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 SMILF, Castle Rock, Scared Famous, Shut Eye, Street Science, Marvel’s Runaways, I Love You, America, and Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film.
- Showtime has released the trailer for the upcoming comedy series SMILF, created, starring and executive produced by Frankie Shaw and based on her Sundance Film Festival Jury Award-winning short film of the same name. Shaw also wrote the pilot. The new eight-episode, half-hour SHOWTIME comedy is a raw, honest look at the life of a 20-something single mom from quadruple threat Shaw. SMILF will premiere on Sunday, November 5 at 10:00, following the 9:00 season eight premiere of the Showtime hit series Shameless.
- A psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse, Castle Rock combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King's best-loved works, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light, played out on a few square miles of Maine woodland. The series stars André Holland, Melanie Lynskey, Sissy Spacek, Billy Skarsgård, Jane Levy and Scott Glenn.
- VH1’s new competition series Scared Famous, featuring Redman as the “Master of Scare-a-Monies,” premieres Monday, October 23rd at 9:00. Please click to see the supertrailer…if you dare.
- Check out the official teaser trailer for Hulu's upcoming second season of Shut Eye starring Jeffrey Donovan, KaDee Strickland, Isabella Rossellini and Angus Sampson. All episodes premiere Wednesday, Dec. 6 only on Hulu.
- Kevin Delaney, known to millions as the science expert on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, is back to build, execute, and nail the science behind larger-than-life experiments when a new season of Science Channel’s Street Science returns. Combining scientific method with humor and curiosity, Kevin brings mind-blowing experiments out of the lab and onto the streets to show how relevant science is to our everyday lives. The second season of Street Science, comprised of 14 half-hour episodes, begins on Wednesday, November 15 at 10:00.
- Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? Marvel’s Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe – their parents. The 10-episode series premieres Tuesday, November 21st.
- From inciting treason to telling poop jokes, Sarah Silverman has created her fair share of online chatter. With I Love You, America, she's looking to connect with people who may not agree with her personal opinions through honesty, humor,genuine interest in others, and not taking herself too seriously. While it's great to connect with like-minded people, Silverman feels it's crucial, now more than ever, to connect with un-like-minded people. I Love You, America comes to Hulu from Funny or Die and is executive produced by Sarah Silverman, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Amy Zvi, Gavin Purcell and Joe Farrell.
- niversal Music Enterprises is set to release, for the first time, a double-vinyl LP edition of Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann’s Film, the 2001 soundtrack which accompanied the release of his acclaimed motion picture on October 6th. In addition to its standard black-vinyl release, the anniversary LP will also be released in a limited colored-vinyl edition that will be available exclusively through the online retailer, uDiscover.
One quote about television that has really stuck with me was an interview with the creators of Homeland when asked about why they packed five to ten season finale type reveals into the first season and they said (and I am probably poorly paraphrasing) audiences are too smart these days, you can no longer shock them with what happens, you can only shock them with when you do them. And that is true with most shows these days which you can tell exactly what is going to happen in the season finale from what happens in the season premiere.
One of the rare exceptions was the first season of Good Behavior. I remember really liking the first episode but did not care for what I thought was going to be the set up for the rest of the season. Except they wrapped that up storyline in two episodes and kept playing with my expectations and surprising me with where the plot was going all the way to the finale which saw Letty sell out Javier to get her child back and then double-cross the FBI and leave town with her son and Javier.
As exhilarating the first season was, I have to admit that I was not as entertained with the first couple episodes of season two. Of course suburban bliss is never that entertaining even if both Javier and Letty quickly go back to old habits with varying results. Really the only thing that kept me away in those first two episodes was the presence of a nosy neighbor and the occasional appearance of Letty’s step-father who stole every season. Then Letty shows up for Christmas in the third episode and things get interesting.
Obviously I cannot say what happens but it may be the biggest twist to date. Granted the twist in episode four kind of dampens my enthusiasm. But still, much like the first season which may not have been perfect, I am still very intrigued to see when the rest of the season goes.
Saturday Night Live really needed Jay Pharoah. The late night show which relayed more and more heavily on political sketches as the show aged, had one lone black man at the time, and let’s say Kennan Thompson had a hamburger or a hundred too many to play Barack Obama, instead for three years Venezuelan/German/Korean actor Fred Armisen. And really, the best presidential sketch of his tenure was The Rock Obama when the Polynesian/Black wrestler took turns pretending to be the Commander in Chief. Pharaoh’s Obama actually looked and sounded like the president even though it took two years being in the cast to take over the role.
But the thing is, other than that, it is hard to think of another Pharoah sketch. Um, there were those horrible middle school dances where he played the principle. So when Barack got the boot, so did Jay. Though there are not many of them, black SNL cast members go into categories, the eventual superstars (Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock) and the ones who stay so long because they know there is nowhere else out there for them but bit roles (both Tim Meadows and Keanan Thompson have been in alumni monologue thanking them to come back for their triumphant hosting return only for the black guy sheepishly saying they are still in the cast).
For his first post-SNL gig, Pharoah teamed with another underutilized member of a sketch comedy show who himself who went into superstardom: Jamie Foxx who started on Fox’s In Living Color and was last seen on Fox’s Beat Shazam. The reason the game show was able to land an Oscar winner was because Foxx produced the show. Foxx is also the producer of White Famous based loosely on his life and makes a cameo in the premiere lampooning getting his start wearing dresses which his stand in Pharoah wants no part of.
The first episode is funny. Showtime has already released it so you can check it out at your lesure if you do not want to wait until it official airs this Sunday. Pharoah’s agent Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect) steals the show as an Indian Ari Gold doing whatever he can do to make Pharoah white famous even though the stand-up is content telling jokes on stage. Plus he want to stay close to his baby, and maybe even more so with his estranged baby mama Cleopatra Coleman (Step Up Revolution).
But as funny as that first episode is, I am a bit more dubious of the second episode when Michael Rapaport, who even managed to ruin my enjoyment of Justified, shows up as a director interested in casting. Future enjoyment of the show may hinge on just how long Rapaport sticks around. But at least Raylan Givins baby mama shows up in episode three as his agent's rival / former boss.
White Famous premieres Sunday at 10:00 on Showtime and moves to 10:30 November 5.
When HAIM released their last video I said they should never not dance in their music videos, though country line dancing was not really what I had in mind.
Killer llamas may have been more entertaining if it was not in super slow motion. And it was not until the end before I realize, didn’t Kanye West do this already but with a hot model and not farm animals? Is Fall Out Boy really parodying a decade old Kanye West video I barely remember?
There was no pre-ad roll before I watched this Lady Antebellum video on YouTube. I bring this up because about ten seconds in I was looking for the Skip This button because that opening was mostly boring. And really, the video’s plot did not make much sense. Unless it continues but I hate music videos that are to be continued.
Ray Donovan: Well that was harsh Abby, going without even telling your husband goodbye. I am not sure that was because it is easier and he could not talk him out of it or payback for all the infidelity (including the new hot actress while she was sick). And it seems weird to do long concluding flashback with four episodes left. Is there going to be more flashbacks because any more would seem anticlimactic now that Abby is dead and after that really graphic brawl. And they spent so much time with Abby in the flashbacks; it never really occurred to me that Avi also had a backstory to tell. So now we know why Avi was mostly missing for most of the season, he was back in New York arrested on heroin charges.
Lucifer: Wow, Superman got really old. But Lucifer has been redeemed? Alrighty. I am guessing the new bad guy will be his mom who did not stay in her new universe.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.
The Gifted: In the ad before the show when they announced this show was part of The X-Men Cinematic Universe I thought, oh I have not seen the last couple movies. Days of Future Past being the last. But the problem with those films is they are all jumbled. The first three were linear, but then they did a Wolverine origin movie which was universally panned which I think is no longer cannon. Then they did two more Wolverine movies that took place in varying timelines. The First Class was in the eighties. Then Days of Future Past started in an alternative timeline flashbacked to the First Class timeline, and then created a new timeline… I think. So I have no idea where this show fits in. Making things worse is Blink is in both the movies and the television show but seem like two different entities. But I was mostly meh on the first episode, the main family cannot act besides the mother which is very distracting. But on the bright side, their powers are much less lame than those of the Inhumans.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World: This show was much better when it was called Joan of Arcadia. Put Kevin in a wheelchair and fing Amber Tamblyn and it may be watchable.
You can download Kevin (Probably) Saves the World on iTunes.
The Challenge: Dirty 30: Interesting that after springing returning players on them twice, TJ just confirmed the next batch is going to the Redemption House. Should be interesting who gets the boot next week with the winning team made up of mostly outcasts. Do they go big and target Johnny Bananas and CT or go more conservative and give Hunter the instant boot. As for females, Camilla seems like a lock to be one of the two picked, but who is the other? Again, do you go big with Cara Maria or target the newbie with Tori. I really hope they go with the bold moves but The Challenge players always seem conservative.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.
Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: Ugg, why do the most annoying players always find the Hidden Immunity Idols? I guess you have to be shady to actually go look for it. I am surprised no one has used the, “we should go look for it as a group” way around looking selfish going after it yourself. Although the financial analyst came up with an idea I would have never thought of: holding onto the Super Idol to see if she can use it to make people think she has a regular Idol.
You can download Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on iTunes.
The Good Place: Mmmm, Michael says he can get everyone to the real Good Place. Sound like a bluff to me but working with him would be better than going to the real Bad Place. But do they need Michael? If Janet can take them to the Medium Place, why can she not take them to Good Place? I just hope we get more of Real Eleanor’s fake Good Place next week. Really that could be the rest of the season as they work a way to get to the real Good Place.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.
Gotham: Wait, is Jim really going to hook up with Falcone’s daughter? I have a feeling right when that is about to happen Leigh is going to show back up. Then Barbara and Ra’s Al Ghul? Interesting. They have been teasing Barbara as Harley Quinn for a while now, but maybe she is going to end up being Talia’s mother. Or they are just subbing in Ra’s for The Joker in Harley’s backstory.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.
Once Upon a Time: The show had gotten really bad in recent years, but somehow the hard reboot was worse. I do not even know where to start.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.
Marvel’s Inhumans: I complained about the cheesy powers last week (I still am not entirely sure what the princess’s powers are), but they finally introduced an Inhuman this week with cool powers. Sure those powers were the exact same as Cyclops from the X-Men. Marvel's Inhumans 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 Future Man, Johnny Cash, Elton John, Seal, Belly, new Hulu acquisitions, Ill Behaviour, Secrets of the Underground, No Bombings in Beirut, What on Earth?, Black Sabbath: The End of the End, Entre Nos: Part 1, and Let’s Make a Deal.
- Check out the official trailer for Hulu's upcoming comedy series Future Man starring Josh Hutcherson! All episodes premiere Tuesday, Nov. 14 only on Hulu. Thank you!
- In the last decade of a career that spanned half a century, Johnny Cash capped off his musical legend with a breathtaking final act, recording a series of raw, stripped-down albums with producer Rick Rubin. Those albums reestablished Cash as a vital artist, while adding a remarkable closing chapter to his incredible body of work. Available November 3, the Unearthed vinyl box features a pair of cloth-bound books housed in an LP-sized black cloth slipcase. One book holds the nine LPs, while the other is a gorgeous 60-page coffee table book that incorporates Sylvie Simmons' extensive liner notes, drawn from five days of interviews at Cash's home in Tennessee, as well as Cash and Rubin's comments on every song on the set, plus a copious selection of photographs from the recording sessions, including some of the last photos ever taken of Cash. Preorder Unearthed now.
- Elton John today announces the forthcoming release of ‘Diamonds.’ Released on November 10th through UMe, ‘Diamonds’ is the ultimate greatest hits collection from Elton John and will be available on 1CD, 2CD, 3CD limited edition boxset, 2LP heavy-weight gatefold vinyl and digital formats. Kicking off with the ever-stunning ‘Your Song,’ this definitive collection brings together all the landmark hits of one of the greatest song books of all time, including ‘Tiny Dancer,’ ‘Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time),’ ‘Candle In The Wind,’ ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,’ ‘Sacrifice,’ ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight.’
- Today, British soul legend Seal releases new song “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” from upcoming album Standards available November 10 via Republic Records. An artist who’s been at the top of his game throughout his 30-year career, Seal’s 10th studio album breathes life into iconic hits, paying tribute to legends including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Listen to “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” HERE.
- 90's alt-rock group Belly are back - hitting the studio for the first time in more than twenty years for their third album, NameTBD. Through their exclusive PledgeMusic pre-order campaign, launching today, the beloved band is inviting fans to take part in their creative process with sneak peeks into the studio, limited-edition merchandise, special experiences, and much more. Fans can pre-order the album in digital, CD, or vinyl form now on Belly's campaign page. The leaders in direct-to-fan platforms, PledgeMusic allows artists to get more personal with their fans, offering pledgers behind-the-scenes content and items not available anywhere else.
- Hulu announced a new agreement with the Disney-ABC Television Group for the exclusive U.S. subscription video-on-demand rights to all episodes of iconic sitcoms Boy Meets World, Home Improvement and Dinosaurs. The deal will mark the long-awaited SVOD debut of the complete libraries of hit series Boy Meets World and Home Improvement. In addition, all episodes of fan favorite Dinosaurs, from The Jim Henson Company, will also become available to stream in SVOD exclusively on Hulu. All titles will begin streaming on Hulu September 29th. The series will join hundreds of episodes of previously announced hit shows from America’s favorite Friday night lineup from the 1990s on Hulu – including Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, Perfect Strangers and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper – and the agreement will make Hulu the exclusive subscription streaming home to the largest collection of series from the original “TGIF” lineup with the addition of Boy Meets World and Dinosaurs. All series launch exclusively on the service beginning September 29th, just in time for the 30th Anniversary of Full House and the 25th Anniversary of Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper.
- Showtime has acquired the BBC series Ill Behaviour, a six-part comedy thriller about the boundaries of friendship and the lengths taken to preserve it. Starring Chris Geere (You’re the Worst), Lizzy Caplan (MASTERS OF SEX) and Tom Riley (DaVinci’s Demons), Ill Behaviour focuses on Joel (Geere) who uses any methods, conventional or otherwise, to save Charlie (Riley) when Charlie announces that he is abandoning chemotherapy treatment for his cancer. Written by Sam Bain (Peep Show) and directed by Steve Bendelack (Friday Night Dinner), Ill Behaviour makes its Showtime debut on Monday, November 13 at 10:30.
- Using cutting-edge technology to investigate and uncover the world’s most fascinating subterranean mysteries, the Science Channel series Secrets of the Underground, is set to return for a second season. Explorer, adventurer biologist and tech fanatic Rob Nelson and his new co-host, geophysicist Stefan Burns, will dig deep into some of the world’s most notorious underground legends including the long-rumored Nazi Gold Train, America’s Atlantis, the Lost Temple of Jerusalem, Nikola Tesla’s buried master plans, and more. The new season, featuring eight one-hour episodes, premieres Saturday, October 28 at 10:00.
- From the man who pioneered stand-up comedy in the Middle East, Nemr: No Bombings in Beirut is a unique comedy event like no other, premiering Saturday, October 7 at 11:00 on Showtime. Filmed both in Lebanon and in the United States, No Bombings in Beirut is an hour of uproarious comedy that will leave viewers inspired as they witness the refreshing reality of a world they were told never existed. Journeying from his early days in the U.S. to his later years in Lebanon, Nemr touches on childhood, family, relationships, religion, war and the power of perspective while being able to laugh at our shared experiences. As Nemr explains, “We are at our finest when our paths cross.”
- Thousands of satellites orbit Earth, capturing images of our planet in unprecedented detail and revealing areas that have, until now, remained a mystery. These images, used by platforms like Google Earth, have uncovered baffling new structures and phenomena, many of which defy explanation. Science Channel’s top rated series What on Earth? uses state-of-the-art imaging technology, expert analysis from leading scientists, and hands-on investigation to search for answers to these mysteries. What on Earth? returns for its fourth season on Tuesday, October 17th at 9:00.
- Showtime will air Black Sabbath: The End of the End, a film showcasing Black Sabbath’s final concert, making its world television premiere Saturday, October 28 at 9:00. Black Sabbath: The End of the End captures the farewell performance by the Grammy®-winning band’s Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler in their hometown of Birmingham, England on February 4 at the Genting Arena – the culmination of their 81-date sold-out “The End” world tour.
- Riding on the success of Entre Nos: Part 1, comedians Vladimir Caamaño, Frankie Quiñones and Shayla Rivera will take the stage in the 30-minute stand-up comedy show Entre Nos: Part 2 when it premieres on Friday, October 13th at 9:30 exclusively on HBO LATINO®. In the hilarious English-Language special, the three comedians are joined by host and comedian Ben Gonzalez at Los Angeles’ El Portal Theatre for a laugh-out-loud night of stand-up. Directed by Joke Yanes and Adolfo Nowake, Entre Nos: Part 2 will air across all of the channel’s platforms including HBO NOW®, HBO GO®, HBO On Demand® and affiliate portals.
- GSN announced earlier it will celebrate the work of TV icon Monty Hall with a 6-hour marathon of Let’s Make a Deal on Sunday, October 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET.
The last time U2 walked around the city streets of an American city, I Still Havn’t Found What I’m Looking For in Las Vegas, that felt epic. Three decades later, walking around the streets of New York City just seems mostly boring.
Selfish Love – Jessie Ware
I really dig this song by Jessie Ware, it gives me a very early Sade vibe to it.
Should I know who Ellia Sophia or JD Wilkes is? She kind of looks like Lili Simmons while he looks like Cochran from Survivor. Otherwise I am not sure while either gets a “starring” credit in ta Dan Auerbach music video.
Lift – Radiohead
Lift is off Radiohead’s OK Computer rerelease and the video feels like something out of the ninties (right down to the rectangular screen.
Ray Donovan: Oh Darryl, you clearly are the dumbest Donovan. I take it Micky s going to put the body with the dead sensei in what may turn out to be Dexter situation. Those Donovan’s do like to take down west coast FBI heads. I wonder when they take on the overall head. Although I guess the current head is busy with the president doing illegal and crazy things. Then we got a big bombshell in the Abbie situation, she actually committed suicide because of the pain and for a brief second we were lead to believe Bridget provided the drugs, instead Terry admitted he was the one. And not surprisingly Ray punched him out.
The Challenge: Dirty 30: People falling from high heights is never not entertaining. But why were there so many shocked people at the end when we learn Nelson was not coming back. Dude punched Derek (and then bizarrely said check the tapes claiming Derrek approached him first which clearly did not happen). What I was shocked was TJ asking CT who he was picking to go into elimination. And then they ended the show before he answered. I hate when they do that. I do fear that they will go through the vote, maybe even the Double Cross before saying, “just kidding, no guy elimination because of Nelson.”
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.
Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: The Idol Train last season was one of the worst moments in the history of the show. Just not according to Jeff Probst who spent the summer telling people how much he loved it. He was either lying or all the criticism got to him because, yeah, we got an advantage right out the gate, but it was not the silly Legacy Advantage, it was a first Tribal only Super Idol. And if the finder does not go to the first Tribal, they can pass it to someone who does. When turtleneck nerd was safe, puking chick seemed obvious.
What was also obvious was with an ad right before Tribal, something big was going to happen. Whenever that occurs, someone quits, gets medically removed, or last season, the Zeke outing Tribal. Except puking chick ended up voted with the majority to get rid of who looked to be her only real ally. Either a stupid move or the editors did some very fishy editing to completely throw the viewer off the scent, something that happened way too many times last season too. Kind of an ominous start to the season for me.
You can download Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on iTunesr.
The Blacklist: Wait, to rebuild his evil empire, Red has employed two carneys? And why not take down the racist drug cartel and take their money? Or are they saving that for later in the season. But I have to admit, I like the bare bones version of Red’s operation. I hope it takes a while for him to rebuild his empire.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.
The Good Place: Please let us get a full episode of Real Eleanor’s version and not have it be just part of a montage like this week. If we are lucky, the rest of the season will be the foursome and Michael teaming up against the Real Eleanor. I was a little disappointed that the version with Eleanor’s soulmate being Tahani and a Golden Retriever were just part of the montage. Those could have been full episodes in themselves too.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.
Gotham: I thought they were holding Barbara back last week because there was going to be some big return. Nope, it turns out after being electrocuted all she has been doing is stockpiling weapons and the only lasting change was a new unflattering hairstyle. I thought for sure she would rise like a phoenix out of the electrocution as something else, like Harley Quinn whom they have been teasing ever since Barbara was kidnapped a few seasons ago. Even more disappointing the lady villains would not let Poison Ivy play in their reindeer games; she was the most entertaining part of the second part of last season. Hopefully they find her something to do.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.
Marvel’s Inhumans: Very few things live up to the hype these days, and on the flip side, things tend not to be as bad as people say because they tend to just be piling on. Inhumans is one of the rare exceptions. Boy, was that a flaming pile of dog shirt. First off, the Royal Family has to have some of the lamest superpowers ever. The king can kill with his voice so he just does not talk. Instead he does a moron’s version of ASL. Then his wife, Medusa, can kill you with her hair which is a way too on the nose name. I guess it could be worse, since she had her hair cut off, they could have named her Samson. She has a hot sister, but they ruin her hair with weird symbols in it. I am not entirely sure what is up with her powers other than it looks like she can shoot something out of her fingers. More confusing was the Asian dude. He can turn back time? Then the head of the Royal Guard, who did not know his subordinates were part of a coup, just has hooves for feet. Even worse is the little brother who has nothing and is basically just Loki in a story we have seen before, done better with a bigger budget. Marvel was doing really well with their shows, SHIELD was improving, Daredevil and Luke Cage were solid, Jessica Jones was great, but since then Iron Fist was bad and Inhumans looks to be worth, and next month’s Runaways does not have a strong start either. Hopefully Squirrel Girl can save Marvel television shows. Marvel's Inhumans 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 Islands and the Whales, Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild, Drop the Mic, The Librarians, Hulu, Blood Ivory, Air Disasters, The President Is Missing, The Affair.
- The Faroe Islands are where the North Atlantic meets the Norwegian Sea, found on a map in a triangle between Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Norway. It is there, among the eighteen rocky and majestic islands formed by volcanoes and oceans, that this visually stunning and evocative documentary The Islands and the Whales takes place. And it is there that the global forces affecting whaling converge in dramatic fashion. The Islands and the Whales has its national broadcast premiere on the PBS documentary series POV (Point of View) next Monday, October 9, 2017 (check local listings). POV is American television's longest-running independent documentary series, now in its 30th season.
- Starting October 24, Tuesday nights on TBS will be fueled by hip-hop, comedy and culture with the reboot of a classic game show, Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild airing at 10:00. Immediately following, the new celebrity-led rap battle contest Drop the Mic, based on the wildly popular segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden, is hosted by Method Man and Hailey Baldwin and will premiere at 10:30.
- Season four of TNT's hugely popular fantasy series The Librarians is slated to launch with a two-episode premiere on a new night, Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 8:00. Based on TNT's hit movie franchise, The Librarians centers on an ancient organization dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden all around. Rebecca Romijn, Christian Kane, Lindy Booth and John Harlan Kim star in the series as protectors of the world's mystical treasures, with Emmy® winner John Larroquette as their reluctant caretaker. Noah Wyle recurs in seven of twelve episodes this season as Flynn Carsen, the role he played in TNT's hit movie trilogy.
- Following a groundbreaking licensing agreement that marked the streaming debut of iconic series Will & Grace, Hulu and NBCUniversal Television and New Media Distribution today announced a new agreement that will make Hulu the exclusive SVOD home to all episodes of Emmy Award winning comedy series, 30 Rock, beginning October 1st, as well as add hundreds of episodes of shows for the whole family to Hulu. In addition to bringing the complete library of the critically acclaimed and Emmy Award-winning comedy series from creator and star Tina Fey - 30 Rock - to a new streaming home, the new deal includes a full suite of premium programming that will become available to stream on Hulu: Parenthood (early 2018), There's Johnny (new show with Tony Danza), Made in Chelsea (first 13 seasons later this year), and Face Off (first 10 seasons early 2018).
- iscovery’s Animal Planet and Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VETPAW), a U.S. nonprofit that employs U.S. Veterans to protect endangered wildlife teamed up for Blood Ivory, a historic and exciting documentary series that premiered Tuesday, September 12, 2017. VETPAW was founded in 2012 by Ryan Tate , a former post 9-11 Marine who saw what was happening to elephants and rhinos in Africa and realized that like himself, U.S. Veterans trained on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan in counter-insurgency warfare are remarkably well suited to re-purpose those skills in the battle to save African endangered species.
- When a plane crashes, the world is left wondering what happened. Amid the tragedy of lost life and confusion surrounding these catastrophic accidents, experts are there to determine what went wrong and how these disasters can be prevented in the future. Smithsonian Channel’s popular and long-running series Air Disasters follows the stories of these fatal crashes and the investigators on the scene who must search for the clues in the aircraft’s final descent. The premiere episode, Air Disasters: High Rise Catastrophe, airs Sunday, October 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.
- Showtime announced it has acquired the rights to adapt into a series The President Is Missing, based on the highly anticipated novel by President Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson set to be published in 2018. In the book, President Clinton and Patterson tell the startling story of a sitting U.S. president’s disappearance, with the level of detail that only someone who has held the office can know – generating a powerful, one-of-a-kind thriller. Though fictional, the story brings to life the pressures and realities of the most important position in the world.
- Showtime announced that Sanaa Lathan (American Assassin, Shots Fired) will recur on the network’s Golden Globe®-winning drama series The Affair. Lathan will play Jenelle, the tough-as-nails principal of the charter school where Noah (Dominic West) teaches, who intrigues him. She’s got a lot to prove to her school's oppositional administration and faculty, who seem to fight her at every turn. The Affair will return for its fourth season on Showtime in 2018.
Two things that really stood out to this nineties child when giving a once over to the list of albums coming out this fall. First off we are getting dueling Gallagher albums! Okay, this would have been much more exciting if this were 1997 not 2017. And the other thing was an album being released by some guy named William Patrick Corgan. If you have not figured it out yet, that is Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan. Apparently he thought Deborah Gibsn's name change was not silly enough so he also added the middle name. In other ninties news, Beck is coming out with a fun album after his super depressing Album of the Year one, Wu-Tang Clan is back with an album anyone can buy, while U2 is also back to making people buying albums again. Oh, and Hootie of the Blowfish fame is still putting out country music while Primus is back with their original lineup since 1995. And of course Weezer is back with their bi-yearly release of disapointing tracks. In other artists you probably did not realize were still releasing music news, oh, hey, Barenaked Ladies, Boyz II Men, and Seal.
I spent so much time on the nineties because as usually I am mostly meh on current music. I have enjoyed what I have heard from the upcoming Jessie Ware album and Jillian Jaqcqueline and Carly Pearce are a breath of fresh air in country pop music along with Danielle Bradbery who put out a track I kind of like (though weird to release a song called Hello Summer on the first day of fall) but that is about it. I will give at least a Spotify stream to these albums. You can pre-order the albums by clicking the album title or go to their iTunes page by clicking on the artists name.
In a measure of full disclosure, I tend to check out of The Voice when it goes Live because most of my favorites from the Blind Auditions are gone by then. So I have not seen every single Live Show performance, it may not even be twenty - five percent. I just tend to watch the few singers I like via YouTube. And here are my fifty favorite.
Season 1 – 3
Season 2 – 5
Season 3 – 8
Season 4 - 5
Season 5 - 8
Season 6 – 2
Season 7 - 1
Season 8 - 3
Season 9 - 10
Season 10 - 4
Season 11 – 0
Season 12 – 1
Performances by Coach
Blake - 17
Adam – 12
Pharrell - 7
Cee-Lo – 6
Christina – 4
Shakira - 3
Gwen – 1
Usher – 0
Alicia - 0
Miley – 0
And since I have gone through all the rounds, here is the ranking if you add up all four Best of rounds:
Performances by Season:
Season 1 – 7
Season 2 – 19
Season 3 – 22
Season 4 – 21
Season 5 – 23
Season 6 – 8
Season 7 – 3
Season 8 – 14
Season 9 – 23
Season 10 – 8
Season 11 – 0
Season 12 – 1
Performances of Coach:
Blake – 41
Adam – 34
Pharrell - 21
Christina – 19
Cee-Lo – 18
Shakira - 7
Usher – 6
Gwen – 4
Alicia – 0
Miley - 0
Ray Donovan: These flashbacks are getting more confusing. So Abby took the place of someone but ended up dying but the girl they ran into this week who also took part is in perfect health. I guess it could be a youth thing. Modern day is just as confusing. So hot actress had sex with Ray, was married, yet she knows a third guy is the father? Very suspicious. Then I have absolutely no clue what I going on with Micky and Avi.
The Strain: Forking Zack, had to mess up the plan one last time. And all the worthy people who could had killed The Master, Setrakian and Quinlin who both dedicated their lives to the case, both ended up dying before it happened just to have a child do it. Yeah, yeah, I understand the redemption arc, but the kid still remains annoying to me. Really just ruined the series as a whole.
You can download The Strain on iTunes.
The Challenge: Dirty 30: These returning players episodes are becoming cumbersome, especially this being the token eating gross stuff episode. Hopefully this is it for returning players. But they have that secons house so I have a feeling we will be having this until the end of the season.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.
The Good Place: I really hated when Lost would do the whole tell the same story from multiple points of view trop, but I really enjoy it during the new season here. And Michael really forked up, already on try three by the end of the premiere. Or are we just going to get him retrying something different every episode? All I know is I need more Real Elinor in my life.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.
Gotham: So three people supposedly died in the season finale and not one got resurrected in the premiere. The Riddler is still in his block of ice ready to be thawed. Barbara gets mentioned but not seen. While Butch does not get even a mention. But we did get a silly, not quite a cape and cowl Batman costume. And an even sillier plot where criminals carry essentially Get Out of Jail Free cards like some everyday Purge situation. I know this is a comic book, but c’mon, how do the shop owners who get robbed not sue the Penguin?
You can download Gotham 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 Super Hurricanes: Inside Monster Storms, The First, War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend, Hip Hop Squares, Will & Grace, and Hulu.
- n the heels of two of the most devastating hurricanes in recent memory, Science Channel takes an in-depth look at the reasons why these massive storms continue to get bigger and stronger. Featuring interviews with leading meteorologists, scientists, and engineers, who examine the basic science of hurricanes, Super Hurricanes: Inside Monster Storms premieres Friday, September 22 at 9:00.
- Academy Award®-winning actor Sean Penn has joined Beau Willimon’s upcoming Hulu original drama series The First. Though details about the role remain under wraps, this marks the acclaimed actor’s first foray into television. Set in the near future, “The First” will follow the first human mission to Mars exploring the challenges of taking the first steps toward interplanetary colonization. The story focuses not only on the astronauts, but also on their families and loved ones, as well as the ground team on Earth. Hulu and Channel 4 have given a straight-to-series order for the show, created by Willimon (House of Cards, Ides of March), who also serves as executive producer alongside his producing partner Jordan Tappis under their Westward Productions banner. IMG will handle sales in all territories.
- The poignant documentary War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend will premiere on HBO on Monday, November 13th at 10:00 with a special sneak preview on HBO GO, HBO NOW, and HBO ON DEMAND on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11. Synopsis: From executive producer Channing Tatum and director Deborah Scranton (The War Tapes) comes a deeply personal documentary that highlights the intimate relationship between veterans and their K9 companions, both during combat and as they readjust to civilian life. Focusing on three courageous dogs (Layka, Mika and Pepper) and the soldiers who served by their side in the most elite forces in the military, War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend recognizes the invaluable impact these war dogs have during their deployments, finding and disarming enemies while providing emotional support to troops in the bleakest of hours. Featuring exclusive military footage, photos, and revealing interviews with the handlers – who open up about the physical and emotional struggles they’ve faced – the film is ultimately a tribute to man’s best friend, underscoring the incredibly important role that these canine soldiers play in the lives of their human counterparts, and the unwavering loyalty and bravery that make these four-legged comrades in arms heroes in their own right.
- VH1's Hip Hop Squares returns from hiatus with THREE new back-to-back episodes on Monday, September 25th at 9PM, 9:30PM & 10PM.
- TV fans rejoice! For the first-time ever, all 194 episodes of the Emmy Award-winning, pop-culture phenomenon Will & Grace will be available to stream and on-demand. The iconic series will be available on the NBC app, Hulu and on-demand through satellite, cable and telco pay TV providers, beginning Thursday, September 21, one week ahead of the return of Will & Grace on NBC.
- At the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy® Awards ceremony held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA, Hulu became the first streaming service in history to win a Primetime Emmy Award in the Best Series category for its critically acclaimed, breakout drama series The Handmaid’s Tale. The premium streaming service garnered its first-ever Emmy Awards for The Handmaid’s Tale and documentary The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years, bringing its total to ten Emmy Award wins for the night.
Tonight is the start of fall television for me with the return of the funniest show on television, The Good Place. (Okay You’re the Worst actually started a couple weeks ago but I not started yet.) Gotham is back tomorrow, and then the floodgates open with a steady stream of new shows premiering almost every week until Thanksgiving. Then we have about a month off until Winter television starts where we can catch up on Fall TV. It has become a never-ending cycle. But anyways. As always, here are the five most anticipated questions I would like answered this fall.
1. How long can Michael keep up the new ruse on The Good Place? Comedies are not known for their plot twists, but The Good Place had one of the most intriguing twists in the history of television. We spent most of the season thinking Michael was an incompetent architect of his neighborhood in The Good Place. But as it turns out he is a very Machiavellian architect for The Bad Place. It took Eleanor a whole season to figure this out last time, but this time Eleanor put a note to herself in Janet’s mouth so hopefully we are not just repeating ourselves for season two.
2. Can Mr. Robot rebound? The first season was one of the best seasons in the history of television. Unfortunately just like Lost and Homeland before it, Mr. Robot could not sustain itself for season two. Eliot spent most of the first half in a prison in a really bad reveal. There was the weird Alf episode. Angela was the best part of the season even though I did not even bother to learn her name in the first. Lost never really recovered, Homeland continues to have ups and downs, here is hoping Mr. Robot can get back on track.
3. Is The Last We See of Mon-El? Okay, stupid question, the bigger question is when will we see Mon-El again. He was banished Earth after it became too unbreathable for him. But on his way from Earth he got sucked into a wormhole. So where (or when) did he go? I am guessing where(when)ever he went, he found a breathing devise.
4. Will Once Upon a Time’s Hard Reboot Help?Once Upon a Time used to do gangbusters in the ratings but barely got renewed and only did because they exiled most of the cast beside Regina, Gold, and Hook; Henry was recast with an older actor introduced in the last scene. Henry is not the only one getting recast; there is a new, Hispanic Cinderella. Alrighty. It should be at the very least entertaining on how they explain this.
5. Wait, Angie Tribeca is not Angie Tribeca? Wait, what?
As the great philosopher Butt-Head once pondered, how would we know if something was cool if there weren't things that sucked; here are the five least antedated questions:
1. Wait, Just How Many Marvel Shows Are There? DC may have added a fifth CW show and that does not even count Fox’s Gotham and Lucifer and the upcoming Kypton on Syfy and Titans (featuring Lyla Garrity!) on the still untitled DC streaming service, but Marvel just caught up and passed DC in comicbook shows this season. SHIELD has been going strong and the Netflix team up Defenders just premiered joining their four previous superheroes. And Marvel is about to double its amount of shows just in the next year. Six in total. Inhumans is going to share SHIELD’s timeslot, The Punisher will join the Netflix lineup, and then Marvel is entering the teen market with Runaways streaming on Hulu this fall while Freeform is getting a pair of shows in the spring, Cloak and Dagger and New Warriors (starring the AT&T girl as Squirrel Girl!!). All of these are part of the Marvel cinematic yet do not expect any cross pollination other than the Netflix team ups because as we have seen on SHIELD, you do not get much other than a passing mention. Not part of the MCU, The Gifted will be joining Legion in the might me, might not be tied into the X-Man world. So for those keeping track at home, the current score is Marvel-13; DC-11 (if you include DC imprints iZombie and Preacher).
2. Is TGIT About to Die? Shonda Rimes has ruled ABC’s Thursday for a while but there were chinks in the armor this year, all the shows are down (granted that is every show everywhere) The Catch was lucky to get a second season but will not get a third. Still Star Crossed did not even air on Thursday and was quickly demoted to Saturday. Then word came this summer Shonda Rhymes signed a deal with Netflix meaning no more ShondaLand shows for ABC aside from the already announced For the People coming midseason. Which makes me wonder will ABC go full spite and kill its TGIT lineup? It remains intact for the fall but will ABC go full spite for the Spring? American Idol has to go somewhere. Their Tuesday comedy block seemed like the B-team but then they would go against The Voice. Maybe they just exile ShondaLand to various 10:00 slots.
3. How Is a Financial Analyst a Hero? Some of Survivor’s best later seasons have been when they have divided the cast in specific groups. They have done race, age, gender, job type, even by the characteristics they say are needed to succeed on the show (Brain, Brawn, Beauty), but the latest is a big stretch: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. Hustlers were stupid as explained last fall so I was not expecting much from them. I though the former two were obvious, military and civil servants then doctors and nurses. Then the cast was announced. Probation Officer as a Healer is a bit of a stretch, but whatever. Not what I originally thought as Heroes but I can see why they put an Olympian and a football player in that tribe. But how the fork do you explain Financial Analyst on the Hero tribe? When she debuts her first confessional better involve her mentioning she once rescued a baby from a burning building or she will supplant Tai as the most absurd tribe placement when he was put on the Beauty tribe.
4. What’s In a Name? When ABC announced its new shows last spring I was generally “meh” on The Gospel of Kevin. Then I saw an ad for Kevin (Probably) Saves the World… now there is a show I will check out.
5. Barbara Is Not Really Dead, Right?Gotham had a bunch of deaths but in comic book fashion, I have a feeling none of them will last. Okay, Butch will still be “dead” or undead specifically because Solomon Grundy. Obviously being frozen in a block of ice would kill anyone except maybe Encino Man, but clearly The Riddler will be thawed. The biggest question mark is Barbara who was electrocuted. Much like Butch, she really is not dead; this is just an origin story, right? They have been teasing Harley Quinn for a while now.
And here is the full break down of what I will be watching this fall (new show italicized).
Mondays
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (September 25, CBS)
8:00 – Lucifer (October 2, FOX)
8:00 – Supergirl (October 9, The CW)
9:00 – The Gifted (October 2, FOX)
Tuesdays Future Man (November 14, Hulu) Marvel’s Runaway (November 21, Hulu)
8:00 – The Middle (October 3, ABC)
9:00 – Black-ish (October 3, ABC)
9:30 – The Mayor (October 3, ABC)
10:00 – Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (October 3, ABC)
Wednesdays
8:00 – Survivor (September 27, CBS)
8:00 – The Goldbergs (September 27, ABC)
8:00 – The Blacklist (September, 27)
9:00 – Modern Family (September 27, ABC)
10:00 – You’re the Worst (Already Premiered, FXX)
10:00 – Mr. Robot (October 11, USA)
10:00 – Vikings (November 29, History)
Thursdays
8:00 – Gotham (September 21, FOX)
8:00 – Superstore (September 28, NBC)
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (November 2, CBS)
8:30 – The Good Place (September 28, NBC; preview 9/20 at 10:00)
9:30 – Great News (September 28, NBC)
Fridays
8:00 – Once Upon a Time (October 6, ABC)
8:00 – Blindspot (October 27)
9:00 - Inhumans (September 29, ABC; premieres at 8:00 its first week)
Sundays
9:00 – Good Behavior (October 15, TNT)
9:00 – The Walking Dead (October 22, AMC)
9:00 – Shameless (November 5, Showtime)
10:00 – White Famous (October 15, Showtime; moves to 10:30 11/5)
10:00 – SMILF (November 5, Showtime)
10:00 – Search Party (November 19, TBS)
Ray Donovan: When will people learn, you should never trust Micky. And if he tells you not to ask where the money came from, you definitely want to ask where the money came from. I guess Avi was the exception because the alternative to trusting Micky was pretty bleak. But poor Bunchy, off to prison because of his father, I cannot count the number of times a Donovan boy has gone to prison because of him t this point.
The Last Ship: Wait, what is going on with Chandler’s kids? I thought he left the Navy because their grandfather died and no one was left to take care of them. Are they still n the Italian village?
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.
The Strain: I am glad they did not try to redeem the little brat after he caused the apocalypse (granted there is still one episode left).
You can download The Strain on iTunes.
Preacher: The first season finale was one of the worst ever. The second finale was not as bad but still left me rolling my eyes. Never a good sign when Hitler is one of your more redeemable characters.
You can download Preacher on iTunes.
The Challenge: Dirty 30: Whenever you see Camilla in the cast, you know you are in for one great meltdown that season. Sure it has been diminishing returns since she first walked into the pool. But the annual appearance of Camillinator was had to watch this season. It may be time to put her out to pasture. But a bit of hypocritical for Jordan to comment considering he had a more offensive moment this season.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 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 Search Party, Strange Evidence, Make it Out Alive, PodcastOne. TBS renewals, Kidding, I’m Dying Up Here, and Aly & AJ.
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Dory (Alia Shawkat), Portia (Meredith Hagner), Elliott (John Early) and Drew (John Reynolds) must deal with the disastrous consequences of successfully tracking down missing classmate Chantal (Clare McNulty) in season two of TBS’ dark comedy Search Party, returning Sunday, November 19. As the friends’ paranoia grows, their relationships fray, and it becomes increasingly difficult to trust that no one will discover the group’s secret. These privileged, self-absorbed 20-somethings are in danger.
- Worldwide, 300 million surveillance cameras are watching us, on our streets, at work, and in our homes. At times, they capture images that don’t seem to follow the normal laws of physics. A new Science Channel series investigates mysteries caught on tape and uncovers the science behind some of the most bizarre occurrences ever recorded. With a team of experts analyzing footage that seems to defy explanation, including levitating cars on a freeway, a statue that appears to move on its own, and a spontaneous burst of flames, Strange Evidence premieres Tuesday, October 17 at 10:00.
- Experience the pulse-pounding moments behind some of the world’s greatest disasters, reliving the incredible stories of those that faced split-second decisions that made the difference between life and death. Make it Out Alive brings viewers back to these catastrophes and tells the stories of these events by recounting both the horrific and heroic tales of human sacrifice, bravery and survival. This new series features ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances – in the center of disasters both man-made and natural – and offers compelling insights into the moments before and after disaster strikes. A special sneak peek of Make it Out Alive will be available on Saturday, October 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT ahead of the series premiere on Sunday, October 15 at 9:00 on Smithsonian Channel.
- On this week’s episode of Attack Each Day: The Harbaughs’ Podcast, ESPN Analyst, University of Michigan alumn and family friend Adam Schefter joins Coach Jim Harbaugh to discuss Schefter’s recent and inspiring experience in the Michigan locker room, their history of crossed paths, Harbaugh’s playing days, and Adam’s readiness to serve as a “fill in captain” for the team. Jack Harbaugh also appears and shares a story of when MLB player Gates Brown came to the house when Jim and John were kids, and how the brothers sold autographs to their friends. Jim disagrees and they leave it to the audience to decide the truth. The episode is available now, exclusively on PodcastOne.com, the PodcastOne app and Apple Podcasts.
- Turner’s TBS has renewed three of the network’s most recent hit original series: The Guest Book, People of Earth and Wrecked. All three shows rank among the top 10 cable comedies with adults 18-49 in Live +7, and The Guest Book is cable's #1 new comedy series of the year. The network's summer series join TBS' previous 2017 renewals, including the dysfunctional family comedy The Detour and police procedural spoof Angie Tribeca.
- This Week, Showtime announced the pick-up of new half-hour comedy series Kidding, starring Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey (The Truman Show) in his first series regular role in more than two decades and reuniting him with Oscar winner Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), who will direct the project With a 10-episode first-season order for Kidding, Carrey – one of the most beguiling, popular screen stars of his time – will executive produce with Gondry, Emmy® nominee Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Jim Garavente (Bad Words), Raffi Adlan (The Green Hornet) and Michael Aguilar (I’m Dying Up Here). Kidding was created by Dave Holstein (WEEDS, Raising Hope), who wrote the pilot and will serve as showrunner. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc.
- Showtimes is picking up its drama series about the art of comedy, I’m Dying Up Here, for a second season, it was announced today by Gary Levine, President of Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.
- Musical duo, Aly & AJ, who have sold over 2 million records worldwide, recently returned after a 10 year musical hiatus, with new track, "Take Me". The song was received with critical acclaim from major outlets like Billboard, InStyle, Allure, Refinery29, BuzzFeed, Playboy and more, generating over a million streams in its first week, with MTV enthusing, "Dreamy, anthemic...It's perfect pop."
- The Ruderman Family Foundation has announced the preliminary results for its Ruderman TV Challenge to audition and cast more actors with disabilities, with CBS and 20th Century Fox leading the way seven months in. The Challenge was designed to reach television executives, showrunners, producers, content creators and casting directors with a very simple request: audition and cast more actors with disabilities this pilot and TV season, as people with disabilities remains the most marginalized group in Hollywood.
The Strain: The good news, everyone is finally back together. The bad news, apparently that includes Zach. Clearly his dad will take him back but if that brat turns his back on human kind again, I am throwing something at my television. But it looks I was right that Setrakian did not come away scott free from the Nazi. At least he got a hero’s death but still sad he did not live long enough to get rid of The Master.
You can download The Strain on iTunes.
The Challenge: Dirty 30: Wait, weren’t Camilla and Tony a team on Rivals? And didn’t they get kicked off for fighting each other? And this is why I stopped getting drunk a long time ago. But it was kind of disappointing that they pretty much skipped a bunch of the guy’s trivia.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.
