Around the Tubes: 1/12/2017

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 Looming Tower, Snowpiercer, American Dad!, Final Space, The Last O.G., The Numbers on Grandpa’s Arm, John Hiatt, 2018 FIFA World Cup™, I’m Dying Up Here, Marvel’s Runaways, Future Man, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker’s Wild, Drop the Mic, and Cover Story: Meghan Markle – The Prince and the Game Show Model.

- Check out the official trailer for Hulu's Original Limited Series The Looming Tower. The Looming Tower will premiere Wednesday, February 28 only on Hulu. Thank you!


- Turner's TNT has given a series greenlight to Snowpiercer, a futuristic thriller based on the acclaimed movie of the same name. The series stars Oscar® winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind), Tony Award® and Grammy® Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Black-ish), Mickey Sumner (American Made), Susan Park (Ghostbusters), Benjamin Haigh (The Conjuring 2), Sasha Frolova (The Interestings), Katie McGuinness (Dirty Filthy Love), Alison Wright (The Accountant), Annalise Basso (Bedtime Stories), Sam Otto (Jellyfish), Roberto Urbina (Narcos), Sheila Vand (Argo) and Tony Award® winner and Grammy® nominee Lena Hall (All My Children).

- TBS gets animated on Monday nights starting with American Dad! returning to TBS on February 12th at 10:00 with 22 new episodes. In addition, the network has ordered two more seasons of the top-rated animated hit American Dad!. The series premiered on the FOX broadcasting network in 2005 before moving to TBS in 2014. Since then, it has been a key performer for the network, ranked as one of 2017’s top 10 cable comedies. American Dad! centers on super patriotic CIA agent Stan Smith (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) and the misadventures of his unconventional family in Langley Falls, Va. The irreverent, satirical, award-winning animated comedy is created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, executive-produced by co-showrunner Brian Boyle along with creators MacFarlane and Weitzman. Then, on Monday, February 26th, TBS will debut the new animated intergalactic space saga Final Space on at 10:30 immediately following American Dad! for an hour-long animation block.


- Comedy superstar and multiple Emmy® nominee Tracy Morgan returns to television with TBS starring in The Last O.G., a new comedy series that he executive produces alongside creator and executive producer Jordan Peele. TBS, which currently dominates as the number one television’s #1 comedy network, adds the new Morgan/Peele series to this year’s slate of programming to continue its solid and successful run of well- received original series. Beginning April 3, episodes will air Tuesdays at 10:30.

- When 10-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack’s life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz, and finding a new life in America. Directed and produced by Emmy® winner Amy Schatz, the short film The Numbers on Grandpa’s Arm weaves in haunting historical footage and hand-painted animation to tell a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before and during the Holocaust. The film, presented by HBO with the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, debuts Saturday, JAN. 27 (6:00-6:20 pm ET/PT), International Holocaust Remembrance Day, exclusively on HBO. The film will also be available on HBO On Demand, HBO NOW, HBO GO and affiliate portals.


- In a stellar career that spans half a century, John Hiatt has built a massive collection of recordings that's been an ongoing source of inspiration for fans, critics and other artists. Hiatt's catalog encompasses more than 22 studio albums, including several acknowledged classics. But the veteran singer-songwriter’s 1987 album Bring the Family and its 1988 follow-up Slow Turning have earned special status, and remain beloved cornerstones of the veteran artist's prestigious body of work. On January 26, A&M Records/UMe will celebrate these high-water marks of Hiatt’s and their 30th anniversaries with newly remastered vinyl editions, making them available on vinyl for the first time since their original release. The long out-of-print records will be pressed on high-quality 180-gram black vinyl, along with a special limited-edition colored vinyl variant of each. Bring the Family will be released on clear with grey smoke 180-gram vinyl, while Slow Turning will be on translucent red 180-gram vinyl. The colored vinyl editions, limited to 500 each, will be available exclusively at Sound of Vinyl and on Hiatt’s upcoming tour.

- Smithsonian Channel roars into the New Year with season two of the fast-paced, high-octane series, Supercar Superbuild. Eight all-new hour-long episodes delve deep into the creation and design of some of the world’s greatest automobile makers: Alfa Romeo, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Porsche, Audi and more. It probes what makes each machine’s mechanical prowess stand out, and it checks under the hood to learn what contributes to the high performance and artistry of these engineering marvels. The Jaguar F-Type SVR charges from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just under four seconds and rages to a top speed of 200 mph. More than 97 yards of aluminum welds make up an Audi R8’s frame. The sporty Rolls Royce Wraith, complete with exotic wood and sumptuous leather, is valued at upwards of $275,000. These are just some of the stunning automobiles featured on an all-new season of Supercar Superbuild, premiering Sunday, January 21 at 9:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- FOX Sports, the exclusive English-language home of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, kicks off the year announcing new Snapchat and Twitter agreements for the global event. The relationships will provide dynamic opportunities tailored to each respective social media platform and its wide, growing audience. “These exciting collaborations with Twitter and Snapchat mark a major opportunity to leverage the world’s greatest sports moment and our talent beyond the TV screen,” says Alexis Ginas, SVP of Cross-Platform Solutions, FOX Sports. “Alongside our FOX Sports-owned properties, they’ll help amplify this summer’s incredible live events programming – 64 matches total at the FIFA World Cup. We’ll immerse fans in the ‘beautiful game’ even further through our experts and fun, creative content from Moscow.”

- Emmy-winning actor and comedian Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) will guest star in the Showtime drama series I’m Dying Up Here in a season-long arc. Garrett will play comedy legend Roy Martin, who arrives on the scene at Goldie’s and drops bombs and wisdom on the club’s comics. Goldie (Melissa Leo) lures him into a business partnership as she schemes to expand her empire. Created and executive produced by Dave Flebotte and executive produced by Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey and Michael Aguilar, the fictional I’M DYING UP HERE explores L.A.’s famed ’70s stand-up comedy scene. The second season will premiere on Sunday, May 6 at 10:00.

- Hulu announced Marvel’s Runaways and Future Man have been renewed for second seasons.

- Television’s fastest growing late night show and ad supported television’s #1 late night show among young adults has been renewed for two new seasons by TBS. The Emmy Award-winning Full Frontal with Samantha Bee will return Wednesday, February 7 in its usual timeslot at 10:30.

- Turner’s TBS has renewed the hit unscripted series’ Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker’s Wild and Drop the Mic for second seasons. The network re-launched its unscripted business in 2017 with the re-imagined, classic game show reboot and the celebrity-led rap battle competition. They soon emerged as the top two unscripted cable comedies in 2017, reaching an average of 2.5M viewers per episode across TBS’s linear, VOD, and digital platforms and have earned over 200 million social and Youtube views to date. Drop the Mic climbed digital audience score rankings week over week, holding the #1 spot three weeks in a row, based on all prime-time comedies that aired new episodes.

- Game Show Network’s one-hour documentary special Cover Story: Meghan Markle – The Prince and the Game Show Model, premiering on January 21st at 7:00, will detail Meghan Markle’s story from modest beginnings in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, to “Deal or No Deal” model, to hit-show actress, to humanitarian, and finally as Harry’s bride-to-be. And before the show, catch a marathon of Meghan’s Deal Or No Deal episodes from 9 am to 3 pm ET also on GSN.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 1/7/2018

Shameless: Why was there so much walking between the car and the Canadian border? Seems like it would be easier to cross.

SMILF: So Bridget tries to entrap her creepy father, when it turns out not to be him, the girls end up having a dance party instead. I guess that is a pretty appropriate finale to the season.

Lucifer: Remember when South Park ended on a cliffhanger on who Cartman’s father was, then came back from a break (on April Fool’s Day) with a Terrence and Howard special and promptly went back on break. I was reminded of that this week when, after the show revealed Superman was in fact Cain, the first murder, leaving us wonder what it all means. But instead of answering that, we get a flashback episode. And then no show next week. Or the week after that. Meh.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

The Gifted: Oh my goodness, the triplets are so great. Give them and the Hellfire Club a spin off. Or just make them the focal point of this show.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.

Marvel’s Runaways: Wait, mom did not know daughter was an alien? Jonah has to be her father, right, he is an alien too? Then why did dad sell her out, it is because of the healing gloves? And why are him and Jonah letting the kids into the construction site when they have to know they were trying to shut it down? Unless Jonah needs them, or at least one of them, there for some reason. And the parent too, which is why he just told them when he has apparently known for a while the kids knew. But here we are with one episode left and the Runaways have not actually runaway yet. All were got was some lame meta joke about naming their group that.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Vendettas: My biggest take away from the Vendetta’s premiere: what a massive downgrade Brad. Seriously, how do go from one of the top five most attractive cast members to someone who may not even be in the top one hundred? Seriously dude, you just embarrassed yourself on national television. That was like Hugh Grant stuff right there. I really those two did not have any children. Then my biggest takeaway from Champs vs. Stars: wait, we still have one more week (at least) after this?
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The X-Files: Usually the “Previously On” segment are really helpful for shows, but I came away from this one more confused. And only got more confused as the show went on. So what was the last season finale, a vision of the future? Meh, the Chris Carter written episodes are so bad, he just needs to hand the show over to someone else.
You can download The X-Files on iTunes.

The Blacklist: C’mon, did they really have to kill the dog? I mean, yeah the mailman dying was sad too. Also, was leaving Agnes with Scottie a wise decision. Sure none of her grandparents are what I would consider trustworthy, but she really is not much of an upgrade from Red.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Vikings: I guess you cannot blame Bjorn for high talking it out of Arabia, but that was my favorite part of this season, just somewhere new. Of course we still have Loki’s (presumably) Iceland adventure where it looks like he may be inventing socialism. But back in Kattegard Bjorn was quick to find someone new (and that princess sure was kinky) but even quicker was his half-brother moving in on his other wife. That relationship and many other will make it interesting on how the whole invasion will pan out. Harold’s queen is really the only one to truly show their card as to whose side they are really on.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: Well that was a pretty elaborate way to get out of a wedding. Nice that the brother also tried to kill the king while he was at it, too bad the Templars messed that plan up.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

The Good Place: Oh no, what is to happen to the Real Eleanor? Hopefully she escapes her cocoon soon. But are all the demons gone from the neighborhood now? But doesn’t that mean the neighborhood will be gone soon.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: So Fitz shot the button to wall them off from the Kree, but couldn’t the Kree just re-push the button and go after them? And how thin skinned are the Kree if they can be cut with a butter knife?
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 1/5/2018

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 COVER STORY: The Press Your Luck Scandal, The Coronation, The Alienist, and The Circus.

- Hulu, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation today announced a new deal to create and premiere a brand-new version of the iconic family friendly cartoon franchise Animaniacs. Under the two-season straight-to-series order, Steven Spielberg will return as executive producer of the series, with Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series, and Amblin Television Co-Presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank also serving as executive producers. The series marks the first Hulu Original made for families, and with the legacy of these beloved characters, is intended to provide a co-viewing opportunity and experience for families to enjoy together. New episodes are set to premiere on the premium streaming service in 2020.

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today the premiere of its new documentary special, COVER STORY: The Press Your Luck Scandal, premiering Sunday, January 14 at 7:00. Additionally, the original scandalous Press Your Luck episodes featured in the special will air following the show at 8 and 8:30 pm ET. The COVER STORY special will explore the story of Michael Larson, an air conditioning repairman from Ohio who cracked the game board algorithm and walked away with over $110,000 in cash and prizes. There was a one-in-six chance that each spin he took would erase his winnings, but Larson managed to evade the dreaded Whammy and accumulate the record breaking amount. Audiences went wild, but game show producers wanted to know how he did it. Had he cheated? Or did he simply outsmart the smartest minds in Hollywood?

- In partnership with the BBC and Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Smithsonian Channel shares the compelling story of the Crown Jewels and the ancient ceremony for which they are used in The Coronation. On June 2, 1953, after 16 months of planning, The Queen set out from Buckingham Palace to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, in a ceremony that was watched by millions of people throughout the world. A ceremony dating back more than a thousand years was to herald the dawn of a new Elizabethan age. As part of the film, to mark the 65th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's Coronation, The Queen shares memories of the ceremony, as well as that of her father King George VI in 1937. The special airs in the U.S. exclusively on Smithsonian Channel on January 14 at 8:00.

- The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills will take visitors inside the opulent Gilded Age of the new TNT series, The Alienist, through multiple costume creations, photography, illustrations, and more from award-winning costume designer Michael Kaplan, the visionary behind the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Blade Runner, Fight Club and Flashdance.
Visitors will have the exclusive opportunity to preview the series’ costumes and other artifacts before its TNT debut on January 22. An unflinching psychological thriller amidst the underbelly of New York City’s “Gilded Age,” The Alienist follows Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl, Rush), a brilliant and obsessive “Alienist” in the controversial new field of treating mental pathologies, who holds the key to hunting down a never-before-seen ritualistic killer murdering young boys. Based on the award-winning, fan-favorite novel by Caleb Carr, with standout performances from Luke Evans (The Girl on the Train) and Dakota Fanning (American Pastoral), The Alienist is a gripping, turn-of-the-century murder mystery like none other: the story of the emergence of the world’s most powerful city that will stop at nothing to bury its darkest secrets.

- Showtime has ordered a third season of the groundbreaking political documentary series The Circus, returning on April 15 at 8:00 on Showtime, with a run of new episodes to air in the spring and another in the fall. Hosted by John Heilemann (NBC/MSNBC, Game Change,), Mark McKinnon, and Alex Wagner (CBS News and The Atlantic), who joins the show as a permanent host this season, The Circus will continue to provide viewers with the same fast-paced, real-time, backstage perspective and eye-catching production qualities for which the show has been celebrated. In the year ahead, the series will explore the stories behind the headlines and pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes drama unfolding in Washington and across the country in the run-up to the most consequential mid-term elections in our lifetimes.

Previewing The Chi

The Chi opens with a teenager strolling through his neighborhood and night until he happens upon a dead body. If I ever came across a dead body I like to think I would instantly calling the police but honestly, fleeing in terror is not completely off the table. But Coogie stares at the lifeless body before taking off its chain and sneaker and only flees when her hears sirens in the distance. Then he stashes his stolen goods before trying to blend into a crowd.

Of course I am just an old white guy from the suburbs and only read about the troubling times in Chicago. Despite all the statistics that come out of Chicago, life still goes on for the people surviving and trying not to become a statistic. The Chi follows four black males at various stage of life with nothing to tie them together aside from tangential relationship to that dead body that opens the show.

Kevin is in middle school and still has to deal with something all pre-teens obsess over: girls and grades. Granted these kids curse more in one scene than me and my friends did in all of middle school. Emmitt is a teenager with actual girl problems; one shows up with a baby she claims is his and bolts. Brandon, Coogie’s older brother, is a line chef on the nicer side of town with dreams of his restaurant and setting down with his real estate girlfriend but the city keeps pulling him back in. Then there is Ronnie, middle aged, who always seems to find a way to get by.

Each of the four have their own circle of acquaintances and rarely run into each other, but when they do, you know something important is happening and the show rarely falling into the problem where characters rarely runs into each other feels annoying. A fifth somewhat major character shows up in episode with an unknown agenda that also seems to tie into that original murder. There is also detective doing an official investigation and seems to be a stand-up guy even though none of the other characters trust the police. And maybe for good reason because there seems to be some of his co-workers have some shady objectives.

The Chi is a refreshing look at storytelling done much better than other shows that tried to tell stories by marginally related characters. Sure it can be frustrating at times as I sometimes ask, why not just go to the police (which may not be totally a race thing, I found myself saying the same thing to the dumb white girls on Pretty Little Liars). And the storytelling gets too cute at times too. The third episode ends in an annoying cliffhanger and then the fourth episode starts minutes later, missing the climax of the cliffhanger. And it is not until the end of the episode when you learn what exactly when down. But still, The Chi is the strongest start to a Showtime in a long time.

The Chi airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

The 10 Most Anticipated Moments of 2018

Before I get into the best things to look forward to in the next twelve months, let me highlight a few things not on my list. First off, there is the World Cup which will not be featuring the United States of America on account they failed to qualify this year. Then there is Marvel’s New Warriors that was supposed to debut on Freeform this year except they passed on the show. We may still get to see the show this year as Marvel is still shopping it around. Um, now that Disney who own Marvel and pretty much owns Hulu, after purchasing Fox’s shares, totaling sixty percent, seems like a good spot to me. They already have Marvel’s Runaway. Really, I just want to see the AT&T Girl and Squirrel Girl sooner than later.

Another possible event this year I have zero interest in is the potential reboot of the XFL. Recently Vince McMahon sold off a bunch of WWE stock and is reportedly going to use that money to get his failed football league up and running again. Hard pass. I, like much of America, watched the first game, laughed, and stopped after that. Why someone would think it could work a decade and a half later has to be senile. Sure some people have lost interest in the NFL, and I am one of them but my disinterest is in not wanting to watch people get brain damage anymore, a presumably more violent XFL is not going to help that.

10. Wako (January 22 on the Paramount Channel) – Poor Tim Riggins, he was pegged to be the breakout star from Friday Night Lights but followed the show up with being the lead in two historic bombs (and that does not include X-Men Origins: Wolverine where he was not asked back to be Gambit in future films). This will be his first major lead role since. Notorious Nineties nostalgia was big last year with OJ, the Menendez Brothers and Tonya Harding getting stories on the big and small screens, and now Riggins is playing cult leader David Koresh. Then there is also Michael Shannon as one of the Feds and Melissa Benoist as one of the cultist (yes Zod and Supergirl on the same show). Now I am sure your first question is, what the fork is the Paramount Channel? Now it is not a new streaming service, it is not really even a new cable channel, it was Spike, and before that Spike TV, and before that The New TNN, and before that The National Network, and before that The Nashville Network, which I believe was the last time I watched the cannel back when it aired Dukes of Hazard reruns.

9. Game Night (February 23) – Really any cast that boasts Rachel McAdams, George Bluth, and a Friday Night Lights reunion of Coach Taylor and Landry Clarke is must see in my book. But the trailer makes the movie look forking hilarious. From the trailer, it looks like an action comedy where a group of couples are brought together to solve a murder mystery, except the host gets captured for real (maybe), but everyone still thinks it is part of the game. Awesome.


8. Ruins - First Aid Kit (January 19) – Folk rock may be my favorite genre of the decade and First Aid Kit has had a few songs that have made my year end lists, but It’s a Shame released last year is by far my favorite from the band so far. Hopefully the album lives up to the single.


7. Titans (TBD) – Okay, we need a new streaming service like we need a hole in the head, but it seems like every content maker is going to have their own standalone service rather than selling it elsewhere. It started last year with CBS All Access. Next DC is starting their own. And Disney has one slated for 2018. But the DC streaming service will at least get me to do a free trial just to check out Titans whom are apparently not going to be teenagers (at least not most of them). But most importantly, Lyla Garrity was cast in a supporting role with potential for her own spin off. No word on when this will air or when the DC streaming service even starts, but the only other show announced, a Young Justice reboot, does have a vague release date of "Fall 2018".

6. Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves (TBD) / Untitled Vampire Weekend Album – Kacey Musgraves released one of my favorite debut albums of the decade and my favorite country album in over a decade. There was a sophomore slump for the follow up but I am still looking forward to it. In other Musgraves news, lead singer Ezra Koenig said the next Vampire Weekend album is inspired by the country singer which made me that much more interested in a new album by the alt-rock band.

5. Women’s Royal Rumble (January 28) – I watched wrestling as a kid and then again in college, but again fell off slightly after that. Do not ask me why, but I started listening to the Grantland wrestling podcast, probably because I listened to them all. And when David Shoemaker bolted with Bill Simmons to the Ringer, I ended listening to two wrestling podcast. I did start tangentially following sports entertainment because of it. Then last year Alexa Bliss and I became instantly interested in the Women’s Division as she quickly became the second best bad guy ever (after the late great Rowdy Roddy Piper).

Growing up, women were just arm candy for the men. They started wrestling again in the nineties, but it was not much better as they just hired fitness models and actual models; Trish Status actually was the head of a team called T and A. WWE tried to legitimate them with the Women’s Revaluation, even retiring the Diva’s Title in 2015, but it was just the same three factions of three wrestling the same matches over and over again. But with the brand split, the two main shows need more bodies and Bliss was one of the call up.

After Survivor Series, the WWE called up five more women (along with the returning Paige) and now we are getting an all-female Royal Rumble, which was always my favorite match since WWE started it back in 1988. It is vague on the rules. The men’s is a thirty men over the top rope competition where a new competitor comes down to the ring ever two(ish) minutes with the winner getting a title match at Wrestlemania. The title match is the only stipulation. Currently right now, there are only eleven women on both Raw and Smackdown (but that is including Lana who has not wrestled in months and Nikki Bella who has not been seen since Wrestlemania). And wo of them are currently champions who are typically in the Royal Rumble. But there are ten women currently in NXT which brings you to 29 non champions’ women employed by the WWE. Of course the Royal Rumble is known for its surprise returns, you have to imagine, there are plenty of retired wrestlers who would like to be in a Rumble, and a few shocking debuts (Ronda Rosey has been teasing her involvement in the WWE for years). I may actually have to take the WWE up on their free trial to watch history.

4. More Marvel Movies (Various dates) – We are getting our fair share of Marvel movies this year but what makes things more interesting is Disney recently announced they are buying 20th Century Fox movie studios which means Disney now owns all things Marvel including X-Men and Fantastic Four (well Sony still technically owns the rights to Spider-Man but he has shown up in a couple Marvel movies after the last film reboot failed). Could those universes collide this year? Doubtful they will be included in the already bloated Infinity War, but maybe they add something to the end credit scene to tease their inclusion in Phase Four (which comes after the next Avengers movie next year). Here is the rundown of all eight (!) movies based on Marvel properties: Black Panther (February, 16), The New Mutants (April 13), Avengers: Infinity War (May 4), Deadpool 2 (July 1), Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6), Venom (October 5), X-Men: Dark Phoenix (November 2), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (December 14; note this is an animated movie that does not seemed to be tied to any live action universe). Oh yeah, they also have new television show Cloak and Dagger coming to Freeform sometime this year too while Runaways has its season finale next week and, again, there is a chance New Warriors finds a home this year.

3. Rise (March 12 on NBC) – They had me at from the producer of Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, but throw in a producer of Hamilton, a live action Moana, and, welcome back Marley Shelton. It seemed like she was the next big thing at the turn of the century but other than Sin City, it is hard to think of anything she has done since Sugar and Spice. I think there was a one and done Lifetime show.


2. The XXIII Olympic Winter Games (February 9) – It is the end of an era as for the first time since 1988, an Olympic Games will not be hosted in prime time by Bob Costas (unless you count when he came down with pink eye at the last winter event). Instead Mike Tirico will oversee the proceedings after being ESPN’s/ABC’s lead host. Ironically also absent these games will be the last Winter host Russia who was ban after state sponsored doping scandal (Russians not tested positive can participate under an independent flag). Also not taking the trip to South Korea will be NHL players who will not participate for the first time since 1998. But hey, it will be the only time in four years we get to watch curling on television and Costas may be gone but I am sure Mary Carillo, who only seems to pop up during Olympics, will have a special interest story or two.

1. Black Manta (in Aquaman, December 21) – I audibly laughed when I heard DC was making a live action Aquaman movie. Aquaman is lame and always has been (with the lone exception of the over the top version from Batman: The Brave and the Bold). The green and orange color palette is hard to look at. But then I got actually kind of excited because that meant we might get a Black Manta, my personal favorite supervillain, sighting. As some who grew up with a heavy dose of the Super Friends, I gravitated to the villain in the Legion of Doom who would beat the crap out of Aquaman. The problem is that Ocean Master was first announced as the film’s antagonist. But it was later announced Black Manta would also be in the film.

Of course Black Manta could play a bigger role moving forward… if there is a DC movie universe. Aquaman could be a make or break point. All the movies sans Wonder Woman have been received as mediocre at best while Justice League bombed at the box office. Then nothing after Aquaman has even started filming (yes, there are eight Marvel movies this year but only one DC movie) even though thirteen other films have been formally announced, If Aquaman under performs, that could be the end of the DC Movie Universe (for now at least). But if they do move forward, my sources tell me that Justice League teased the Legion of Doom while a Flashpoint movie is also on the DC docket and Black Manta is featured in the comic version of that. Plus Flashpoint could serve as a hard reboot to get rid of everything that has not worked (Batfleck, sullen Superman, Leto's Joker). But again, if Aquaman fails, we may just get Wonder Woman throughout history films for the next decade until DC can figure things out.


Since tonight marks the return of television (seriously, too soon networks, can we have more than a week and a half break?), here is what I will be watching while trying to avoid going outside in the cold. Seriously, I saw a few negative lows this week.



Mondays
8:00 – Lucifer (January 1, FOX)
8:00 - Supergirl (January 15, The CW)
9:00 – The Gifted (January 1, FOX)
9:00 – The Alienist (January 22, TNT)
10:00 – Good Girls (February 26, NBC)

Tuesdays
8:00 – The Middle (January 2, ABC)
8:00 – Shadowhunters (April 3, Freeform)
9:00 – Black’ish (January 2, ABC)
9:00 – Rise (March 13, NBC; first week at 10:00)
9:30 – The Mayor (January 9, ABC)
10:00 – The Challenge: Vendettas (January 2, MTV)
10:00 – Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (January, 2)
10:30 – The Detour (January 23, TBS)

Wednesdays
The Path (January 17, Hulu)
Hard Sun (March 7, Hulu)
8:00 – The Librarians (Already Started, TNT)
8:00 - The X-Files (January 3, Fox)
8:00 – The Blacklist (January 3, NBC)
8:00 – The Goldbergs (January 3, ABC)
8:00 – Grown-ish (January 3, Freeform)
8:00 – Survivor (February 28, CBS)
8:00 – Modern Family (January 3)
10:00 – Waco (Paramount Network, January 24)

Thursdays
8:00 – Superstore (January 4, NBC)
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (January 4, CBS)
8:30 – The Good Place (January 4, NBC)
9:00 – Nashville (January 4, CMT)
9:30 – Great News (January 4, NBC)

Fridays
8:00 – Blindspot (January 12, NBC)
8:00 – XXIII Olympics Winter Games Opening Ceremony (February 9, NBC)
8:00 - Once Upon a Time (Match 2, ABC)
9:00 – Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD (January 5, ABC)

Saturdays
9:00 – Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars (February 10, Showtime)

Sundays
The Looming Tower (February 18, Hulu)
8:00 – Jesus Christ Superstar Live! (April 1, NBC)
9:00 – Homeland (February 11, Showtime)
10:00 - The Chi (January 7, Showtime)

The 100 Best Songs of 2017

1. Bad Liar - Selena Gomez

2. Better Man - Little Big Town

3. Every Little Thing - Carly Pearce

4. Dog Years - Maggie Rogers

5. Sugar and Salt - Jillian Jacqueline

6. Want You Back - HAIM

7. The Fighter - Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood

8. Either Way - Chris Stapleton

9. It's a Shame - First Aid Kit

10. OMG - Vic Mensa featuring Pusha-T

11. Only Songs - The Wild Reeds

12. HUMBLE. - Kendrick Lamar

13. Alaska - Maggie Rogers

14. Perfect Places - Lorde

15. Dis Generation - A Tribe Called Quest

16. Chase Me - Danger Mouse feat. Run The Jewels and Big Boi

17. We Should Be Friends - Miranda Lambert

18. It Ain't Me - Kygo and Selena Gomez

19. Trainwreck - Banks

20. Back To the River - The Pretty Reckless featuring Warren Haynes

21. Sorry Not Sorry - Demi Lovato

22. Near To The Wild Heart Of Life - Japandroids

23. Undertow - Lisa Hannigan

24. Stuck - The Aces

25. Love - Lana Del Rey

26. Ain't Got It Like That - Earl St. Clair featuring PJ

27. Sway - Danielle Bradbery

28. Moonshine - Foy Vance featuring Kacey Musgraves

29. Selfish Love - Jessie Ware

30. Golden Dandelions - Barns Courtney

31. Feel It Still - Portugal. The Man

32. Midnight - Jessie Ware

33. Forgetting All About You - Phoebe Ryan featuring blackbear

34. Hate Me - Jillian Jacqueline

35. Little of Your Love - HAIM

36. Tin Man - Miranda Lambert

37. Hope the High Road - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

38. 2 Lovin U - DJ Premier and Miguel

39. Reasons - Jillian Jacqueline

40. I Feel It Coming - The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk

41. Revolution - Van William featuring First Aid Kit

42. Safari Song - Greta Van Fleet

43. Bleachers - Jillian Jacqueline

44. May I Have This Dance (Remix) - Francis and the Lights featuring Chance the Rapper

45. Don't Believe - Slow Dancer

46. High Ticket Attractions - The New Pornographers

47. Alone - Jessie Ware

48. My Mind Is For Sale - Jack Johnson

49. 1 Night - Mura Masa featuring Charli XCX

50. Low Blows - Meg Mac

51. Green Light - Lorde

52. Do I Have to Talk You Into It - Spoon

53. Told You So - Paramore

54. HARD LOVE - NEEDTOBREATHE featuring Andra Day

55. Across the Room - ODESZA featuring Leon Bridges

56. Nothing Without You - Emma Blackery

57. Don't Love Me - Janine

58. Canyon - Joseph

59. Money - The New Respects

60. Hard Times - Paramore

61. Same Drugs - Chance the Rapper

62. He's Fine - The Secret Sisters

63. Physical - The Aces

64. So Tied Up - Cold War Kids featuring Bishop Briggs

65. Keep It Between the Lines - Sturgill Simpson

66. Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

67. Heavy - LINKIN PARK featuring Kiiara

68. California Numb - CLOVES

69. Up All Night - Beck

70. Can We Hang On? - Cold War Kids

71. Perfect - Ed Sheeran

72. Stand by My Girl - Dan Auerbach

73. Down Side of Me (Live) - CHVRCHES

74. Fake Happy - Paramore

75. Hot Thoughts - Spoon

76. Dear Life - Beck

77. Hungry Ghost - Hurray for the Riff Raff

78. The Blackout - U2

79. Hopeless Romantic - Michelle Branch

80. Time's Always Leaving - The Lone Bellow

81. Big Picture - London Grammar

82. Thunder - Imagine Dragons

83. Two High - Moon Taxi

84. Baby Who - The Aces

85. The Gold - Manchester Orchestra

86. Don't Look Back - Dia Frampton

87. On + Off - Maggie Rogers

88. Best You Ever - Michelle Branch

89. Hurt Somebody - Noah Kahan

90. The Sky Is a Neighborhood - Foo Fighters

91. Hard to Love - Kacy Hill

92. Holier Than Thou - Jillian Jacqueline

93. Waiting on a Song - Dan Auerbach

94. Maybe It's My First Time - Meg Mac

95. No Diggity - Alice Jemima

96. Right Now - HAIM

97. Shine on Me - Dan Auerbach

98. Run for Cover - The Killers

99. No Good At All - Lucy Rose

100. Split Stones - Maggie Rogers

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 12/29/2017

Marvel’s Runaways: The mysterious figure that walked in on Amy as she was leaving has to be Jonah right? I guess maybe one of the other Pride members could also make sense. And what a complete cop out of not killing anyone to save angry dad. You cannot spend half an episode deciding who dies only to have on person destroyed the pod at the last minute. Though I kind of like the evilness of saying there has to be a sacrifice now, and then after that could not happen be like, never mind, we will figure out something else later. But after finding the footage of their parents being evil, the Runaways have to actually runaway next week, right.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars: So Josh, who wert twice, had the fastest overall time (beating self-proclaimed state champion swimmer Wes), Kim had the fastest female time, the Stars got seven more flags than the Champs… but still lost by ten seconds. How sad. With Vendetta starting next week, I hope that means that means next week is the last for this pitiful special.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.

The Librarians: Wait, Jenkins gave up his immortality to someone who themselves have also lived hundreds of years? Isn’t he more important than her? And if he is no longer immortal, shouldn’t he have turned to dust? So is the old Guardian going to become the new Jenkins since he may die soon? Or are they going to find a way for him to become immortal again? I guess they should have captured Rasputin and transfer his immortality to the Guardian.
You can download The Librarians on iTunes.

Vikings: So Bjorn’s Mediterranean adventure is not going well. But the desert was never really a good place for the fair skinned.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: So Godfrey had the Grail all along and young Landry knew about it? Alrighty. So when Godfrey went to the Middle East in that first scene, he already knew what they had was not the Grail. Then you had the princess once again acting creepy towards her uncle.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

The 50 Best Music Videos of 2017

1. Bad Liar - Selena Gomez


2. It's a Shame - First Aid Kit


3. Perfect Places - Lorde


4. Chase Me - Danger Mouse featuring Run the Jewels and Big Boi


5. Obession - OK Go


6. Feels Like Summer (Roses N’ Weezer Version) - Weezer

7. Humble. - Kendrick Lamar

8. Same Drugs - Chance the Rapper

9. Stand By My Girl - Dan Auerbach

10. Santa's Coming For Us - Sia

11. 1000 - N.E.R.D. featuring Future

12. …Ready for It? - Taylor Swift

13. Legend Has It - Run the Jewels

14. Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran

15. Fetish - Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane

16. Lift - Radiohead

17. Look What You Made You Do - Taylor Swift

18. Lemon - N.E.R.D. featuring Rihanna

19. The Sky Is a Neighborhood - Foo Fighters

20. Hard Times - Paramore

21. I Could Use a Love Song - Maren Morris

22. Don't Get Captured - Run the Jewels

23. Down - Marian Hill

24. Hold Me Tight or Don't - Fall Out Boy

25. Drink Up - Train

26. Alaska - Maggie Rogers

27. Back in the USA - Green Day

28. DNA. - Kendrick Lamar

29. Dis Generation - A Tribe Called Quest

30. Believer - Imagine Dragons

31. Loyalty - Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna

32. Physical - The Aces

33. King of a One Horse Town - Dan Auerbach

34. If We Were Vampires - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

35. Good with God - Old 97's featuring Brandi Carlile

36. Thunder - Imagine Dragons

37. Little of Your Love - Haim

38. Things it Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution - Father John Misty

39. Colors - Beck

40. Green Light - Lorde

41. Fake Happy - Paramore

42. Pure Comedy - Father John Misty

43. May I Have This Dance (Remix) - Francis and the Lights featuring Chance the Rapper

44. Now - Miguel

45. On + Off - Maggie Rogers

46. Run - Foo Fighters

47. Lost in Your Light - Dua Lipa featuring Miguel

48. G O O D - Erin McCarley

49. I Dare You - The xx

50. So Tied Up - Cold War Kids featuring Bishop Briggs

The 40 Worst Songs of 2017

1. 10,000 Miles - Cam'Ron

2. Uh Huh - Julia Michaels

3. Mo Bounce - Iggy Azalea

4. Bon Appétit - Katy Perry featuring Migos

5. Body Like a Back Road - Sam Hunt

6. No Promises\ - Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato

7. Swalla - Jason Derulo featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign

8. Swish Swish - Katy Perry featuring Nicki Minaj

9. II'm the One - DJ Khaled featuring Justin Beiber, Chance the Rapper, Quavo, and Lil Wayne

10. Mask Off - Future

11. Strip That Down - Liam Payne featuring Quavo

12. Million Reasons - Lady Gaga

13. All Time Low - Jon Bellion

14. Congratulations - Post Malone featuring Quavo

15. Down - Fifth Harmony featuring Gucci Mane

16. Bodak Yellow - Cardi B

17. Don't Wanna Know - Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar

18. Havana\ - Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug

19. Cold - Maroon 5 featuring Future

20. Wild Thoughts - DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller

21. Stay Together - Noah Cyrus

22. 2U - David Guetta and Justin Beiber

23. Attention - Charlie Puth

24. Bad and Boujee – Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert

25. Light My Body Up - David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne

26. Issues - Julia Michaels

27. Slumber Party - Britney Spears featuring Tinashe

28. Sign of the Times - Harry Styles

29. Friends - Justin Beiber and BloodPop®

30. Back to You - Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha

31. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back - Shawn Mendes

32. Slow Hands - Niall Horan

33. Paris - The Chainsmokers

34. Make Me (Cry) - Noah Cyrus featuring Labrinth

35. What Lovers Do - Maroon 5 featuring SZA

36. Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

37. Mercy - Shawn Mendes

38. No Frauds - Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Lil Wayne

39. ...Ready For It? - Taylor Swift

40. Crying in the Club - Camila Cabello

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 12/23/2017

Shameless: C’mon Ian, not worth it, all you did was piss off your sister and your ex-boy(girl)friend. And why isn’t Carl detoxing any of Lip’s friends if it is working so well? I just assumed that was going to happen eventually.

SMILF: Eww, Larry will not got potty in the bathroom but will on a salvage yard toilet.

Marvel’s Runaways: You know, when a future person tells you not to do something, maybe you should not do that thing. But, oh snap, she shot her husband. Finally something interesting happened on the show. Though I wonder why future Chase did not also try to contact himself and tell him not to tinker with his toy without his father.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars: I thought for sure when Johnny was talking about how he would have to retire from the show if he lost to Riff Raft that Johnny would lose (granted he was in the promo for next season).
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.

Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: Wow, these people are morons. After pulling an Idol out on Lauren and Ashley in the past two week, how can the remaining four not sit on Ben until the next Tribal? They literally have nothing better to do. At least Devon was smart enough to throw a vote to Dr. Mike. Except he then gets screwed by a new twist where the Immunity winner picks someone to take to the finale and the other two go to a fire making challenge.

Speaking of stupid moves and unfair advantages, it seem like that is the theme of next season. I think. The promo was pretty vague. It seems to me they are resurrecting Exile Island (or, God forbid, Redemption Island) where contestants go to be haunted by failed advantages and Idols past and maybe they will hope to get played wisely. I guess that would be interesting if it was a returning players’ season primarily made up of people who made stupid moves (let me against suggest a Morons vs. Masterminds season). But alas it is all new players. Unless Ghost Island is literal and the Ice Cream Scooper and/or Lauren who made the dumbest move this season will be showing up to haunt the inhabitants of Ghost Island.
You can download Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on iTunes.

Vikings: So is the Bishop going to be the new Applestan? I am actually much more interesting In the trials and tribulations of Bjorn on his Mediterranean journey. The never-ending cycle of English vs Norsemen is getting a bit overdone. Bjorn’s story is fresh.
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Knightfall: Who creates a mural of the time their brother stabled them through the stomach. But you gotta feel bad for the brother, pretty much ends up dying the same way that the Holy Grail saved him. But how exactly did the Grail go from the bottom of the sea on a wrecked ship to Godfrey’s possession? Was that not the Grail at all?
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Blindspot: Wait, we just learned Jane has a kid less than a month ago and Kurt killed her already? That just does not up. Especially considering how Kurt was very adamant that he not a killer earlier. Of course my number one rule of television is that no one is truly dead until you see the dead body (and even then I am still suspicious).
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Um, Fitz, why are you finding a way to the future without a plan to get back to present day? Or is he content living seventy days in the future? And I am not sure why sending SHIELD in the future stops an extinction level event (other than if Daisy is in the future she cannot destroy the past. Though I am not totally convinced Daisy quaked the Earth apart.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 12/22/2017

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 Pitch Perfect 3, The Chi, The Path. The Looming Tower, Our Cartoon President. The Numbers on Great-Grandpa's Arm, Little Steven, The Velvet Underground, Culture Club, POV, Silicon Valley: The Untold Story, and Family Feud.

- Now graduated from college and out in the real world where it takes more than a cappella to get by, the Bellas return in Pitch Perfect 3, the next chapter in the beloved series. Featuring a cappella mash-ups and medleys from the upcoming Universal Pictures' film, the soundtrack from UMe/Republic is available on all formats here on December 15. Pitch Perfect 3 hits theaters nationwide on December 22. Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson headline the returning cast of Pitch Perfect 3, the follow-up to summer 2015's blockbuster hit that took the honor of highest-grossing live-action movie-musical opening of all time and a #1 soundtrack debut. The eagerly awaited next chapter is led by series producers Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment and Max Handelman & Elizabeth Banks of Brownstone Productions. The film is directed by Trish Sie (Step Up All In).

- Showtime is giving viewers an early opportunity to sample the series premiere of the highly anticipated new drama The Chi. The series was created and is executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Master of None), and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma) and Elwood Reid (The Bridge, Hawaii Five-O) who also serves as showrunner. The Chi explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago. Showtime is releasing The Chi ahead of its on-air debut Sunday, January 7 at 10:00. Consumers can watch The Chi series premiere for free now on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com, as well as across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites, applications and authenticated online services and their free On Demand channels. In addition, the episode is available for free on computers through the SHOWTIME stand-alone service’s website showtime.com.

- Hulu released the season three trailer and key art for The Path. The first two episodes of the 13-episode season will launch on Wednesday, January 17th.


- Check out the behind the scenes featurette and first look photos of Hulu Original Limited Series The Looming Tower. The Looming Tower will premiere Wednesday, February 28 only on Hulu.


- On the heels of the State of the Union address, Showtime will premiere its new animated series Our Cartoon President. Executive produced by multiple Emmy® winner Stephen Colbert and his Late Show executive producer, Chris Licht, this new 10-episode parody will follow the tru-ish misadventures of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his merry band of advisors and family members. R.J. Fried will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Tim Luecke will serve as lead animator and co-executive producer. Matt Lappin will serve as consulting producer. The half-hour series will debut Sunday, February 11 at 8:00 on Showtime, before the 9:00 season premiere of Homeland.


- When 10-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack’s life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz, and finding a new life in America. Directed and produced by Emmy® winner Amy Schatz, the short film The Numbers on Great-Grandpa's Arm weaves in haunting historical footage and hand-painted animation to tell a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before and during the Holocaust. The film, presented with the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, debuts Saturday, JAN. 27 (6:00-6:20 pm ET/PT), International Holocaust Remembrance Day, exclusively on HBO.

- Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul are celebrating the season with a very special holiday single. “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight),” is out today, Friday, December 15th, at all digital music retailers and streaming services.

- To celebrate the Velvet Underground’s 50th anniversary, Verve Records/UMe is releasing The Velvet Underground, a limited-edition career-spanning box that collects all four of the pioneering band’s studio albums, Velvets collaborator Nico’s debut LP, Chelsea Girl, and a reconstruction of the fabled “lost” 1969 album, making it available on vinyl for the first time. The six albums housed in a special black slipcase will be pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and feature stereo mixes and meticulously reproduced original cover art. The box will also include an exclusive 48-page booklet, featuring vintage photos, lyrics and a new foreword penned by founding member Maureen “Moe” Tucker. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, the box set, which will be released February 23, is available for pre-order now exclusively at uDiscover.

- Rock Fuel Media is excited to announce the release of Live At Wembley from multi-Platinum and '80s icons CULTURE CLUB. A state-of-the-art DVD, Blu-Ray, and CD package, is out now via Cleopatra Records. The concert will be broadcast on TV in 2018, details of which will be announced soon.


- On February 2, 2018, Zappa Records/UMe will release The Roxy Performances, a definitive seven-CD box set that collects all four public shows from December 9-10, 1973, and the December 8th film shoot/soundcheck, each presented in their entirety for the first time, along with bonus content featuring rarities from a rehearsal, unreleased tracks and highlights from the Bolic Studios recording session. This complete collection, totaling nearly eight hours, documents the Roxy shows as they happened and presents brand new 2016 mixes by Craig Parker Adams from new 96K 24 Bit transfers of the multi-track masters. The set is rounded out with a 48-page booklet that includes photos from the performances, extensive liner notes by Vaultmeister Joe Travers, essays from Zappa family friend, Australian writer Jen Jewel Brown, and American singer/songwriter Dave Alvin, who give their firsthand recollections about the shows, and a selection of archival press reviews. Those who digitally pre-order the box set will receive an instant grat download of “RDNZL.” Culled from the very first show on December 9, the track is a live version of the classic song featuring the never-before-heard 2016 mix that exemplifies the sonics of the new box set. Pre-order The Roxy Performances now.

- Capstoning a year of celebrations for the documentary showcases' 30th anniversary, PBS television series POV is excited to announce its first-ever documentary marathon. Premiering on public television’s WORLD Channel, the binge-worthy marathon will showcase films from POV’s rich and diverse history of character-driven stories over a 24-hour period. Kicking off on New Year's Eve, the marathon will also run 30 films for 30 days on the POV streaming service at pov.org, pbs.org, and the PBS Anywhere app. POV is the longest running independent documentary series on American television. The marathon will also include the television premiere of the film 500 Years by Emmy-nominated and veteran POV filmmaker Pamela Yates, which will broadcast twice on January 1, 2018 at 8/7 p.m. Eastern Time and at 9 p.m. Pacific Time on the WORLD Channel. The film will also begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video on December 1. 500 Years had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

- Just south of San Francisco lies a region that has spawned not just new products but whole new industries, from vacuum tubes to radio, microchips to personal computers, mobile devices, apps and social media. Home to Apple and Facebook, Intel and Google, there is simply no other place on earth that can rival its remarkable record of innovation. A new Science Channel three-part documentary series will provide a comprehensive look at the century-and-a-half history of this fascinating place, and reveal how and why it became such a fertile ground for technological breakthroughs. Silicon Valley: The Untold Story premieres Sunday, January 28 at 8, 9 and 10 p.m. It is produced with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA is serving as the community and education outreach partner on the series.

- Deck the halls with a boughs of jolly with Game Show Network's Fa La La La Feud Marathon! Beginning Saturday December 23rd, gather your friends and loved ones to watch Steve Harvey and the Feud families face off in 4 binge-worthy marathons through New Year's Day. Survey says your family will be filled with holiday cheer!

Saturday, December 23rd:
2:00pm – 7:00pm ET
Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24th:
2:00pm – 1:00am ET
Christmas Day, Monday, December 25th &
Boxing Day, Tuesday, December 26th:
2:00pm – 11:00pm ET
New Year's Day, Monday, January 1st:
2:00pm – 10:00pm ET

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 12/17/2017

Shameless: There is no greater fear I have in life than to die and my dogs would starve to death because no one noticed. Even more horrifying is now I have in my mind that they would not starve before someone notice. But you got to blame Fiona, if your tenant is late on rent and not responding, you got to go in earlier. But at least she did the right thing and saved the dog from execution. But why was it so hard for Kev to find a dude to have sex with? Does he not work as a bartender at a gay bar?

The Walking Dead: I actually felt bad for a couple seconds after Carl revealed the zombie bite. Of course then I realized that, oh yeah, I hate Carl. Although I fear that since the episode did not end with him dying that he will somehow survive. Of course Carl would be the one person who is immune (although I think the Fear the Walking Dead characters ran into someone who claimed they survived). But back to the beginning, I feel like I missed something, like how the Saviors got out. I know someone said how but it would have been nice to see.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Good Behavior: The last two episodes were duds because it was not very fun watching high Letty except hung over Letty was almost as bad. Then it looked like we were going to get the clichéd Javier sets a trap for Tao except he kidnaps Letty instead plot. Except they completely switch things up with Letty ending up killing Tao without the help of Javier…. And then kills the security guy for no reason. Yeah, it may be time for Letty to g back to prison. Good behavior is just not working out.
You can download Good Behavior on iTunes.

SMILF: Watching Rosie O’Donnell having sex is very high on my list of things I never needed to see.

White Famous: Well, back to the beginning. But what is season two, are they actually going to do Angry Black? Do a time jump to something else? I am guessing it will not just be him raising his kid.

Lucifer: Well, I guess I was right that Superman was the Sinnerman. Though I could never predict he would turn out to be Cain. Superman said the Sinnerman killed his brother which turned out not to be a lie because Cain killed Abel.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

The Gifted: I have been in half watching mode of this show for a while, so I was wondering why the new blond was killing all the FBI agents (except the one we knew who somehow looked to only having a non-fatal injury). Then there was three of them. Okay, I am kind of almost interested in the show again.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.

Marvel’s Runaways: So the old crusty dude who sucks the lifeforce out of people is the one that brought the Pride together? But where has he been the past decade that no one but apparently the alien mom knew? I also have the question the parentage of Karolina’s father. Is it the guy we thought was her father or is it the life sucker. I am starting to get an annoying Lost vibe in that they pose a bunch of questions but are very slow to answering them. And here we are past the half way point and the Runaways have yet to actually runaway.
You can stream episodes of Marvel's Runaways on Hulu.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars: So after over half the females Champs went home without losing anything, they brought in Tori… another Champ who has never actually won anything. I am hoping next week is the end, I am ready for it.
You can download The Challenge: Dirty 30 on iTunes.

Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: I never understood why people are so hesitant to look for the Idol when other people are looking, especially when they know they are on the bottom. Weirder was Ben who did not want to go under the shelter around people and yet pulls it out at Tribal before the vote for everyone to see. But I did like him playing it before people voted to leverage Ashley and Devon to vote with him against Dr. Mike. Except then Ben and Devon voted for Ashley for no reason we, the viewers, were privy to. And this bad editing has gone on for three or so seasons. I get the show likes shocking votes, but the shock loses its luster if we have no clue why it happened.
You can download Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on iTunes.

Vikings: Well that is some strange bedfellows of Lagatha and one of the kids of the lady she killed. Weird the boys did not go after her when their half-brother left. Speaking of weird, where did the Vikings go at the end. I assumed they were playing possum, but why stop the episode there? Are they hiding underground and that is why the rates are above ground. Did they poison the land?
You can download Vikings on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: So the 5/0 hack never happened? Does this piss off White Rose or is this what (s)he wanted the hole time. I am a bit confused by everyone’s motive, Is this the time travel that is heavily hinted at (there was evn the turn back time scene from the Superman movie in this episode). But in the big letdown was the drug dealer from the first season was the end credit scene as he bizarrely showed up blaring Fiona Apple. Kind of a blah ending to what was an improvement over season two.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Knightfall: Wait, the princess wanted to marry her uncle. Now this is a large cast and I am still trying to figure out who is who, but are they really related? Although the royals of the time were famously inbred.
You can download Knightfall on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: From the start of the season I assumed Fitz was left behind so he could be the one to bring the rest of the team back to present day. But now he is in the future and wanting Quake to fight to the death (of course if she can rip apart the Earth, I think she could win most battles).
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.