57 Channels and Only This Is On: March 24, 2019

Supergirl: Oh snap, Miss Tessmaucher is evil. Oh wait, she says she has been evil this whole time? I guess maybe why someone with an advanced degree was an assistant to Cat Grant, but um, how exactly did that help with Lex Luthor’s plan? She need to have Cat leave, get close to James and have James get close to Lena. Maybe it will be better explained next week which I believe is a flashback episode of how Lex planned all this. And is Manchester gone forever? I guess it makes sense that he had this death wish so he can be with his dead girlfriend, but did not really get his revenge first.
Supergirl on iTunes.

The Walking Dead: Did I miss how Michonne and Daryl got out of their restraints after being captures by the Lord of the Flies gang? But I guess when Michonne has to kill a bunch of children because she let someone she trusted into Alexandra is a good reason to not let anyone new in after that.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Good Girls: When they learned about the every growing landfill, I thought they would actually take the body their instead of dumping it in the trash. Seems like a lot could go wrong with the body getting discovered before making it to the dump. Of course that might be the point.
You can download Good Girls on iTunes

Black Monday: A little jarring when you see that the episode takes us all the way back to seven thousand days before Black Monday. Although a bit disappointing that half the episode took place a day after the last episode and the far back half was just a red herring to make you think that Mo was capable of kidnapping only for it to be her parents which likely will be the reason Blair comes on board the plan.

The Act: The one thing that really bothered me with this whole story is if DeeDee was really faking Gypsy’s illnesses, how exactly was she able to get away with this from a doctor? Well we did see in the second episode one doctor try to get to the bottom of things, even going as far as to call Child Protective Services. But now I am left to wonder why stop? Was it just because the social worker could not find enough to go any further?
You can stream The Act on Hulu.

Survivor: Edge of Extinction: Once Immunity has been won, it is usually pretty obvious who is going home. Sure the editors will try to make you think there is another option and occasionally there are some shocking twist but ninety [percent of the time you can easily guess who it is. Like in the first hour, seemed pretty obvious Aubrey was going to be voted out because all the dominate tribe has talked about is how the returning players did not deserve to come back. Sure there was a chance the redhead ended up going with the all-chick alliance or Aubrey pulled out her Idol, but that turned out the case.

As for the second hour we had the very rare, I have no clue what was going to happen. We had five vs. five going into Tribal. Except Wendy was the only person who had not been with her tribe the whole time, and yet, she kind of hated her old tribe. Then it seemed like David and the redhead could very well switch instead of going to rock (anyone who goes to rocks is a moron, alliances do not matter anymore, just get yourself to tomorrow). Oh, and both Lauren and Wentworth have Idols.

Shockingly Wardog came up with a reasonable plan and even more shocking, it actually went off without a hitch. I mocked Wardog all episode for being the least athletic fit looking dude who could not even throw a bag despite a Yankee’s tattoo on his arm, but he somehow pulled that out of his noggin. Although all the whispering that we were not privy to via subtitles were a bit annoying. What exactly did David and Wendy talk about? Was that just a giant ruse? Did he try to sway her to vote with them? Get the name of who she was voting for? We will never know.

But we finally get the Edge of Extinction playing out next week. Crazy thing is, I was thinking if Aubrey is the player who returns (which is likely the producer’s pick) the former Manu could end up in the majority post merge. There are just four original Manu left, Aubrey would likely join them out of spite and bring Joe because he would also be targeted as a returning player and then they could recruit Aurora who also seemed on the out too. Then that would be seven to the remaining original Kama’s six. But if not Aubrey, will a former Manu player come back into the game bitter and will be fine at the bottom of Kama or try again with people who already booted them? Though the worst case scenario for everyone would be Wendy returning who would just be pure chaos.

Okay, one more group of questions: so do the losers that do not win their way back in the game go back to Edge of Extinction or are their torches snuffed again? Or is this going to be like Redemption Island where the deck is cleared and everyone post merge goes there and has a chance to come back in at around four left? Or are we done with Edge of Extinction?
You can download Survivor: Edge of Extinction on iTunes.

The Challenge: War of World: There is an old saying that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in heels. I thought of that this week because I believe every team had the chick walk backwards in this challenge. But I am really ready for Bear to be off my television screen. Just deport him to Ex on the Beach or something. But weird play from Wes. Targets the British alliance last week then burns a vote on one and votes in a very weak team. For a self-proclaimed genius, that seemed like a very weak play.
You can download The Challenge: War of Worlds on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists: Pretty Little Liars was a drag. They stretched out who was A way too long and just became a chore to watch the longer it went. So I was dreading watching the spin-off because the last one sucked. But then started explaining the plot of the first episode to someone: there is a dude who is dating a hot black chick, forking a hot Latina who he broke up with by letting her walking in on him forking some random which chick, oh yeah, and he is blackmailing the nerdy white dude he also forked. And then he was thrown off a building. Okay, that was kind of an awesome premiere. And I did not even get to the gay politician who got taped cheating on her wife with a dude. Hopefully they do not take five seasons to figure out who killed the guy.
You can download Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists on iTunes.

Deadly Class: Not one but two cliffhangers to end the season (especially considering the rating puts a renewal in the toss up category)? And just how did the cartel people know where everybody was?
You can download Deadly Class on iTunes.

Gotham: Mmm, an Al-Gul daughter plans an elaborate scheme to punish her father’s killer with the help of Bane… where have I heard that one before? And then why is the show taking a month off if there is just two episodes left? Just finish it now.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Well that got dark. But hey, the new Doom Patrol has one more member and a Cyborg so maybe that will even the odds in their next battle. But what exactly has Mr. Nobody been doing since that battle, just plotting for a couple decades?

Blindspot: Oh yeah, the evil therapist is still alive. For some reason I was thinking he was killed by an explosion. I guys the scars means he survived the blast.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

The Blacklist: So Red was able to bluff his way out of his execution and somehow also inadvertently uncovered the very conspiracy that was trying to kill him. Although now that he is out, isn’t he going to track down the person who put him in prison? And though Liz says she no longer cares who Red really is, what about her sister?
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: March 23, 2019

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 Action, A Life Among Monkeys, Tre Maison Dasan, bülow, Maggie Lindemann, We Are Columbine, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Looking For Alaska, and The Loudest Voice.

- Showtime has released the official trailer for its new four-part docu-series Action, premiering on Sunday, March 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Directed by Luke Korem, Action explores the legalization of sports gambling and its evolving impact on the industry following the landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision to lift a ban on sports betting. Peeling back the curtain on a once taboo industry during its most critical juncture, Action chronicles the lives of professional gamblers, bookies and oddsmakers throughout the 2018 NFL season, culminating with the biggest gambling day of the year, Super Bowl Sunday. The character-driven narrative delivers intimate access to a diverse cross-section of the sports gaming community and documents the effects of legalization through their prisms.


- Smithsonian Channel will introduce viewers to a class-conscious community of Sri Lankan monkeys in a new documentary to air during the network’s Wild Wednesday lineup. The one-hour special draws upon the remarkable work of Dr. Wolfgang Dittus, who has spent over 50 years studying the charismatic toque macaques of Sri Lanka, constituting the longest continuous monkey study in the world. Centered in the stunning ancient kingdom ruins of Polonnaruwa, A Life Among Monkeys reveals trials and tribulations of life in the intricate social order of toque macaques, documented for the first time thanks to Dr. Dittus’ pioneering work, and forces us to reevaluate what we thought we knew about primate societies. A Life Among Monkeys premieres Wednesday, April 24 at 9 PM ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- Told directly through the children’s perspective, Tre Maison Dasan is an up-close and unfiltered look at the lives of three Rhode Island boys, each navigating childhood and adolescence with a parent behind bars. Each boy faces the pressure of growing up in a society that often demonizes their parents, provides little support for their families, and assumes “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Produced and directed by Denali Tiller, Tre Maison Dasan premieres on Independent Lens Monday, April 1, 2019, 10:00-11:00 PM ET (check local listings), and will also be available simultaneously for online streaming at pbs.org.

- JUNO Award winning, pop iconoclast bülow has announced the release of her new EP, Crystalline, on April 5th via Wax Records /Republic Records/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. Music fans can listen to the EP’s debut single, “Sweet Little Lies,” here.

- Maggie Lindemann has been adventurously investigating her sound and identity since breaking through with the global pop smash 'Pretty Girl.' From that track's laser-sharp pop focus to the darker, revealingly vulnerable recent tracks ‘Human’ and ‘Would I,’ Maggie has demonstrated a brave desire to tackle bold new ideas while amassing over a billion streams.

- This April marks 20 years since tragedy unfolded at Columbine High School. Director and former student Laura Farber now brings us stories from those who lived it and how they’ve since dealt with the residual trauma in We Are Columbine, the new documentary playing this April in select cities along with a digital HD release April 9th. Offering a unique perspective, We Are Columbine follows four students who experienced one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Director Laura Farber, who was also a Columbine freshman at the time, sensitively captures her classmates' deeply personal and unique perspectives during an unprecedented walk-through of the school itself, shedding light on the complexity of a life impacted by violence and loss at a young age.

- Showtime has announced that Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful) has joined Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, the next chapter of the Penny Dreadful saga, in the series regular role of Dr. Peter Craft. Craft is a successful German pediatrician and the head of the German-American Bund, an organization he hopes will keep the United States isolated from the growing threat of war in Europe. The series also stars Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, Adriana Barraza, Jessica Garza, Johnathan Nieves and Tony® and Emmy® winner Nathan Lane. Tony and Golden Globe® award winner and three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, the creator, writer and executive producer of the Emmy nominated series Penny Dreadful, continues in those same roles. Michael Aguilar (Kidding) also serves as executive producer. Production on the drama series is expected to begin later this year.

- Hulu’s upcoming (8-episode) limited series, Looking For Alaska, announces additional series regulars: Denny Love, Jay Lee, Landry Bender, Sofia Vassilieva, Uriah Shelton, and Jordan Connor. They join previously announced series regulars, Kristine Froseth and Charlie Plummer. The series comes from Paramount Television and Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage’s Fake Empire. Logline: The series is based on the John Green novel of the same name. It is told through the eyes of teenager Miles “Pudge” Halter (Plummer), as he enrolls in boarding school to try to gain a deeper perspective on life. He falls in love with a girl, Alaska Young (Froseth), and after her unexpected death, he and his close friends attempt to uncover the truth behind her death and make sense of it.

- Showtime has announced that Emmy and Golden Globe® nominated actor Josh Charles (The Good Wife) will play a recurring role in the network’s upcoming limited series The Loudest Voice about Fox News founder Roger Ailes. The series, led by Academy Award® and Golden Globe winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind), is based on extensive reporting by Gabriel Sherman in his bestselling book, The Loudest Voice in the Room. Production is currently underway in New York City. Charles will portray Casey Close, husband of former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson (Oscar® nominee Naomi Watts) and well-known sports agent, who tries to comfort his rattled wife and reassure her that her situation at Fox isn't as bad as she thinks.

2019 Spring Music Preview

When I did my Winter music preview, it resolved around us getting three new Ryan Adams albums this year. Ooops. Dude got #MeToo-ed and the first album has been indefinitely delayed. Granted this did not come to much of a surprise because, c'mon, we have known Adams has been a douche for quite a long time now. The first story I ever remember of him was that he once stopped a concert and refused to continue until a dude who shouted "Play Summer of '69" was kicked out. And there are a lot of stories of this guy being an unhinged mess. I remember an article for Jenny Lewis's last album (not the one being released tomorrow) which Adams produced songs for and I came away from this thinking, wow, this guy is bat-shirt crazy. Kind of makes me wonder why anyone get close to this guy in the first place. Oh well. There is still plenty of new music coming our way this spring. Here is what I will at the very least give a spin on Spotify. You can pre-order on Amazon by clicking on the title. Click the artist's name to be taken to their iTunes page.


Tomorrow
On the Line - Jenny Lewis
My Finest Work - Andrew Bird
No Words Left - Lucy Rose
100% Fresh - Adam Sandler

March 29
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish
Union - Son Volt
For the Many - UB40
Rattlesnake - The Strumbellas
You're the Man - Marvin Gaye
Stand Back: 1981-2017 - Stevie Nicks

April 5
Amidst the Chaos - Sara Bareilles

April 12
Begin Again - Norah Jones
Love Is All You Love - Band of Skulls
The Hurting Kind - John Paul White
This Wild Willing - Glen Hansard
My Happy Place - Emma Bunton
Absolute Zero - Bruce Hornsby

April 19
Jade Bird - Jade Bird
Akron, Ohio - Sad Planets
In Stereo - Bananarama

April 26
Thrilled To Be Here - BAILEN
In the End - The Cranberries

May 3
Father of the Bride - Vampire Weekend
Pep Talks - Judah and The Lion
Age of Unreason - Bad Religion
Dreaming Time Again - Corey Hart

May 10
Wah Gwaan?! - Shaggy
We Get By - Mavis Staples
Space Between - Sammy Hagar and The Circle

May 17
Living Mirage - The Head and the Heart
I Am Easy to Find - The National

May 24
40 - Stray Cats

May 31
Glazed - *repeat repeat

June 21
Keepsake - Hatchie


TBA
Bleachers
Chance the Rapper
Fiona Apple
Guns N' Roses
Selena Gomez
Tiffany Haddish

And of course, this could be the season Dr. Dre releases Detox.

Previewing The Act

Last summer Hulu premiered Castle Rock releasing a new episode every week. There were two just outstanding episodes over the course of the first that spawned countless think pieces across the internet. And that was the last time Hulu released one of its show one episode per week instead opting for the Netflix model of releasing full seasons at one time. I never quite understood this other than the thought, well Netflix is successful is at so we should do it too. Except if you subscribe to Hulu, you probably to it to watch last night’s episode of NBC, ABC, and Fox shows.

Almost a year later, it looks like Hulu is rethinking its release schedule. The first drama to release every show at once was The First which was already canceled. I do wonder if it had been more successful if it was released weekly. Much like Castle Rock there was a truly great episode in the middle except there were no think pieces about because when a show is released all at once, when exactly do you write it? Instead most critics wrote about the show once, said there was one great episode but the rest was mostly, meh, and that was about it. Though The First is the only show since canceled, only Light as a Feather has been renewed. And really shows aimed at teenagers and younger are probably the only shows Hulu should release all at once.

So starting with The Act, Hulu is, at least for now, is going back to a weekly release schedule. (The Handmaid’s Tale and Harlots will follow this spring and both have released weekly in their first two season so I would assume that will continue though no word on Catch-22 which premieres before them.) And really it will be better for it because you may need a full week to pull process each episode because The Act is completely messed up. And I mean that in the most complementary way possible.

The Act is another in an every growing trend of True Crime limited series and this series may have found the most bizarre true crime story in America’s history. The Buzzfeed article that brought the story to the masses says it all: “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered.” Patricia Arquette (who is back in a bad wig after winning an multiple end year awards for another pretty bizarre true crime story, Escape from Dannamora) plays Dee Dee who has been abusing her daughter with Munchausen syndrome by proxy for years. Gyspy is played Joey King (Ramona and Beezus) who is not going to make it easy for Arquette to also take home the Emmy where she may just compete against herself and King. Really, these two going out it in every scene going for that Emmy is going to be as compelling as every March Madness game this year. I might just give it to King by a hair because she literally has none for this role because Dee Dee told Gypsy she was so sick she could not grow any and shaved her regularly.

That Buzzfeed title is not really that spoilery for those unfamiliar with the case because there are flash forwards in the premiere where we see a lifeless Dee Dee with multiple stab wounds in her back. This act took place in 2015 while the first episode flashes back seven years when two New Orleans are built a new how in Missouri by Habitat for Humanity after being displaced by Katrina. Gypsy gets medicine and food injected through her belly and wears a mask to sleep. She also has the largest medicine cabinet you may ever see. And of course early in the show Gypsy has to be taken to the Emergency Room, her seventh time that year and it is not even summer year.

But this is the time of a young girl’s life where they are starting to be old enough to think about best friends, boyfriends. Or so one would assume, it is unclear just how old Gypsy is. Dee Dee is really exploiting records being destroying in Katrina to put Gypsy’s age in doubt. But Gypsy is now smart enough to clear the browsing history. One friend that presents herself is AnnaSophia Robb (Race to Witch Mountain) who lives across the street with her mother Chloë Sevigny (American Psycho).

Each episode of The Act opens with the tag “Based on real event” but I also found it interesting that each episode end with, “While this program is based on real events, some scenes and characters have been dramatized or fictionalized.” Which kind of leads me to wonder what exactly is real and what is not? I remember watching Hidden Figures last year and was disappointed to learn afterwards that the best part of the movie, when Kevin Costner tore down the “Colors Bathroom” sign, never actually happened because that character he did that for did not actually had to go across campus to use the restroom she was allowed to go in. Fake or real, The Act is creepy as it gets and I cannot wait to see how it fully unfurls and actually write about it every week.

New episodes of The Act premiere on Hulu every Wednesday. The first two episodes are available now.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: March 17, 2019

Supergirl: Did they already disband The Elite? They were the only remotely non-horrible part of this season. Oh well, next week we get Lex Luthur. Meh.
Supergirl on iTunes.

Shameless: Fiona seemly got fleeced on that deal. All she got was her $100,000 back. At least get some interest if that dude stands to make money on the deal. Then she gives half to Debbie. $50,000 may last a couple years if you are frugal, but Fiona has not been the best at money. And flying south without a plan is not a great way to manage money. But hey, when changes her mind and want to rejoin the cast in half a season like Ian did, I guess that would make storyline sense.

The Walking Dead: I do not understand the argument of not going back to Hilltop. The Whisperers are just going to assume you are going there if you are or not. I really doubt they are going to knock on the door, be told the daughter is not there, and then say sorry and leave. I doubt they would leave unless they get proof and Hilltop cannot prove a false negative so there is going to be a showdown if you go there or not. I also do not understand stopping either. The Whisperers walk with slow moving zombies, they are easy to outrun.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Black Monday: So the SEC has been leaning on Keith for three months? I guess that is the problem with doing a show that takes place over a year in just ten half hour episodes. The SEC nabs Keith with 122 days to go and the next episode is 65. But interesting Mo actually came clean on his long con and that just blew up. So how is he going to get back on track? Marry Tiff himself? Or was that him behind both kidnappings in the episode? Next episode is 7042, which would be… 19 years ago? That should be interesting.

The Passage: Just when you think these people cannot get any dumber, that actually had a contingency plan by planting bombs in their bunker… except the forking morons did not seem to kill any of the vampires in the explosion. I kind of wonder if Shawna was lying and that the black scientist was turned and survived the bomb and will pop up at some point in season two. Actually, will anyone be around in season two after all the other countries nuked the U.S.? Amy survives because we see he decades in the future. Fanning we saw in Amy’s future vision. So are these vampires like cockroaches that can survive explosions in enclosed bunkers and nuclear fallout? Yet that black Bible spouting chick seemingly can kill them pretty easily. As for the rest of the cast, Zach Morris and his ex-wife were given the cure but seem to have some vampire properties. Zach’s army buddy seems to be in the same situation except we do not really learn how Shawna saved him. Then will this next season be exclusively in the distant future or will it split between present day? I guess the biggest question is, will there even be a second season?
You can download The Passage on iTunes.

Survivor: Edge of Extinction: Every season we have a swap and conspicuously every swap you can spot Probst shoving certain platters or bags towards certain players making me wonder just how random was the swap. Then we ended up with a pretty statistically improbable result of the minority tribe all ending up on the same tribe except the one member who was on the outs. And of course they continue to lose.
You can download Survivor: Edge of Extinction on iTunes.

The Challenge: War of World: Well after we got our first English player to go him last week, Wes orchestrates to get rid of another… and fails the only way Was can. For a self-proclaimed genius, his plans fail quite miserable all the time.
You can download The Challenge: War of Worlds on iTunes.

Deadly Class: So the headmaster and the hot Asian assassin are linked… sort of. He knew her father. They kind of teased they were related a couple times and now we know what is really going on there. But so much for the speech on protecting her when her father died because she just straight up abandoned him. Granted, what exactly could she have done when the Cartel rolled up to the Headmaster’s home? That and the raid on the crazy person should make for an interesting finale.
You can download Deadly Class on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Oh my goodness, a Cult of the Recreator. How stupid and how great. But what exactly is Mr. Nobody up to by telling Crazy Jane about Doom Patrol? I guess they had a team name yet, but a weird reveal for the name he planted almost forty years ago. But this is a weird show so it will likely play out is a great way.

Blindspot: So are they selling that game? If not they are missing out on some money… from me at least. I kind of want to play.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

The Blacklist: So Red knew of a plot that goes all the way to the top. But did he know it went all the way to the tippy top because the president turned out to be in on it. So how exactly to you get a pardon from the one person who is actually conspiring against you? Well the team has about ten minutes to figure that out.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tunes: March 16, 2019

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 RAMY, Funny Women of a Certain Age, Free Solo, POV, Harlots, Rome's Chariot Superstar, James Bay, Noah Kahan, Lion Babe, Meg Myers, Kaylee Rose, Disgraceland, The Good Lord Bird


- Following the world premiere at SXSW this weekend, Hulu has released the official trailer for upcoming Hulu Original comedy series RAMY. All 10 episodes of RAMY premiere Friday, April 19 only on Hulu.


- Fran Drescher headlines Funny Women of a Certain Age, a new comedy special that will premiere on SHOWTIME on Friday, March 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Carole Montgomery, Luenell, Lynne Koplitz, Kerri Louise and Vanessa Hollingshead round out the lineup for the first television comedy special to feature six female comics over the age of 50. The outrageous hour-long special was filmed at The Bell House in Brooklyn.


- Beginning this week, Free Solo, the Academy Award® winning Best Documentary Feature highlighting soloist climber Alex Honnold, will stream on Hulu. From award-winning documentary filmmaker Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and world-renowned photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin, FREE SOLO is an unflinching portrait of Honnold as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream of climbing El Capitan, the 3,200-foot peak in Yosemite National Park, without a rope.

- From city streets to the halls of Congress, women are reasserting their voice and power in 2019. As history unfolds, women are also documenting it. Celebrating these powerful stories in the 32nd season of American television’s longest running documentary showcase on PBS and bucking the industry’s stubborn gender gap, nine out of POV’s 16 feature films this season are helmed by women directors, while four of the five POV Shorts premiering in its second season are directed by women. POV’s 32nd season begins with director Nancy Schwartzman’s Roll Red Roll on June 17 at 10 p.m. on PBS stations, PBS apps, as well as pov.org and amdoc.org. The season will continue with broadcast premieres airing into October, with pop-out episodes in early 2020. POV Shorts’ second season will also launch with Changing Same, premiering at 10:30 p.m. after the feature film On Her Shoulders on Monday, July 22, with subsequent broadcasts throughout POV’s 32nd season.

- Harlots season 3 will premiere on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 (weekly release) only on Hulu! Joining the cast this season as new foes for the women of Soho are Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones, The Predator) and Ash Hunter (Hamilton West End, The Secret Agent) as the Pincher brothers.

- With new discoveries from the world of Roman chariot racing, Rome's Chariot Superstar pieces together an epic view of the lost ancient sport – the most popular and longest-lived form of mass entertainment in the Roman world, yet also the most lethal. Smithsonian Channel’s new two-hour special offers a detailed account of the life of Flavius Scorpus, a real chariot star, and the racing contests he and other champions entered in the famed Circus Maximus arena. Drawing from expert knowledge, archeological evidence and written records, Rome's Chariot Superstar rebuilds the world of chariot racing and its stars in graphic detail. The special premieres Sunday, April 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multiplatinum singer-songwriter James Bay gave his debut television performance of “Peer Pressure” last night on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Watch the performance HERE.

- Noah Kahan releases the video for his new single, “Mess.” Watch it HERE! Produced by Kahan’s frequent collaborator Joel Little (Lorde, Khalid), the song has already received praise from Billboard, NYLON, Idolator, EARMILK, Baeble, Ones To Watch and more.

- Lion Babe just premiered their new song "Western World" feat. Raekwon on Beats1 Radio with Ebro and you can hear it now across all digital platforms - link to listen below. The track is from their forthcoming album, Cosmic Wind, due out March 29th, and pulls inspiration from the Pet Shop Boys timeless song "West End Girls" and features an appearance from the legendary Wu-Tang member Raekwon. Following their 2016 critically-acclaimed debut album Begin, Cosmic Wind is an introspective turn, highlighting their growth socially, physically, lyrically; musically! Lion Babe states simply, "It's about the current climate of our American culture and soul. Honored to have Raekwon help paint this wild picture of the present."

- Enigmatic alt-rock artist Meg Myers is back with an empowering cover of Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill,' the first taste of her next project, slated for release later this summer. Coming of age in a devoted Jehovah’s Witness household, Meg dealt with restrictions on what music she was allowed to listen to. At 19, Meg moved to LA and recorded her debut album Sorry which spawned Top 15 and Top 20 alternative radio hits. Three years later, she put out Take Me To The Disco, her second LP which debuted at #5 on the Current Alternative Chart and earned the acclaim of The New York Times, Associated Press, NPR Music, Stereogum, Billboard, and more.

- Singer-songwriter Kaylee Rose has released a dynamic new song, titled “Stuff” to radio and digital retailers. The powerful new track talks about the emotional attachment one feels to the things that are left behind following a loss or breakup; conveyed in the lyrics of the song “Not ready to say goodbye. When it’s love, it’s not just stuff.”

- The explosive rock and roll true crime podcast "Disgraceland" released the first episode of its third season, a two-part episode focusing on Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love, via the iHeartPodcast Network. Part one is now available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are available, with part two available Tuesday, March 19. New episodes will be released bi-weekly on Tuesdays beginning March 26 with an episode on Snoop Dogg. Listen to episode one here.

- Showtime has ordered the eight-part limited series Good Lord Bird from Blumhouse Television, based on the National Book Award-winning novel The Good Lord Bird by bestselling author James McBride. Oscar®, Golden Globe® and Tony® nominee Ethan Hawke will star as 19th-century abolitionist John Brown and is co-writing and executive producing with award-winning author and producer Mark Richard (The Ice at the Bottom of the World and Hell on Wheels). Emmy winner Anthony Hemingway (Underground) will direct and executive produce. GOOD LORD BIRD is told from the point of view of Onion, an enslaved teenager who becomes a member in Brown’s motley family during the time of Bleeding Kansas, eventually participating in the famous 1859 raid on the Army depot at Harpers Ferry. Brown’s raid failed to initiate the slave revolt he intended, but was the instigating event that started the Civil War.

Previewing Shrill

Where Hulu has been swinging for the fences when it comes to dramas bringing in big names and splashy press releases, they may actually be getting more and more niche with its comedies. Earlier this year they premiered PEN15 by far the weirdest thing currently on television. Next month comes Ramy about a millennial Muslim starring someone you probably have never heard of. And today sees the premiere Shrill whose tagline is, “Annie, a fat young woman who wants to change her life — but not her body.” So yeah, Shrill is not a broad comedy either.

Then after one episode, I kind of wondered if Shrill was a comedy at all because the only time I laughed in the first episode was at a very blunt pharmacist. And that was the only scene he was in. Okay the show does get progressively funnier with each passing episode. Early in the second episode Annie, who writes for an online publication which for some reason still has office space, goes to a strip club to review its buffet.

Annie is played by Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) who lives with her lesbian best friend (Lolly Adefope, Miracle Workers) while Luka Jones (People of Earth) is the douchebag boyfriend who she has to slum it with. Or maybe he is slumming it, I kind of go back and forth throughout the season. And he may only be out douched by Annie’s boss John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) who may the most pretentious gay dude ever.

But the problem is that the funniest people on the show are barely on it. There is a very inappropriate receptionist at the paper who always has something condescending to say but Annie is rarely at the office. So the IT girl only gets two scenes, but her matter-of-factly debates whether a corn dog could make for a self-pleasuring instrument may be the funniest bit in the show. It is either that or when you learn why the third episode is entitled “Pencil” (you will never guess why). Shrill can be very funny when it want to be, seriously there is a scene where a character takes shrooms when a dog eat one by accident in solidarity, but actual laughs are sometimes too far in between.

All episodes of Shrill are now streaming on Hulu.

Previewing Billions: Season Four

Billons threw a huge curveball last season in after two and a half seasons of being at each other throats and seemed to be careening towards mutual assured destruction, Chuck and Axe actually sat down together and called a truce. Not only that, they started helping each other out as both were being targeting by their one time protégés who are now going after their illegal and immoral ways they once tried to take down the other. Chuck is now being investigated by his second in command while Axe’s star analyst has set up her own shop, taking a sizable amount of capital with her as well as a couple employees.

So both Chuck and Axe start season four a little wounded, Chuck was fired by Attorney General and replaced by the protégé who is now reviewing all his past cases for improprieties. Then Axe is now is finding it hard to retaliate against his protégé who is being backed by a Russian oligarch and has lost his wife and child. Okay, there is a new blonde that looks just like her that catches Axe’s eye. But it is weird after rarely appearing on screen in the first three seasons, how much Axe and Chuck spend together in the new season.

Chuck private practice for high power players and without much power humorously goes on a trek to carry favors with his one chip is not very covetable. Of course it is not very long before his overbearing father tries to grab some power with his son by coming up with a play to make him the Attorney General of New York state. But I wonder just what would happened if a real disgraced U.S. Attorney tried to run for a state Attorney General would go. Wouldn’t an announcement be dead on arrival? Although in these days and times, I guess I could see Trump/Jeff Sessions firing one, claiming it is politically motivated and then run for Attorney General of New York and quickly crowned out of spite mostly.

Billions airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: March 10, 2019

Supergirl: This season has been one of the biggest drags in television history to watch but The Elite finally seem like a worthy advisory, much more than Agent Liberty. But Supergirl’s response of having her own “Super Friends” was really grown worthy. That is clearly the lamest iteration of Super Friends ever. You can take the four kind of racist Super Friends from the original eighties show and they would still be cooler than Supergirl’s Super Friends.
Supergirl on iTunes.

Shameless: Oh yeah, I completely forgot about Liam too. Now I am wondering how long it has been since he has been on. Has he been on this half of the season? Then after a half a season of really bad news, is Fiona actually getting some good news? Although I am not sure if I would accept an offer by someone who is quick to buy you out. Maybe that is how she gets written off the show, she leaves town to oversee the new property.

Black Monday: Wow, that has to be the most elaborate prank ever conceived. Except the joke may end up on Mo because he may have broken up the engagement of his mark and tipped off said mark to the actor he hired. But since we still have a couple episodes left, it will probably work out in the end.

SMILF: $90 for electricity? Doesn’t Bridget live in a one room apartment? Is this a big city thing and they are paying more for electricity? That is more than I pay for all my utilities in my much bigger square footage. Does Bridget leave her computer/television on at all times? Is she still using incandescent light bulbs? That just seems like a lot.

The Walking Dead: I finally got around to last week’s episode despite not getting On Demand for a week and the AMC website not letting me watch and I was a bit shocked that no one died during the exchange. I was ready for Alpha to kill her daughter just out of spit. Although, now the daughter knows the Hilltop secret exit. Except she (presumably) did not get to tell her mother about it before being rescued by Daryl. And I never understand why people on this show think a room full of zombies is such an insurmountable task. Just create a small opening and kill them one by one as they come out. But I wonder how they still have batteries that work that can power that boombox
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Good Girls: I complain a lot about promo monkeys spoiling things, but the cast list just spoiled who would live and die, both the gangsta and the husband were in there pretty much spoiling that neither would die. Granted the husband still got shot. Yet the police did not make much of a deal about this. Yeah you can tell the kids it is a robbery gone wrong, but when it happens in the house, I cannot believe the police would buy that especially if you are being investigated for robbing the grocery store.
You can download Good Girls on iTunes

The Passage: C’mon, just let the little weasely army guy die. Or get bitten I guess. Although isn’t Zach Morris’s ex-wife now stuck with the vampires?
You can download The Passage on iTunes.

Survivor: Edge of Extinction: Obviously due went to Edge of Extinction. Stupid cliffhanger. And it will be a little lame if they get a little more stuff every time someone new shows up at the island. But it always amazes me how long people hold on to Immunity. Wentworth knew her name was coming up but did not player her Idol just in case. My philosophy has always been, play it just in case and go look for a new Idol tomorrow.
You can download Survivor: Edge of Extinction on iTunes.

The Challenge: War of World: Wait, didn’t just last season Zach risked a million dollars and went in to elimination just to spite his partner and now he is letting his patner run right over him? And this time he was right, it is
You can download The Challenge: War of Worlds on iTunes.

Deadly Class: mmm, the age old question, to Devil’s Threesome, or not to Devil’s Threesome. I guess when she looks like her; you just have to bite the bullet. Clearly these moron took way too much time to come to that conclusion.
You can download Deadly Class on iTunes.

Gotham: Barbra got big quick. It had passed my mind that she may be faking it but if she is this big, that would be a very long con. And I was really surprise Barbra, or no one else, actually crashed the wedding. I cannot remember the last wedding I saw on television that went off without a hitch.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Alright, we have a two parter. Well, I assume we this will get resolved next episode. Kind of weird pacing just because I expected the Doom Patrol to dispatch the baddies by the end of the episode, instead the book gets read and we roll the credits. And I wonder if that magic dude was supposed to come off as a low rent Constantine because that was what happened. (Scrolls Wikipedia) Oh yeah, that character was created when the Doom Patrol writers were not allowed to use Constantine… makes perfect sense.

Blindspot: A weird move to have a flashback episode from in between seasons, two seasons ago. I was thinking it was a case I did not remember there for a while.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

The Blacklist: Oh wow, Red did not escape. That was a shocker. So what next? The promo looks like the execution is next episode. I know Red waived he right to an appeal, but that seems very quick. If Red could not escape on his own, could Lizzy find a way to get him out? Will he be pardoned by a pardon happy psychopathic president?
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: March 9, 2019

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 Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, The Circus, Sigrid, Marshmello, Skylar Grey, Picture This, ASHS, Disgraceland, and Francis and the Lights.

- Please check out our never-before-seen clip below from Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, an all-new film coming to theaters on March 15 from Warner Bros., Ellen DeGeneres’ A Very Good Production and Red 56. The clip follows high school enemies Nancy (Sophia Lillis) and Helen (Laura Slade Wiggins), as they become “frenemies” and agree to team up to solve the case of the ghost that is haunting Helen’s Aunt Flora’s (Linda Lavin) home. True to the iconic character, we can see the excitement in Nancy’s eyes as she gets ready to investigate!


- With Democratic infighting on full display this week, THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE WILDEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH examines the ideological debate that is consuming the Democratic Party. In the episode, titled “To The Left” and airing on Sunday, March 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®, co-hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon explore the intra-party clash over whether the best strategy for beating President Trump is to embrace ideas popular with the energized left or with moderate voters closer to America's political center.

- In the last two years we have witnessed an incredible new talent in Sigrid. From the tiny town of Ålesund in Norway, Sigrid’s defiant pop was catapulted into the public consciousness with the zeitgeist defining ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ in 2017 with a colossal mind, attitude and voice. Today Sigrid releases her debut album Sucker Punch to critical acclaim, already praised across the board from the likes of NYLON, Paper, Rolling Stone, Fader, Elle, Billboard, NPR and more. The album includes the energetic ‘Strangers,’ as well as ‘Dynamite,’’ title single ‘Sucker Punch,’ and recent track ‘Don’t Feel Like Crying.’ The pop prodigy kicked off 2019 with a SOLD-OUT headlining NYC show at Brooklyn Steel, a performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and continues the year supporting both George Ezra in March on his mammoth arena tour, and Maroon 5 in June across UK and Europe; with more US tour date announcements from Sigrid coming soon.

- History-making international superstar Marshmello shares his new single “Here With Me” featuring CHVRCHES today. Get it HERE via Republic Records.

- Tune in this Friday, March 8 at 9:00 pm ET/PT to watch the broadcast premiere of “Skylar Grey” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239. The show will also be available streaming, on-demand through DIRECTV NOW and WatchTV.

- Critically acclaimed Irish international phenomenon Picture This release the official music video for “Modern Love” today. How would those from the past use modern dating apps? The answer is hilarious. Watch HERE.

- Have you ever been to the “Unknown”? Mariel Darling quickly gaining popularity in the music industry as she launches new music video “Unknown” – gaining more than 260K views in the past two months. Mariel takes the listener on a journey into the “Unknown” with the pressure of growing up in today’s society.


- ASHS explores the depths of volatile romance further with the release of, 3AM Pt. 2, today through Wax Records / Casablanca Records / Universal Music Canada. Listen HERE.

- The explosive rock and roll true crime podcast Disgraceland announced its first ever live shows at the Sinclair in Cambridge, MA on May 10 and at The Gothic Theatre in Denver, CO on May 25. The show will also make its first festival appearance at Comedy Central’s Clusterfest in San Francisco which takes place on June 21-23. Tickets for the Boston and Denver shows are on sale now and can be found on the Disgraceland website.

- SHOWTIME announced that Francis and the Lights will headline the music line-up at The SHOWTIME House on Monday, March 11 at South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals, located at Clive Bar on Rainey Street. Monday’s performance is part of The SHOWTIME House Of Music, celebrating music documentaries SHANGRI-LA and WU-TANG CLAN: OF MICS AND MEN, with curated music inspired by Rick Rubin. That night will also feature a DJ performance by Peanut Butter Wolf. Francis And The Lights is featured in the work-in-progress documentary SHANGRI-LA about legendary music producer Rick Rubin, screening that same day at 2:45 p.m. at the Paramount Theater.

I Want My Music Television: March 4, 2019

I Get No Joy - Jade Bird


Of all the singles Jade Bird has released (though it is growing on me with every listen), this would be my least favorite, but it is still a pretty entertaing music video.


High as a Kite – Weezer


Hasn’t Weezer already done the children’s show music video with the Muppets a decade ago? Granted, they just redid their Undone video. But maybe if your write a very boring song, maybe not highlight the boringness by having everyone yawn. Maybe it is time for a Keep On Lovin’ You cover.


You Mean The World To Me - Freya Ridings


Arya Stark has been trying to kill Cersie Lannister since way back in season two but on the eve of the final season, the two put aside their differences to film a music video for Freya Ridings. How nice. Now I cannot wait for Arya to steal Jamie Lannister’s face and kill Cersie.


Sisyphus - Andrew Bird


You would think for a song called Sisyphus, Andrew Bird would push a boulder up a hill. Nope instead he puts a boulder on his head and climbs a mountain. Alrighty.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: March, 3, 2019

Shameless: So after a couple months of destructive behaviors, Fiona finally gets herself to AA. It would be kind of sad if Frank’s pep talk about being an angry drunk (compared to his happy drunk) was what convinced her to make some chances. Though I guess we will have to see if this sticks. It is kind of becoming a long slog to Fiona’s exit, I understand why they do it from a marketing perspective, but from an entertainment perspective it is becoming a long goodbye.

Black Monday: So who exactly were those maids at the end and who exactly were they working for, I kind of missed what was going on there.

The Walking Dead: I did not watch this week because I went to watch On Demand, and yet six days later it is still not there. So I went to AMC.com to watch except when I went to log in threw my cable provider, nothing happen. I would not even let me log in and I tried with three different browsers. Fork you Spectrum. Fork you AMC. Technology should not be this hard. This is why people are cutting the cord.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Enemy Within: Homeland debuted almost a decade ago and NBC has been trying to create a network version almost every year since. And every single one was one and done until The Blacklist which basically the procedural version of Homeland. The Enemy Within just seems like the gender swap version of The Blacklist but with a significantly worse actor as the lead. Although I am just assuming that they are going to bust one of these hundreds of sleeper agents per episode.

The Gifted: Well the show sucked but at least they closed all the season two plot threads. Well that was until they set up a potential season three with the presumed dead (except by me, we just saw her get shot, not die) Blink. And where did she come from? It looked like a post-apocalyptic wasteland to me. Although I would be fine without learning the answer if they finally cancel this shirt show.
You can download The Gifted on iTunes.

Survivor: Edge of Extinction: The Edge of Extinction twist is lame to begin with but still the show found a way to make it worse: end an episode on a cliffhanger of if the guy is going to continue or go home. Is anyone actually going to go home? Especially after only six days? But congrats to Lauren for being one of the rare non-annoying people to find an Idol/Advantage in recent history. A couple seasons ago, one of the contestants made a big deal about how only dudes find them only for a guy to find the Idol after a hunt, and I actually thought they were going to do that again.
You can download Survivor: Edge of Extinction on iTunes.

The Challenge: War of World: Cograts on Nany for having the guts to vote in CT and the luck of him actually going home but I fear that may have been a pretty bad strategic move. She said she did that because there were too many British people who are friends. If there are too many British people, maybe you should try to get one out because once you are only last non-English team left, you are a sitting duck. So instead three Americans and a Brazilian were sent home. Add that to the four Americans who were sent home the first week (not to mention the American and Mexican who were instantly eliminated after the first challenge). So now the teams with at least one British player outnumber the ones without six to five by my count.
You can download The Challenge: War of Worlds on iTunes.

Gotham: Oh wow, they really did the evil puppet. At least that was entertaining while it last. And was the tunnel person supposed to be young Killer Croc? I guess maybe not because it seems like Aldred actually killed him. That would have been a cool origin story.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Just when you think it was not going to get any better than puppets, out walks a dude with a second dinosaur head and vegetation growing out of his hand. This show is awesome.

Around the Tubes: March 2, 2019

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 Women, War and Peace, bülow, Europe in Crisis, Wolf vs. Bear, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, and Halo.

- In a year when American women mobilized, ran for office, and were elected to Congress in unprecedented numbers (and are already impacting), the acclaimed documentary series Women, War and Peace (pbs.org/womenwarandpeace) returns Monday, March 25 and Tuesday, March 26, 9-11 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) with powerful stories of women’s role in dramatic conflicts and peace settlements across the globe.

- 300 Entertainment is proud to announce its involvement in curating the soundtrack for the feature film “The Unicorn.” The music curation was a joint effort between Rooney frontman/director Robert Schwartzman and rising industry star A&R Allyson Coff of 300 Entertainment. 300 Entertainment will release the soundtrack on Friday, March 8th. “The Unicorn,” is a quirky and charming tale about love and pushing boundaries starring Lauren Lapkus, Nick Rutherford, Lucy Hale, Beck Bennett, Dree Hemingway, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Maya Kazan, John Kapelos, Beverly D’Angelo and Kyle Mooney, and more. The soundtrack features two songs recorded exclusively for the movie; “Time and Time Again” by Rooney and a special collaboration between Rooney and Phony Ppl for a feel-good cover of Len Barry’s 1965 hit “1-2-3” - Out Now.

- Critically acclaimed German born pop iconoclast bülow releases brand new single “Sweet Little Lies” via Republic Records / Wax Records/ Universal Music Canada. Listen HERE. “'Sweet Little Lies' is about creating false realities.” bülow comments on the new song, “When things get real, we find escapes. Sometimes it’s hobbies, and sometimes it’s people. But the degree of it we can’t always control”

- Smithsonian Channel and the BBC have teamed up on a riveting insider account of two forces that threaten to tear Europe apart: Brexit and the migrant crisis. Two hour-long specials reveal the fierce arguments and personality clashes among Europe’s leaders as they struggled over the past decade to find common ground amid intense political pressure, overwhelming waves of refugees and a referendum in Britain that shocked the world. The back-to-back specials of Europe in Crisis premiere on Smithsonian Channel on Thursday, March 28 at 8 PM ET/PT, just as the United Kingdom enters the March 29 deadline for withdrawal from the European Union.

- Smithsonian Channel’s new special Wolf vs. Bear brings two archenemies together in a fight for food and survival. Shot over the course of a full year across the far northern wild of Norway, Finland and Russia, this one-hour special follows the tracks of two of nature’s most formidable predators and shows what makes both creatures optimal predatory machines, albeit with remarkably different strategies. Their goals are the same and are driven by the most basic of primal instincts – to hunt and breed. Each must do what it takes to endure the harsh northern wilderness and make it through the year. The competition unfolds in Wolf vs. Bear, premiering Wednesday, March 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- Showtime has announced that Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) will join Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, the next chapter of the Penny Dreadful saga, in the role of Magda, a supernatural demon who can take the appearance of anyone she chooses and manifests in a number of guises throughout the story. Charismatic, clever and chameleonic, Magda is a dangerous enemy and an invaluable ally. Tony® and Golden Globe® award winner and three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, creator, writer and executive producer of the Emmy nominated series Penny Dreadful, will continue in those same roles. Michael Aguilar (KIDDING) will also serve as executive producer. Production on the drama series is expected to begin later this year.

- Showtime has announced that Tony and Emmy winner Nathan Lane (The Producers) has joined Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, the next chapter of the Penny Dreadful saga, in the role of Lewis Michener. A veteran officer in the LAPD, wise to the ways of the world and ruthless in pursuit of his goals, Lewis becomes the partner and mentor of young Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto). The series also stars Natalie Dormer, Jessica Garza and Johnathan Nieves. Tony and Golden Globe® award winner and three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, the creator, writer and executive producer of the Emmy nominated series PENNY DREADFUL, continues in those same roles. Michael Aguilar (KIDDING) also serves as executive producer. Production on the drama series is expected to begin later this year.

- Otto Bathurst (Black Mirror, Robin Hood) is set to direct the highly anticipated Showtime series Halo, based on the hallowed Xbox® franchise with Kyle Killen (Awake) serving as executive producer, writer and showrunner. Bathurst will helm multiple episodes and executive produce the live-action series, which has an initial nine-episode order. Produced by Showtime in partnership with 343 Industries, along with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television, HALO will begin production later this year.

Previewing Into the Dark: Treehouse

The first five episodes of Into the Dark picked pretty chalky holidays for their monthly horror anthology: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Valentine’s Day. For March we get our first curve-ball. I am sure most people were guessing St. Patrick’s Day, but you would be wrong. Maybe because it is hard to do a horror episode based on that holiday without getting sued by the Leprechaun franchise, instead the March episode is actually based on the Ides of March.

I will say this about Treehouse, the latest episode; it does have a bunch of recognizable faces. Okay, no actual names, but if you are like me, you will spend the show going, oh hey, they guy from Breakout Kings, Howard Stern’s wife from the movie, the lady from Angel From Hell, that MuchMusic VJ, the chick from the Friday the 13th reboot, the teacher from Bunheads, the girl from a bunch of commercials.

The episode follows a semi-famous chef who escapes to his family’s vacation estate during some bad press that coincides with the wedding of his previous wife. Okay, the Ides of March theme is a bit of a stretch here. The episode open with a knife and I guess there is sort of an et tu Brute moment but the whole idea of the past coming back for what it’s due is a pretty vague concept here considering how the past episodes really banged you over the head with the holiday theme.

The Flesh and Blood episode probably set the bar foe slow moving episodes, but Treehouse is also pretty slow to pick up. It takes fifteen minutes for anything weird to happen (a random black goat), thirty minutes until we see the titular treehouse, then forty-five minutes until anything remotely scary happens. But once we get to the big reveal, the episode really picks up and goes in a direction that is a bit unexpected. Still, waiting for it to get going really keeps it low on my Into the Dark Power Rankings:

Into the Dark Power Ranking
1. The Body (October)
2. Down (February)
3. New Year, New You (January)
4. Pooka! (December)
5. Treehouse (March)
6. Flesh and Bone (November)

Into the Dark: Treehouse premieres tomorrow on Hulu.

I Want My Music Television: February 25, 2019

break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored - Ariana Grande


I found Sweetner to be Ariana Grande’s weakest album (despite God Is a Woman being her best song) and I was not expecting much from her follow up Thank U, Next after the title track, 7 Rings, and this dropped the same time as the album. But despite the week singles, I actually found it her strongest album totally. The music video had an obvious twist because that dude was acting like a total douche.


Take On Me - Weezer


Africa was fun, but Weezer’s full-fledged cover album was pretty crindgeworthy (especially No Scrubs). It was at its best with the other cheesy eighties songs like this. Still the song and video are pretty unnecessary.


Armor - Sara Bareilles


I have been complaining for two years that all the anti-Trump songs kind of totally suck. Well it took a while but Sara Bareilles finally wrote a good one. Now if we can only get someone to write a great one.


Preach - John Legend


I guess you can add Preach by John Legend to that good but not great protest song, but For What It’s Worth it is not. Although it may get a bit awkward with Legend as the newest coach on The Voice, a show by Mark Burnett who refuses to turn over the Trump tapes that reportedly has plenty of racist comments by the president.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 24, 2019

Supergirl: This season is just dreadful, but I did get a good laugh at The Dreamer’s outfit. So stupid.
Supergirl on iTunes.

Shameless: Fiona has done some horrible things in this back half of the season, but you cannot blame her for letting an alcoholic have some of her drink when she did not know he had been sober for a hundred days. Same with the social services guy. Really, Lip should have gotten her to rehab or at the very least take her to an AA meeting with him.

Black Monday: Weird that the show pointed out the two shows with short black kids living with rich white people and then in the very next scenes it reminds us that this is the second show in the eighties with a robot butler. Although the other show did not murder the robot butler. But wow, I never realized just how racist Teen Wolf was.

The Walking Dead: I am sure being a horny teenager in the zombie apocalypse must be hard on the libido, but how about not let the bad chick out of her cell? Same they just did not do a full on flashback episode because we did not get to see just how crazy bald momma went from an underground bunker to wearing a dead man’s face. A pretty big jump. And there have been plenty of dumb plans on this show, but waiting until nightfall to look for your buddy in a zombie apocalypse with people posing as zombies out there is high on the stupidity list. Although that bears the question, just when do the Whispers sleep? If you are hiding among the zombies and presumably they do not sleep, at what point do you break away from the heard and catch some shut eye and not get eaten by the heard you are with?
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Passage: Finally someone is smart enough to kill all the death row inmate vampires. Oh wait, they care about one girl. Okay, first off, didn’t they kill the vampire that turned the scientist so why is he even still alive? Maybe it is because they killed the old vampire before the scientist turned and that is some grey area. Even if that is it what it is, how about then kill all the other death row vampires and just keep the scientist alive to save the little girl. And why does it take so long to kill a vampire in the sun?
You can download The Passage on iTunes.

Manifest: What a stupid forking way to end the season. They just told us that the returned die the exact time for when they were gone so if the new guy was gone for a year, he clearly is not going to die. I guess there is the question of if the cop got shot. Not that I really care, I am fine with the show not returning.
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

Survivor: Edge of Extinction: Kind of a giant “meh” of a premiere. Did not help that it was only an hour. Usually we get ninety minutes or back to back episodes. Which gives us better idea of who these people are. We only continued the streak of annoying people is the ones that find advantages. And the Advantage Menu is a stupid name. Really, unless you are confident you are getting the boot, you gotta go with the steal reward. As predictions go, I will say Lauren will win. And I am not just saying that because she kind of looks like the hot chick from the Baywatch movie.
You can download Survivor: Edge of Extinction on iTunes.

The Challenge: War of World: Yeah, it was pretty obvious from the promo that Bananas would be the “legend” that goes home early and then Bananas gets the boot from the first round of the challenge pretty much made it a lock. So when Bananas calls out Zach it took out all the suspense because c’mon, calling Zach a legend would be a bit of a stretch. Watching Bananas leave this early should have been great but the Promo Monkeys just took all the fun out of it. And are they going to do the same next week? It seems like either Paulie or Kyle will be going home. But since next week is a double elimination, at least the other boot will be a surpise… unless they both end up going home.
You can download The Challenge: War of Worlds on iTunes.

Gotham: Sure Jim, you may have saved Gotham from that gas, but you just polluted the river worse than The Cuyahoga in the seventies when that caught on fire. So yeah, probably smart for the government to keep the city quadrated off for a little longer.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: I was a bit down on the premiere because there were a bit too many origin stories to get through and way too much naked Encino Man. But this episode was much more enjoyable. And I do hope we get an episode inside Jane’s Underground.

The Blacklist: I hate arguing with the simple minded like those who think that spending billions of dollars putting up a wall would even slow the drug flow into the country. I have to tell these people that I have seen a lot of movies and shows on the subject and have seen drug smugglers dig tunnels under existing barriers, walk around the wall in low tide, pay hot chicks to put it in the car and go through customs (most recently they payed Clint Eastwood to do this), I have seen them bring in drugs through the post, I have seen them swallow condoms full of heroin, get on a plane, then crap out the condom and clean it up, but one thing I have never seen is anyone trek drugs across the desert so a wall there would be a complete waste of billions of dollars. Now surgically implant them in woman to make them seem pregnant is a new one. And I have to wonder just how would that work? Like do you have to find a former pregnant chick because it seems like it would be hard to grow that skin into a pouch.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.