Shameless: Odd they would end the season devoting the whole episode to Monica dying, leaving most of the season plotlines just hanging there. The biggest being that Svetlana still owns The Alibi with no retribution. Something to look forward to next season. I will be more interested in what is up with Fiona’s new building. Are she and the family (and Kev and Vee) going to move in? Even a building in progress is still better than what they are currently living in. Of course Frank will figure out a way to sneak in. But that is only if the building is really up to code, I do not really trust the guy selling.
The Affair: I thought we were going to get two wildly different accounts of Block Island. Instead Noah starts off his act in flashbacks with creepy Brendon Frasier only to flash forward to where Allison left off and then another flashback and back to the present. I wanted to see how Noah recounted Allison being the one who wanted to go into the hot tub. Oh well. But creepy Brendon Frasier is the best part of this season. Maybe we will get a creepy Brendon Frasier episode.
:Good Behavior: After an interesting plot twist, Javier killing the guy who hired him to kill his wife in the first episode, kind of a drag that the rest of the episode was dragged down but his over dramatic family. But at least we now know how he grew up to become a cold hearted hitman.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Shameless: By my count, this is the third chick who died after hooking up with Frank. But really, in the even seasons, it is Frank that pretty much dies and somehow survives. Then I pretty much figured that Ian would not go with Micky. Now my big prediction this week is that after finally getting a win with the laundromat, I think Fiona will some hoe get swindled by the apartment guy.
The Walking Dead: Geez, I thought Negan was starting to like the fat chick; that was cold. But at least he had the decency to shoot her in the head, he lead the douchebag mayor’s son bleed out from the gut so he would come back as a walker. Well at least the gang is back together (or at least those that are left minus Eugene). So I guess the back half of the season will be the planning and joining forces until the finally when they start their assault on Negan. Ugg, this show is as slow as the walkers on the show.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
The Affair: Cole has always been number four in the The Affair power ranking, but goodness that first act was a complete and utter bore. I would much rather have a Haddie Braverman centered act than another Cole one. Unless of course he was the incompetent stabber. Granted Allison’s was not that much better, but we did get the return of different recounting of events. And her interaction with the detectives was really weird in the way they were acting. And then maybe the most different of any two perspective with what happened after Joanie feel off the horse.
Timeless: Really, they kill Riddenhouse and we do not get to see how present day was changed, if at all. I was kind of hoping they would return to a post-apocalyptic present day, but hey, at least Lucy’s sister and boring white dude’s wife are now alive again! Instead Lucy gets kidnapped and no glace at present day which leads me to believe nothing changes even though they killed some dude who was supposed to sign some treaty in a couple years.. I liked the idea of Timeless but the execution is leaving less than entertained.
You can download Timeless on iTunes.
:Good Behavior: When the promo focused on Letty looking for her son in the mega store, I first thought, oh no, The Killing went off the rails when the frumpy sweater lady spent an entire episode looking for her runaway kid. I guess this episode did not focus solely on searching for the kid, had some funny moments, and had a couple plot twists. Seriously, who expected seeing the Godmother’s husband getting rammed by another dude? And like almost every episode so far, I left the episode with no idea where the show goes from here.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: You had to have the sense Adam was going to win after they got down to the final three, but in my views, Hannah gave a significantly better case to be a winner at the Final Tribal so I was shocked that Adam won by a clean sweep. Really, Ken should have had a good argument, single father, won a bunch of challenges, cashed in the very first Legacy Advantage, loyal but knew when to turn on an alliance to help his game, lone Gen Xer in the finals; he just did not make it, or really any argument.
That Hannah did not get even one vote, I had to wonder that much like the nation that picked an incompetent man as president, are the Survivor contestants getting more and more sexist? Recently we had those two overtly chauvinistic seasons (Worlds Apart and Cagayan) so I looked it up and five of the last seven season were won by men and one was in an all-female final (Blood vs. Water II), the other being two girls and Tai (Kaôh Rōng). Granted before this stretch, there was a three women win streak. So I guess this just may be an anomaly.
But of course the most important part of every Survivor finale: the preview for the next season. And what a weird roll out. First there was a vague trailer and we were left to wonder if the people they were highlighting were actually going to be in the next season or not. Then I seemed like they were going to announce the cast, but then only brought out eight of them, including Michaela who was already on stage. So why fly in just those seven? Were they the only ones available? Were they on a budget and just picked them at random? Were they picked because they are going to go far? Making things weirder, Probst announces Michaela was in the cast, but not Zeke who spoilers say is also in the cast. I more disappointed that also only the spoiler list, Andrea, was not at the reunion and I do not even remember seeing her in the promo.
As for those that did show up, what a mixed bag. It started out horrible, Tony was one of the most annoying ever, Tai not that far behind. The third guy I even had to look up (apparently Caleb was the guy who got air lifted from the last Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty). Then Ozzy? Seriously, they let the porn star back for, what, the fifth time? Please stop with Ozzy. Does he know something about Probst? Did they film a porn together? Ugg. The rest were fine. Ciera is always a welcome edition even though I cannot imagine she will go far. Same for Cirie. But I wonder why Sandra came back after two straight wins. C’mon girl. Wait for an all winner’s season to come back. Coming back to battle the likes of Tai and Ozzy is beneath you. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.
I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Path, Cream, The Killers, Secret of the Six Wives, Street Light Harmonies, The Real Mad Men of Advertising, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, Claws, National Treasure, People of Earth, and Search Party.
- This week Hulu released the season two trailer of The Path as well as first look photos. The first two episodes of the 13-episode season will launch on Wednesday, January 25th.
- Showtime has released the teaser for the highly-anticipated second season of its hit drama series Billion. The series, starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, will premiere its second season on Sunday, February 19 at 10:00.
- Late January 2017 sees the deluxe edition release of Fresh Cream, the debut album by British, blues boom, power trio, Cream. The 3-CD + 1 Blu-Ray Audio disc come housed in a gatefold sleeve within a rigid slipcase and includes a 64-page hardback book, featuring new sleeve notes by respected Rolling Stone writer, David Fricke. The set comprises various alternate and new stereo mixes plus several, previously unreleased BBC sessions. A special 6LP 180g Vinyl edition of Fresh Cream will also be released in April 2017.
- The Killers – vocalist/keyboardist Brandon Flowers, guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci -- emerged from Las Vegas, their name a tribute to the logo on the bass drum of the fictitious band seen in their favorite band New Order’s music video for “Crystal.” They released their major label debut album, Hot Fuss, on Island Records, June 15, 2004 in the U.S., peaking at #7 on the Billboard 200, a week after it came out in the U.K., where it quickly went to #1 and went on to spend an astounding 247 weeks, more than four-and-a-half years on the album chart. Hot Fuss has gone on to sell more than seven million copies worldwide, including three million in the U.S., and has also been certified platinum or multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, The United Kingdom and Germany as well as many other International territories. A dozen years after it first catapulted the band to international stardom, The Killers’ Hot Fuss is being reissued on standard weight vinyl as a single LP by UMe on January 13. A limited edition, white vinyl LP will also be available exclusively on uDiscover.
- The 16th century legend of King Henry VIII is turned on its crowned head as the dramatic stories of his six tumultuous marriages are told from the wives’ perspectives in Secret of the Six Wives. The three-part dramatic and historical series, co-produced by the BBC, premieres Sunday, January 22, 2017, at 10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings). It joins a full night of head-turning drama that evening that also includes the second season premiere of PBS’ original American drama Mercy Street at 8:00 p.m., followed by the second episode of “Victoria” on Masterpiece at 9:00 p.m.
- An entertaining journey through bands, songs and harmonies that evoke both days gone by as well as current hits, Street Light Harmonies is a new documentary that uncovers the definitive period of doo-wop music and the artists that defined it. Millions know the music but few know the artists and their history that laid the foundation for rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and built a bridge to the civil rights movement. Featuring commentary from Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Lance Bass (NSYNC), Brian McKnight, Jimmy Merchant (The Teenagers), La La Brooks (The Crystals), Charlie Thomas (Drifters), Al Jardine (Beach Boys) and more, Street Light Harmonies will be a combination of present-day interviews and archival footage. View the extended trailer now online.
- A new Smithsonian Channel four-part series provides an inside look into the men and women who re-invented the advertising industry from post-WWII America through the 1980s. Driven by memorable, classic ad campaigns, many of which are in the collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the series also features clips and interviews with the creators of the groundbreaking series Mad Men. The Real Mad Men of Advertising premieres Sunday, January 8th at 9:00.
- Prophets, spiritual enlightenment and the afterlife — they are mysteries as old as time. National Geographic and Revelations Entertainment seek clarity on some of humanity’s biggest questions in season two of the Emmy-nominated hit series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, premiering on Monday, Jan. 16, at 9:00. As host of the network’s most-watched series of all time, Freeman will again take viewers around the world on a quest for interfaith understanding and connectivity through the lens of the world’s major religions, science, anthropology and archaeology. The series, hailed as “fascinating” by the Wall Street Journal and “eye-opening” by MediaPost, will also air globally later this spring on National Geographic channels in 171 countries and in 45 languages, and in Spanish on Nat Geo MUNDO.
- It used to appear so simple for many of us: you were a boy or you were a girl. Girls wore pink, and boys wore blue; girls played with dolls, and boys played with trucks. Yet around the globe, these traditional notions of gender are changing rapidly, and labels are no longer so clear cut. National Geographic sets out to explore this evolving concept of gender through the lens of science, society and culture in the groundbreaking new two-hour documentary Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, premiering Monday, Feb. 6, at 9:00. Produced by Katie Couric Media with National Geographic Studios and World of Wonder Productions, the special will also air on National Geographic around the globe in 171 countries and in 45 languages.
- Turner's TNT has given a series greenlight to Claws, a midnight-dark, wickedly funny meditation on female badness set in a South Florida nail salon. Niecy Nash (Getting On, The Soul Man), Carrie Preston (True Blood), Harold Perrineau (Lost, OZ), Jenn Lyon (Justified), Judy Reyes (Scrubs), Jack Kesy (The Strain), Karrueche Tran (The Nice Guys), Kevin Rankin (Dallas Buyers Club, Friday Night Lights) and Jason Antoon (Famous in Love) star in the hour-long dramedy from executive producers Rashida Jones (Angie Tribeca, Toy Story 4, Celeste and Jesse Forever, A to Z,), Will McCormack (Toy Story 4, Celeste and Jesse Forever, A to Z) and < strong>J anine Sherman Barrois (ER, Criminal Minds), who also serves as showrunner. The pilot was written by series co-executive producer Eliot Laurence (Welcome to Me) and directed by Nicole Kassell (The Americans, The Leftovers). Claws is produced by Jones and McCormack's Le Train Train, in association with Warner Horizon Television and Turner's Studio T.
- In a deal with All3Media International, Hulu has acquired the U.S. rights to all episodes of hit series National Treasure, the ratings-winning drama produced by The Forge Entertainment for Channel 4. The first season of the series from Jack Thorne will debut in the U.S. as a Hulu Original on March 1, 2017.
After debuting on UK’s Channel 4 to strong ratings, National Treasure quickly became a must-see television event. Hulu’s audience will soon be able to experience the series in its entirety when all episodes land on the service under the Hulu Original slate.
- Turner's TBS ends an impressive and transformative year with renewals of all six of its 2016 scripted comedies. The network today announced 10-episode season 2 renewals of its two most recent critically acclaimed comedies, People of Earth and Search Party, which join the network’s previous 2016 renewals of Angie Tribeca, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Detour and Wrecked, in addition to comedy mainstays Conan and American Dad!
- An online petition at https://www.change.org/p/hillary-ms-clinton-release-your-electors-in-favor-of-mr-romney is calling for Ms. Clinton to release her electors in favor of Mr. Romney. “The only way Democrats stand any chance of persuading Republican electors to abandon Trump is with a dramatic gesture of true bipartisanship. If all 232 Democratic electors pledge to reach across the aisle and vote for a Republican alternative to Trump, it would take just 38 GOP electors to make that person the next president” wrote Michael F. Cannon of the CATO Institute in the Washington post.
Once Upon a Time: So Belle and Mr. Gold’s son grows up to kill Emma. Alrighty. How very Angel of a plot.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.
Shameless: So dos Micky not remember he has a kid? I was kind of disappointed that we did not get to see his reaction to the whole sisterwives situation his kid is growing up in. But I guess that relationship is already messed up without him popping up. He did not even run into Ian’s new trans flame. And oh wow, I am shocked Fiona sold the laundromat, she had plenty of reasons to give up on it and just take advantage of Edna, I’d figure she would keep it. Of course I have a feeling she is not going to like what her boss is going to do with the neighborhood. But the biggest shocker, Ian actually got in the van.
The Walking Dead: I did not dislike Negan while he was on screen for the first time ths season (and I hate in a hate to hate kind of way, not a love to hate kind of way; dude is seriously annoying and way too over the top), but I did laugh when he hit on the fat chick, got slapped by her and said that only made him fifty percent more attracted to her. Of course everything else about the episode mostly sucks. Seriously Carl, I know you are down to one eye, but how do you miss a guy standing right in front of you? I fear the second half of the season will be people trying to kill Negan and missing. Carl missed. Rosalita got her one bullet. Jesus is roaming around somewhere. You have to figure Rick and Dayrl are waiting for their chance. Hopefully the fat chick who was in charge of the arsenal will have a few hiding around and will be the one who does Negan in.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
The Affair: Wait, was that Brendon Frasier? Oh my, the last two decade have not been kind especially when you consider the new trailer for The Mummy reboot was released the same weekend with Frasier being replaced by Tom Cruise. And it was pretty obvious he would survive on account he is the main character, but c’mon, how does Noah survives an assault like that? Seriously who stabs someone in the neck and just leaves without making sure their mark is not dead?
:Good Behavior: Well that was interesting, did not see the parole officer go full heel. Is he going to join Letty and Javier’s gang now.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: So when did Adia replace May (and why is it may that always seems to get replace)? Was it when May was sent to retrieve May or was it sooner than that (come to think of it, May was unusually chippy early in the episode before she was sent to get Adia). Oh yeah, and why did she do it? But when it comes down to it, I am not sure Adia will make for a very interesting Big Bad for the second half of the season. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.
Hairspray Live: NBC really needed to step its live musical game up after Fox blew them out of the water with Grease Live. Unfortunately they decided on a lackluster musical that already got a big screen adaptation not too long ago and ended up the worst live musical yet. Sure NBC stole some Fox ideas that I have been suggesting from the beginning: a live audience and a curtain call. Expect the crowd was only there for the show inside the musical and all other scenes were completely quiet which actually made it weirder. Then the curtain call was a gratuitous excuse to highlight the two biggest names in the cast. But at least their next live musical is Bye Bye Birdie. Wait, it is going to be Bye Bye Birdie starring Jennifer Lopez? Meh. Wake me up when they get Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling to star in Guys and Dolls.
I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol, MVP: Sports Stars and Their Most Valuable Pets, Final Space, Bringing Up Bates, Growing Up McGhee, and Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour.
- This holiday season, Turner's TBS & TNT are going to turn the Christmas spirit on full blast with SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol, an all-new music special that puts a unique twist on the caroling tradition. The one-hour special – featuring such celebrity carolers as Conan O'Brien, Rashida Jones, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Jane Lynch, Ludacris, Kenny G, Tony Sirico, Vincent Curatola, Joseph Gannascoli, A$AP Ferg, Three Loco, Samantha Ronson, Alfonso Ribeiro, Fred Willard, T-Pain and many surprise appearances – is set to premiere on TBS on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 10:00. And the night before Christmas, Saturday, Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT), TBS & TNT will join forces for a simulcast of SURPRISE! Instant Xmas Carol. It will be followed by TBS & TNT's simulcast of the annual 24 Hours of A Christmas Story marathon, celebrating its 20th year as one of television's most enduring holiday traditions.
- Devoted sports fans can readily recall their favorite athlete’s bio and stats. They know that Serena Williams is a 22-time Grand Slam Champion and Olympic Gold medalist, and that Tim Tebow was the first college football sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy. But fewer people know about a MVP in their favorite athletes’ lives – their pets. In the fur-st ever MVP: Sports Stars and Their Most Valuable Pets, viewers will get to know the canine companions that brighten the lives of sports biggest stars, hear athletes discuss how their relationship with their dogs keep them in the game, and learn how these pups got their creative names. CBS Sports NFL Today Analyst Boomer Esiason hosts MVP: Sports Stars and Their Most Valuable Pets, CBS Special Airing Christmas Day at 4:00.
- Turner's TBS has greenlit the new animated series Final Space, an interstellar comedy created by independent filmmaker, actor, comedian and entrepreneur Olan Rogers. Slated to launch in 2018, Final Space is being produced by Conan O'Brien's Conaco and New Form, in association with Turner's Studio T. Rogers and creative partner David Sacks will write the episodes, executive-producing them along with O'Brien, David Kissinger, Larry Sullivan and Jeff Ross of Conaco and Kathleen Grace, Melissa Schneider and Matt Hoklotubbe of New Form. Part of TBS's continued push into animation, Final Space is a serialized intergalactic space saga about an astronaut named Gary and his adorable, planet-destroying friend, Mooncake. The series will follow their adventures as they embark on a quest to unlock the mystery of "Final Space," the place where the entire universe ends.
- UP TV, the entertainment destination that showcases stories about modern American families and the relationships that define them, announced this week that Bringing Up Bates season five will premiere Thursday, January 5 at 9:00 Joining the Thursday night lineup on UP will be the second season of Growing Up McGhee, premiering Thursday, January 12 at 9:30, following an all-new episode of Bringing Up Bates. UP has ordered 15 original episodes of Bringing Up Bates and ten original episodes of Growing Up McGhee.
- Madonna’s highly-anticipated concert film, Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour will premiere this Friday, December 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, on-air, on demand and over the internet. For the official trailer, go to: https://youtu.be/9bNbvu0A8WI. MADONNA: REBEL HEART TOUR was shot around the world and features a collection of live and behind these scenes footage culminating in performances at the Sydney Olympic Park in March of this year. The film is co-directed by Danny B. Tull and Nathan Rissman, both of whom have worked extensively with Madonna on her feature films and tour movies.
- President-Elect Trump announced his nomination of Linda McMahon to head the Small Business Administration (SBA), immediately raising eyebrows in the small business community. With a personal net worth of more than $500 million, Ms. McMahon is out of touch with the real small business owners she is tasked with assisting at the SBA. Having contributed at least $6.5 million to the President-Elect’s campaign and associated super PACS, and $5 million to the Trump Foundation, the selection of Ms. McMahon raises conflict of interest concerns that have become synonymous with Mr. Trump and his Cabinet nominations. It begs the question, how much does a Trump Cabinet position cost? For Linda McMahon, the position carries a $11.5 million price tag.
- You’ve probably heard: President-elect Donald Trump has a strong opinion about Boeing’s contract with the US government for an upgraded Air Force One. Here’s Boeing’s official statement regarding Air Force One.
Hulu is at a crossroads. It started out as a great way to catch up on last night’s television you missed with a few webseries quality shows, usually underwritten by a advertiser who put gratuitous product placements throughout. But it clearly became envious of Netflix and all its buzz and deep pockets. Hulu slowly started adding movies you have actually heard of and more credible original programming. It also started providing commercial free version and put most of the movies and original programming behind their paid wall.
They took a very huge step earlier this year eliminating their free tier leaving people like me who are not bothered by ads and primarily use Hulu for catch-up with the choice between ponying $7.99 a month (or an extra $4 to get rid of those pesky commercials) to continue using the service or go back to channel specific websites to catch up on what we missed last night. I chose the latter and really forgot how much I hate the other video players (especially ABC).
So now that you have to pay, Hulu really need to step its game up when it comes to original programming if it even want to get to Amazon Prime territory, let along Netflix. The Path was good but a little underwhelming and Casual was solid but will not be winning any awards or show up on anyone’s top ten lists. Hulu really stumbled out of the gate with their first post no free tier era with Chance which was met with a resounding meh. Personally I was not even able to make it through a full episode. And this is coming from someone who somehow watched every episode of Wicked City.
Now comes Shut Eye which seems like it want to be The Sopranos except instead of gangsters, the show focuses on psychics. And instead of seeing a therapist, the lead sees another type of head doctor after an angry boyfriend gives him a concussion after telling his girlfriend he was cheating on him. Oh, and we are led to believe this concussion may have also given him real psychic power that are triggered whenever he is around doughnuts.
Shut Eye stars Jeffery Donovan as the small time hustler who is looking for a big score after leaving Vegas and his cushy job as the guy who builds tricks from magicians. But in Los Angeles he has run into real gypsies who do not like people taking their business (Isabella Rossilini plays the matriarch) and expect their cut from any pretend psychic. Hey, selling $5,000 candles to simpletons can only get you so far.
So Donovan sees and opening when an obvious gangster (Dexter’s David Zayas) comes in seeing help for his kid with Asperger’s. Needless to say, when you get in bed with gangsters, bad things start happening. And there is the problem with Shut Eye, I actually had to put the phrase “needlessly to say” in a review. It is kind of easy to predict where the show is going from the opening scenes. And since the show is trying to be prestigious, the show is peppered with just enough gratuitous violence (someone gets dunked in a doughnut fryer), gratuitous sex (though not gratuitous enough because Emmanuelle Chriqui manages to stay pretty hidden during a lesbian sex scene in the first episode). And what want to be prestigious show be without a worthless teenage son who abuses drugs? Though it fell flat in places, The Path was a much more ambitious attempt for Hulu to get their named made. Shut Eye just seems to be recycling decade’s old attempts at making television.
All episode of Shut Eye are streaming now on Hulu starting today.
Shameless: I thought Monica revealing she was dying was going to be the big reveal of the episode (though I am not complete sold she is telling the truth, this is Shameless), then they end with Micky breaking out of prison. I wonder what will make him more upset, his ex-boyfriend hooking up with a dude without a manhood or his ex-wife shacking up with Vee and Kev.
The Walking Dead: Did we really need to devote a full extended episode to Tara? I completely forgot she even existed.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
Gotham: They could not get Michelle Pfeiffer to play Catwoman’s mother? Oh well. What exactly has she been up to? I cannot think of anything since the nineties. But where, and why, has momma been hiding all this time? But I guess Jim should find her hiding hole because he broke his bring Falcone’s son in alive promise. Oh well. Hopefully this ends the Mad Hatter storyline and we move onto something new. Oh, the return of Jerome is the something new? Meh. Can’t they just have Black Manta crawl out of the Gotham harbor?
You can download Gotham on iTunes.
Supergirl: So after promoting a big four night crossover for months, the Flash shows up for thirty seconds with some annoying hippie. I guess I should not complain since the other crappy CW superheroes did not ruin Supergirl worse than The CW already has this season. Seriously what was with Cyborg Superman’s silly Phantom of the Opera mask? He has this intimidating Terminator with half his face peeled off, yet he covers that up with something silly.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.
Lucifer: So we have known since early last season Chloe had some sort effect on Lucifer that made him more mortal, but never knew why… until now. So she was blessed by an angel before she was born. Why the angel picked an actress is still unknown, but it is a start.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.
:Good Behavior: The one thing I like about this show is that I am not entirely sure where it is going. I was disappointed with thinking that the show was going to be a procedural with Leddy and Javier conning and/or killing new people every week. Except they parted ways in episode three leaving me wondering here exactly the show was heading again. Although with that ending, should I worry it will turn into a procedural again or will there be another twist in an episode or two?
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: What a worthless gift, her, have some worst “advantage” ever in the history of the show, one that will guarantee you not to win and will likely be voted out next if you use it. Although I actually think the new owner is dumb enough to use it. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.
I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Nashville, Fitz and The Tantrums, Joshua Bell's Seasons of Cuba, Gutxi Bibang, L.E.J., Risky Drinking, A-Bombs over Nevada, Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story, FilmStruck, and The Alienist.
- Hulu is excited to announce that Nashville fans will get an early glimpse into the new season just in time for the holidays! The highly-anticipated season five of Nashville may officially launch on Hulu January 6th, but the first hour of the two-hour premiere will now be available to stream early on December 16th. Need a refresh? Hulu is also the exclusive destination for fans to catch up on all episodes of Nashville and relive their favorite moments of the series anytime, anywhere. Simply head to Hulu to stream seasons 1 - 4 of Nashville now.
- une in to the AUDIENCE Network concert special Fitz and The Tantrums airing Friday, December 2 at 9:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). On this episode, Fitz and The Tantrums' Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs sit down withhost Ted Stryker in Los Angeles foran in-depth interview spanning their musical history as well as the inspiration for group's latest self-titled studio album, out now via Elektra Records.
- The PBS ARTS Fall Festival continues with Joshua Bell's Seasons of Cuba, an event featuring renowned musicians from America and Cuba connecting cultures and artistry with beautiful music. The national air date for Joshua Bell's Seasons of Cuba is Friday, December 16 at 9:00, but we encourage you to check local listings as stations may be airing other special programming over the next several weeks.
- Gutxi Bibang is an unlikely candidate to carry the rock n’ roll torch, a second-generation African from the Basque region of northern Spain. He begins that journey today sharing the single "System Of A Gun" via French indie label OSKAR Recordings. His family emigrated to the tiny coast town of Algorta outside of Bilbao, but native son Gutxi Bibang has more in common with larger-than-life musical icons than he does his Basque countrymen. Even his unique moniker speaks of his cultural clash heritage – Gutxi, a common nickname in his Basque homeland, and Bibang, from his roots in Africa. With his distinctive manner and impeccable style, Gutxi Bibang exudes charisma - not just a reminder of when rock was a socio-cultural force for change in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but a glimpse into the music’s global future. System of a Gun has an attitude straight out of Gutxi’s primal influences, with lyrics wrenched from watching the evening news. “We deal with violence, poverty, unrest, racism and sexism in our music. We believe in the spirit of the ‘peace and love revolution.’”
- Today, classically-driven French pop trio L.E.J. [Elijay] release their very first holiday EP, Christmas Hors D’oeuvre [Republic Records], at all digital retailers. Get it HERE.
- Nearly one-third of adults in the U.S. engage in problem drinking at some point in their lives. Health professionals assess drinkers at risk on a spectrum ranging from low-risk to an alcohol use disorder that can range from mild to severe. This holiday season, HBO and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism present Risky Drinking, which challenges viewers to recognize when their drinking may be putting them at risk and offers information that could help millions of Americans lead healthier lives. The cautionary documentary debuts Monday, DEC. 19 (8:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
- In post-WWII America, the nuclear bomb was a national obsession. But in one corner of Nevada, it was a cottage industry, a daily entertainment and cultural phenomenon like no other. A new Smithsonian Channel hour-long special, A-Bombs over Nevada, uses remarkable contemporary footage to capture the extraordinary period in the 1950s and 60s when hundreds of atomic bombs were dropped over the Nevada Test Site. The race to create bigger and better bombs led scientists to push the limits and turned a sleepy desert town into a theater of the absurd. A-Bombs over Nevada premieres Monday, December 5th at 9:00 on Smithsonian Channel.
- Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story, a powerful documentary examining the cycle of domestic violence that plagued two-time NCAA Division I college football champion Lawrence Phillips and the personal demons that led to his death in January, will premiere on Friday, Dec. 16 at 9:00 on Showtime.
- FilmStruck, a new streaming movie service for film aficionados, is now available on Apple TV. FilmStruck offers the largest streaming library of contemporary and classic arthouse, indie, foreign and cult films and is the exclusive streaming home to the Criterion Collection. Film fans can now stream on Apple TV 4th generation devices as well as Amazon Fire TV, web, iOS and Android devices. FilmStruck can be accessed in the Apple App store, as well as online at FilmStruck.com and via Google Play for Android users.
- Daniel Brühl (Rush, Inglorious Bastards, Captain America: Civil War) and Luke Evans (The Girl on The Train, The Hobbit trilogy, Dracula Untold) have been cast in TNT's The Alienist, the eagerly anticipated series based on the Anthony Award-winning New York Times bestseller by Caleb Carr. Brühl will play forensic psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, while Evans will play reporter John Moore, who are both called upon to investigate a series of brutal murders in New York during the Gilded Age.
- Main Street business owners brace for the impact of President-Elect Trump’s latest cabinet nominee Steven Mnuchin, a Wall Street insider whose success has been built at the expense of small business owners and their communities. As one of the architects of the financial crisis, Mnuchin engaged in extractive business tactics that crippled the economy and forced countless small businesses to close their doors. After amassing a small fortune during his tenure with Goldman Sachs, Mnuchin led OneWest Financial, a predatory financial institution that had no significant branch presence in communities of color, rarely lent to small businesses, and has been accused of discriminatory lending practices. Given the very real challenges small business owners of color face in accessing and securing loans, it is profoundly disheartening that someone with Mnuchin’s track record would be offered this appointment. Mnuchin even managed to pocket more than $3 million from the Madoff-led Ponzi scheme that cost investors more than $65 billion.
One of the big advantage of cable shows (other than the lack of FCC regulation) is the shorten season. When you only have eight to thirteen episodes a year to fill than the network standard of twenty-two, you storyline can be more concise and can easily trim the fat. But for some reason, occasionally cable channels expand their shows episode number (okay, that reason is obviously money). The worst in memory was when Rescue Me went from thirteen to twenty-two one season and the show cratered creatively. It quickly went down to ten the next season.
So I am a little worried to hear History has boosted the number of Vikings episodes this season from ten to twenty. Okay, they did have a seven month break between episode ten and eleven. The voice over for the intro even says, “Last season on Vikings,” even though it is still technically still season four. But no matter how you cut it, there will be twenty episodes of the show that air over twelve months.
There was a very specific break in between blocks this season as the first half ended with Ragnor being humiliated in Paris only to desert his land. A teaser at the end of the last episode jumped ahead about a decade with a returning Ragnor placing his sword in the ground that as surrounded by a crows and shouted, “Who wants to be king?” Welcome back Ragnor.
The new half of the season starts with the same question that ended the last. Sorry to anyone hoping to learn what happed between Paris and the return, no flashbacks in the premiere? Instead we get reintroduced to Ragnor’s grown sons including Gimpy who has grown into a son that only Donald Trump could love. Seriously, that kid is all sorts of horrible even though he cannot use either of his legs but still manages to crawl everywhere to watch people have sex.
As you can expect from a half season that starts with a dude striking the ground with his sword, there is plenty of conflict this season. Ragnor wants to go back to England while in his absence, Bjorn has found a map of the Mediterranean with plenty of Roman outposts to plunder. Granted this path goes through France which means permission from Uncle Rollo. And while the guys are away, the women back home will play, and not nice as Lagertha seems to want her throne back. Here is hoping this is enough storyline to keep the show from dragging on now that it has doubled its yearly episode output.
Shameless: Oh Fiona, you really missed out on a great opportunity, a laundromat with a whirlpool and 4K Smart TV? That would have done great business.
The Walking Dead: It seemed obvious Maggie not dead, but why lie to Negan about it? Clearly he will find out sometime and it is a silly lie.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
Gotham: I cannot decide I like crazy Barbra or not. Clearly she is not a good actress, but still, sometime it is entertaining, other times it is annoying. Maybe the key would be to keep her to small doses. And just go ahead and reveal the comic book character she is portraying because I think most peole have figured that out by now.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.
Supergirl: Ugg, Supergirl should have just ley let Mon-El die, he is completely worthless anyway. And if it was not obvious before, it is now very clear Mon-El was brought in to be a love interest to Kara. Meh, they should have brought me on for that role. Sure Mon-El may be able to fly all through the night, but can he rock a party 'til the early light? Mon-El can't satisfy Kara with his little worm, but I can bust her out with my super sperm.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: Somehow Jay made it through two tribal without using his Idol or getting voted out (okay, one of them he had Immunity). And the second Tribal he could just sit back and laugh while stupid people drew rocks. I think you are better of switching your vote. You have a fifty-fifty chance one of you alliance is going home anyway and a one in six chance it is you. Flip and with nine people still in the game, there are plenty of chances of getting back into the game, draw the rock and you have no chance. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.
I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Snowpiercer, Lang Lang’s New York Rhapsody, Wild New Zealand, Twin Peaks, How the Universe Works, Anna of the North, Stephen Kijak's We Are X.
- TNT, a division of Turner, has ordered a pilot for Snowpiercer, a futuristic thriller based on the award-winning film by Bong Joon Ho. A co-production of Tomorrow Studios and Turner's Studio T, the hour-long drama pilot is being executive-produced by writer-showrunner Josh Friedman (Avatar 4, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Tomorrow Studios' Marty Adelstein (Aquarius, Prison Break, Teen Wolf) and Becky Clements (Good Behavior, Aquarius, Last Man Standing), and the original film’s Bong Joon Ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi, along with CJ Entertainment. Snowpiercer is set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, and the remnants of humanity inhabit a gigantic, perpetually moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are questioned in this riveting television adaptation.
- The PBS ARTS Fall Festival continues next Friday, November 25th at 9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) with Lang Lang’s New York Rhapsody, the internationally acclaimed pianist’s love letter to New York City, which he considers his adoptive home. Embracing a wide range of styles and voices to capture New York’s magic, this episode features music that helped make New York famous from Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Danny Elfman to Lou Reed, Alicia Keys, and Don Henley. Also included is a rare performance of the original 1924 jazz band arrangement of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
- Hidden away on the far side of the world is a spectacular wilderness. A place of fabled landscapes, bizarre creatures and unpredictable climates. New Zealand is the land that time forgot. Produced by BBC Earth. Wild New Zealand takes you on an adventure though this breathtaking land of searing mountainscapes, mysterious lakes and rivers, dramatic volcanic plateaus and vast open plains to discover some of the most incredible animals on the planet. See the wilds of New Zealand like you've never seen them before. Wild New Zealand is a three part special event that premieres Sunday, November 27, at 8, 9, and 10:00 as party as Destination Wild.
= Showtime is kicking off the holiday season by offering a new collection of over twenty-five Twin Peaks items, available for purchase online exclusively on SHO.com. The merchandise includes printed sweatshirts, blankets, tees, mugs, scarves, tote bags and more. A portion of the items will feature original artwork by TWIN PEAKS creator David Lynch. The Twin Peaks collection is available for purchase on store.sho.com/twinpeaks, with additional items to be added in the coming weeks. The new Twin Peaks will premiere in 2017 on Showtime.
- Science Channel continues to provide the most wide ranging and in-depth space programming available and announces today the return of the network’s blue-chip series HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS. The all-new season returns to ask all-new questions about how our universe was put together while revealing the inner workings of our planet, the solar system, the galaxies and the universe itself. How the Universe Works premieres Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 10:00.
- Coming December 26th during the holiday season, when many reflect on what they are most grateful for, HBO’s Every Brilliant Thing strikes a delicate balance between sobering loss and cathartic laughter. Adapting the hit off-Broadway one-character show of the same name written by Duncan Macmillan and starring British comedian Jonny Donahoe, this deeply affecting film recounts a life lived in the shadow of suicide. Emmy® winners Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (HBO’s “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” “Wishful Drinking”) produce and direct the heart-wrenching yet humorous presentation.
- Oslo based duo Anna of the North unveil the video for their single "Us" - a delicate and ethereal visual accompaniment to the song, which has been streamed over 3 million times on Spotify.
In the past couple years, networks have gotten creative rolling out new shown, but none was more bold when TBS debuted Angie Tribeca during a twenty-five hour commercial free marathon. The second season had a more traditional roll out, same for every new TBS show since. TBS has gotten creative again for their latest new show Search Party which premieres tonight with back to back episodes at 11:00. And then will premiere two new episodes every night this week (yes even Thanksgivings night; a marathon of the first four episode preceding it) with the final two episodes this season airing Friday.
It is probably for the best that they are airing Search Party over a short period of time because it feels more like a very long indie movie instead of an episodic series. The show focuses on a group of self-absolved millennials, one of which Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) who becomes obsessed when a college acquaintance goes missing and is presumed dead while the other placate her new obsession.
Search Party is listed as a “dark comedy” but is pretty lite on the second half. Ironically the hardest I laughed all season was at the conclusion of the mystery in the season finale which may leave more people upset rather than in a laughing mood. But the adventure in the show is the mystery and the long line of interesting characters we meet why trying to find Shantel Witherbottom (yes that is the missing girl’s name) including a crazy real estate agent, an Inappropriate a capella group, a weird fetish model, a cult, and a shady zookeeper.
Search Party airs at 11:00 every night this week with back to back episodes on TBS.
Shameless: I figured Fiona would rip up the check, but I thought she would use that money to fix up the place and let the cat lady think she already paid for it. That 50k could have replaced enough washers to make a good start for the business. But why deposit the check into her account later? That could end badly unless she can get the cat lady to buy the new washers.
The Walking Dead: Wait, did we know that Rick’s kid is not really his kid? If so I missed that. I also missed what was going on with Maggie? It seemed like they implied to Negan she was dead, but clearly she is not. But where can she possibly be where Negan will not find her? Speaking of Negan, I am already out on him and his overacting. Every time I hear him say Rick, I think of the annoying SNL skit where Amy Poehler annoyed her stepfather Rick (played by Horatio Sanz).
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
Masters of Sex: I have gotten gay vibes from Art from the beginning, apparently so did Bob. So I was a bit surprised when Art did not reciprocate. And what a way to start a marriage with a little deception because it was pretty clear Ginny called the reporters to their wedding. Should be interesting how that affects their marriage next season. It will also be interesting to see what happens to Libby. I just hope this does not turn into a Betty Draper situation where she is just a complete drag everytime she is on screen after the divorce.
Supergirl: Oh man, that was cold, Alex goes gay for hot lady cop and hot lady cop just shuts her down, Maybe Maxwell Lord is still lurking if she wants to go back to guys. Actually what happened to Maxwell Lord? He was on this big anti-alien crusade and just stops in between season? Maybe he went on the same sabbatical as Cat.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.
Timeless: One thing I noticed during there scene together was that either Flynn is really tall or Wyatt is really short.
You can download Timeless on iTunes.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: Ballsy move knowing you are being targeted and not play your Idol. Of course when you are in overwhelming minority, maybe it is a good risk, now that buys you an extra week to hope the majority alliance implodes. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes.
Blindplot: Poor Chrissy Seaver, her first boyfriend on the show was murdered basically because she let him study a tattoo. Then her next one turned out to be a mole for the group she is investigating and either ended up shooting him or was shot by him (obviously the former, whenever they do they who got shot cliffhanger, it is always the bad guy). And now that Roman has had his memory wiped, hopefully he becomes more interesting now because he has been a bit of a bore up to now.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.
As Showtime usually does with many of its shows, they premiered the first episode of The Affair new season early through various outlets. If you have not seen it yet, be warned I am going to spoil it because something huge happens at the end that I do not want to be vague about it, so head to your On Demand station or Showtime Anytime pass to watch it now. I will be vague about the other episodes I have seen. You have been warned.
At the surface, you would think The Affair was some intense family drama, but it was sneakily a murder mystery too as we learned early in the series that one of the characters was murdered. We finally learned last season that it was in fact Helen that ran over Scott Lockhart but Noah actually stood up in court and took the rap for his ex-wife. The new season picks up three years later, because apparently vehicular manslaughter is not a very serious crime in New York State. There is still the multiple act structure, but just like in the second season, it looks like some episodes, one person’s POV will take up the entire hour.
With that murder now solved, they replaced with another mystery, who stabbed Noah (I will no spoil whether he survived the attack yet, on account I do not know if he did or not yet). And what a bizarre scene, Noah clearly knew someone was there but does not turn around. And what kind of attacker just stabs once and leaves not making sure they got the job done? Of course the potential killer list is very long with all the Lockhart’s, really all of Montauk, he son was very cold at the funeral, and the eldest daughter did not even bother to show up.
I believe last season, the first couple episodes were solo perspective episodes, but in the early episodes of season three, Noah I the only one who gets a full hour to himself. The second episode gets split between Helen and Allison split time. Although this is a split from previous seasons because the two never cross paths in each other act, but we do get to see Helen’s visit to the prison from her perspective. And much like last season which saw the addition of the perspectives of Helen and Cole, this season we get the point of view of Juliette, a French Lit professor Noah meets in the first episode and we get to see the dinner party he attends (Haddie Braverman also is there as a student of both Juliette and Noah's) from her perspective in episode three.
Hopefully this opens up the show even more as the two person point of view got stale pretty quickly in season one as you were confined to following just two characters around. Even upping that to four got tedious at the end of season for. Maybe everyone is a possibly this season. I would wager a guess that Cole’s bride will get an act or two. But really, I just hope the bratty daughter gets her own episode. C’mon, who would not want to see how she ended up in a hot tub with her father last season? And this season is even better now she is dating an erotic photographer who calls himself Furkat who livens up the episode where Helen comes to visit. Actually I am now kind of hoping for a Furkat perspective episode.
I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, Homeland, Bon Jovi, Every Brilliant Thing, 50 Years With Peter Paul and Mary, Hockney, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and Rate My Media.
- This is a reminder that the PBS ARTS Fall Festival continues this Friday, November 18th at 9:00 (check local listings) with Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, the Tony Award-winning star’s critically acclaimed cabaret show dubbed “an emotional firestorm” by The New York Times. In a special that gives PBS audiences a front row seat at “Club Cumming”, the cabaret setting for the star’s personal and intimate performance, Cumming performs songs that mark poignant moments in his life that were originally written or made famous by artists like Annie Lennox (“Why”), Rufus Wainwright (“Dinner at Eight”), Keane (“Somewhere Only We Know”), Billy Joel (“Goodnight Saigon”), a medley of hits by Adele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry title “Someone like the Edge of Firework” and more.
- Showtime has released the new poster art and a behind the scenes look at season six of its Emmy and Golden Globe-winning hit drama series Homeland, which will premiere on Sunday, January 15 at 9:00. Season six returns to U.S. soil after spending the last two seasons shooting abroad in South Africa and Berlin. This season focuses on the aftermath of a U.S. presidential election and the transition between election day and the inauguration for a female president-elect, played by acclaimed stage and screen actress Elizabeth Marvel. Currently in production in New York, HOMELAND stars Emmy, Screen Actors Guild® and Golden Globe Award winner Claire Danes, Emmy nominee Rupert Friend, Elizabeth Marvel, Oscar® winner and Emmy nominee F. Murray Abraham, and Emmy and Tony® Award winner Mandy Patinkin.
- With over 130 million albums sold, an extensive catalog of hit anthems, and nearly 3000 concerts performed in 50 countries for over 35 million fans, Bon Jovi is simply one of the world’s most successful bands, ever. As their new album, This House Is Not For Sale, debuts at #1 in the US, Australia and Japan and in the Top 5 in 54 other countries, Island/UMe announces that a comprehensive vinyl box set of 25-LPs, entitled Bon Jovi: The Albums, will be released in February 2017. It will include all Bon Jovi albums and additional titles (as outlined below) for premium collectors. The box set release will coincide with the kick-off of the band’s This House Is Not For Sale Tour in North America.
- Coming December 26th during the holiday season, when many reflect on what they are most grateful for, HBO’s Every Brilliant Thing strikes a delicate balance between sobering loss and cathartic laughter. Adapting the hit off-Broadway one-character show of the same name written by Duncan Macmillan and starring British comedian Jonny Donahoe, this deeply affecting film recounts a life lived in the shadow of suicide. Emmy® winners Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (HBO’s “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” “Wishful Drinking”) produce and direct the heart-wrenching yet humorous presentation.
- 50 Years With Peter Paul and Mary is a new documentary by four-time Emmy Award-winning producer/ director Jim Brown that focuses on portions of the trio's career not included in previously aired PBS specials. This program features rare and previously unseen television footage including a BBC program from the early 1960s that embodies many of the trio's best performances and most popular songs. This is Peter Paul and Mary at the peak of their artistry, a time when this popular and influential trio dominated the Billboard music charts. 50 Years With Peter Paul and Mary will be available on DVD and select video on-demand platforms on December 9th.
- Hockney, the definitive two-hour documentary on one of the most significant artists of our time, gets its world television premiere on Smithsonian Channel, Monday, December 12 at 8:00. For the first time David Hockney has given access to his personal archive of photographs and films, and the result is an unparalleled visual diary of an unconventional artist who is now reaching new peaks of popularity worldwide.
- TBS's Emmy®-nominated, award-winning late-night show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee has been renewed for a second season starting in 2017. Hailed by The New Yorker as "America’s new Comedian-in-Chief," Samantha Bee will continue her weekly series for another year following her bare-knuckled coverage of the 2016 Presidential election. The show, which is executive-produced by Bee, Jason Jones, Jo Miller, Miles Kahn and Tony Hernandez, currently airs Mondays at 10:30. In 2017, it will move to a new timeslot, Wednesdays at 10:30, starting Jan. 11.
- Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, president-elect Donald J. Trump utilized fear-inducing rhetoric to forge a platform for his candidacy. While it ultimately led him to victory, these tactics left the nation, especially children, emotionally distressed over fears of terrorism, crime, sexism, racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and mass deportations. Now, as thousands of Americans take to the streets in protest of Trump and over 200 reported incidents of related harassment and intimidation occurring since the election concluded, few can argue against the existence of the “Trump Effect.” For disenfranchised Americans seeking a voice and a platform to combat the Trump Effect – as well as fake news, a first-of-its-kind web app, Rate My Media, is providing empowerment.
I was a bit surprised to learn The Librarians are just on their third season, it seems like it has been on for much longer than that. I guess maybe the movies makes the series seem older than it really is. Like it has been the last two winters, The Librarians is a fun and silly diversion while other more serious shows go on a winter hiatus.
This season it looks like the team will be attacked on two fronts, one from a familiar mystical threat, this time in the form of the Egyptian God of Chaos who looks to unlock pure evil. But new this season is the new government agency with the normal jumbled governmental words of the Department of Statistical Anomalies headed by Vanessa Williams. The Librarians may not be reinventing television, but it remains cheesy fun that will keep your television glowing warmth while you wait for your shows to slowly return after the holidays.
