by butterflies, Jen feels unable to move forward, stuck in a dead-end job in a party shop and occasionally hooking up with Luke, a flaky young man with the irritatingly cool ability to fly. Luckily, Jen has Carrie to stop her from wallowing in her own self-pity. Inseparable since school, their relationship cycles between sister, parent, and wingman. Together they share an East London flat with Carrie’s long-term boyfriend, Kash. Carrie has the power to channel the dead but feels she’s been overshadowed by her own party trick: doesn’t anyone care about what she has to say? Kash takes his power – the ability to turn back time – very seriously, but he’s not above using it to undo minor embarrassments, or moments when he says exactly the wrong thing to long-suffering Carrie. The fourth member of the flat is a stray cat, named Jizzlord by the gang, who’s harbouring a surprising secret: turns out even cats have more power than Jen.  Adrift in a big, confusing world and armed with nothing but a bit of hope and a lot of desperation, Jen begins her journey to find her maybe-superpower. But in doing so, she might discover the joy of being just kind of ok.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for season two of YOUR HONOR, starring and executive produced by Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad). The 10-episode season will debut on demand and on streaming Friday, January 13, 2023 and on-air on Sunday, January 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The first season of YOUR HONOR ranks as the top debut season ever on SHOWTIME. In season two, some will seek salvation in response to the tremendous loss they suffered, while others will seek revenge and they will all be pursued by their enemies at every turn. Ultimately, the question remains: How far are you willing to go to protect what matters most to you?

- The Hulu Original series "Wu-Tang: An American Saga" returns for its third and final season with three episodes on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. New episodes will follow every Wu-Wednesday, with the finale dropping on April 5, 2023.  Off the release of their debut album and their continued rise to fame, we follow the Wu-Tang Clan over the course of their five-year plan as they face and overcome different challenges. While each of the members go on separate journeys to figure out where they fit in the music world, RZA struggles to stay on top of things in order to fulfill the promise he made to his Wu brothers. As money, fame, ego, and business threaten to tear the group apart, they must find a way to come together and cement their legacy.

- The Hulu Original series "How I Met Your Father" returns for its second season with one episode on Tuesday, January 24. New episodes will follow weekly, only on Hulu. In the near future, Sophie (Duff) is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the present where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options.

- SHOWTIME announced today that the Emmy-nominated drama YELLOWJACKETS has been renewed for a third season ahead of the highly anticipated second season, which premieres starting Friday, March 24 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season one, which has a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received seven Emmy nominations, averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in SHOWTIME history. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.  “With YELLOWJACKETS’ runaway success in season one and the pent-up anticipation for season two, we wanted to maximize the momentum by fast tracking season three now,” said Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media Networks.  “The show’s ambition is only exceeded by its execution, and I thank the incredible creative team behind it, including Ashley, Bart, Jonathan, eOne and the SHOWTIME team, for turning this into such a success.”

- The Hulu Original docu-series "How I Caught My Killer" premieres Thursday, January 12 with all nine episodes, only on Hulu. FIRST LOOK CLIP: HERE.  SYNOPSIS: “How I Caught My Killer” is a true-crime docu-series that highlights the real-life stories behind unique homicide cases with in-depth interviews, authentic archival material and cinematic recreations all packaged together into a fresh spin in the genre.

-  From brand new holiday albums from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Lorenna McKennitt, Neil Diamond and the Nelson Family, to reissues of beloved Christmas collections, an expansive and ever-expanding hours-long playlist, dynamic video content, inspired festive remixes and reimaginings, immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of some of the biggest songs in the Christmas canon, a variety of helpful gift guides for the music lover on your list, and much more, UMe once again has an overflowing Santa’s bag of yuletide offerings to help you turn up the joy this holiday season, however you enjoy music.  Available for your streaming pleasure is UMe's Christmas Music playlist, featuring some of the most popular songs and artists across the holiday music canon, pairing timeless classics with contemporary favorites. The hours-long–and ever-expanding– playlist is available now for streaming on Spotify and Apple.  Listen here: https://stream.lnk.to/ChristmasPR

- Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun performed her songs “sunday” and “jordan” at the White House yesterday as part of the Respect for Marriage Act signing ceremony.  Of the performance, Oladokun shares, “I’m extremely grateful for the chance to perform at the White House yesterday. The signing of the Respect for Marriage Act means a lot to me as a queer human. Yes, it means I have the ability to marry someone I love, but I think it also serves as a reminder that the loving and accepting world I longed for as a queer kid is not a myth. It’s a reality that we have to build brick by brick every single day. Grateful for President Biden and Vice President Harris for helping build that world and protect that reality.”

- Misinformed" is the second single from 7D7D (Tim Commerford, Mathias Wakrat and Jonny Polonsky) is now available on Mad Bunny Records across all streaming platforms, listen here. They released their debut "Capitalism" on Black Friday, hear it here. The band plan to continue releasing their music one track at a time.  Tim recently discussed the music and more in a powerful and personal article in SPIN, read here.

- On December 8th, 2022, the Estate of one of the most influential and legendary American entertainers of all-time—Sammy Davis Jr.—orchestrated an homage in honor of his 97th birthday at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, by hosting a very special and intimate private ceremony.  The commemoration began at 1:30pm, and the proceedings included a flower-laying service and open dialogue where attendees shared their memories and stories about Sammy. Additionally, Estate Manager Krystle Hartsfield shared heartfelt comments and memories received via social media from fans all across the world. During the ceremony, the late legend’s son Manny Davis revealed that his father’s gravesite will finally be open to welcome the public in 2023. The gravesite has been closed to the public and for the first time in 32 years will begin to receive visitors.

- hrash Metal titans MEGADETH unleashed Killing Time: Chapter V, the next installment of their epic multi-part short film being released alongside the track “Killing Time” from their new studio album The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! (UMe). The new album also features the GRAMMY® nominated song "We'll Be Back."  Watch Killing Time: Chapter V, HERE.  Stream/Order The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!, HERE.

- Check out the trailer and key art for Hulu's upcoming Original docu-series, "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence." All three episodes premiere on Hulu February 9.  TRAILER: HERE  With unprecedented access, STOLEN YOUTH: INSIDE THE CULT AT SARAH LAWRENCE excerpts striking first-hand interviews with conman Larry Ray’s victims and incorporates personal audio tapes and video recordings to tell the story of his grim 10 year influence over a group of young people. The series follows the story from the cult’s origins in 2010 on the Sarah Lawrence campus until its recent demise, when the last members find their own paths to survival.

- Adult Swim fans received an early holiday gift last night with the reveal of a new feature horror film from Casper Kelly, the acclaimed writer/director behind the viral Adult Swim short “Too Many Cooks. ” Fans who stay tuned for the “Adult Swim Yule Log” after last night’s Season Six finale of “Rick and Morty” witnessed a traditional holiday fireplace video transform into Adult Swim’s first-ever live-action feature. After last night’s surprise airing on Adult Swim, a must-see uncensored version of “Adult Swim Yule Log” is now available to stream on HBO Max and to purchase digitally.  “At this time of year, it’s nice to recognize the people important to you, and for us, that’s Adult Swim fans,” said Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. “We hope they enjoyed this gift that literally no one knew they wanted.”

57 Channels and Only This Is On: December 11, 2022

 

 The White Lotus:  So Greg is the “rich” gay’s cowboy?  I guess that is who he was talking to on the phone earlier this season.  Though should Greg not be back by now?  I was also ready to lock the “rich” gays into my who died pick, then the promo monkeys had and go show the college bros fighting in the ocean.  Would they really make it that obvious though?  I think I still have the “rich” gays one, the college bros two, and the prostitutes three.  

 

Let the Right One In:  Oh my, I was not expecting the henchman to die so soon.  But with him out of the way, what are Mark and Claire going to discuss?  Are they going to get rid of the cop so they can work on their vampire cure without her looking into them?  Did the cop put two and two together and figure out that Mark is the on INTERPOL is looking into as the mass murderer? 

 

His Dark Materials:  The show is so convoluted that such a long layoff really hurts this show.  Forgot the girl is Eve.  Forgot there is some evil dude that looks like Cristen Cole.  And I just do not understand in the first place how or why the knife broke.  Can it be fixed?  Seems like it will be needed.

 

Leverage: Redemption:  So Eliot has a black dad.  Oh course he does.

 

Survivor:  How the fork do you give back your Idol after taking it from someone?  Not quite Ice Cream Scooper level of stupidity, but definitely in the second tier.  So basically all Jesse has to do is win fire making challenge to win this season given he still has another Idol in his pocket.  That is going to be anti-climactic.

 

The Challenge: Ride or Dies:  So the Ride or Dies are no more.  And in a cruel twist, they are stuck on separate teams.  Unfortunately I guess this means we will just be eliminating one person from her on out which will just prolong the season.  The last couple seasons have hovered around 20 which means we are probably just at the half way point.  Even more unfortunate is that now when Nany is medically pulled from the game, that means Johnny will not have to go with her.  Though the promo makes it look like someone is going to get the boot without losing in elimination.

 

Stargirl:  So the mom went to get Artimas and just came back with a crossbow?  She really could it helped.  I guessed they were just saving her for the Icicle kill.  I wonder if old Flash showing means the JSA will pop up on the season finale of The Flash sometime.

 

Doom Patrol:  How do you improve on Butts with Teeth?  Well, just do a Butts with Teeth song and dance number.  I was a bit disappointed that the time machine is still working; hopefully it does not get as confusing as lost season.