Around the Tubes: February 29, 2020

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 Parasite, Viking Women: The Real Valkyries, Two-Mara, The Rescue List, Outcry, Bob Marley, Caroline Rose, MILAN RING, Kiana Ledé, Ren Harvieu, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, The Hunna, Hayley Kiyoko, The Circus, and Big Deal.

- This year's historic Best Picture winning film Parasite, from NEON, will be available on Hulu beginning Wednesday, April 8. Parasite made waves this awards season with both critics and audiences alike. Visionary director Bong Joon Ho, took home four Oscar wins including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. Additional accolades include the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, the SAG Award for Best Ensemble Cast and the Palme D’or, which is the top prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.


- Smithsonian Channel is set to kick off Women’s History Month with two exciting new projects – first, the second annual WOMEN IN HISTORY social video initiative on March 1, and the following day, the premiere of Viking Women: The Real Valkyries. Each aims to shine a light on incredible, pioneering women that may not have gotten their fair due in history books. Connect with Smithsonian Channel on Twitter (@SmithsonianChan), Facebook (Smithsonian Channel) and Instagram (@Smithsonian_Channel) to catch all of the Women in History videos beginning March 1, and tune-in to Smithsonian Channel on March 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT for the premiere of Viking Women: The Real Valkyries. Together in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Channel will rollout a new series of videos throughout the month of March, each spotlighting a different woman who has made a profound impact in the worlds of art, science, history, culture and more under the hashtag #BecauseOfHerStory. From the trailblazing leader of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, Jacqueline Cochran, to pop culture icon Dolly Parton and Hawaiian Queen Liliʻuokalani, each video will feature the story of a different extraordinary woman during Women’s History Month. Produced alongside various Smithsonian Institution museums, galleries and exhibits, this social media campaign is set to highlight the stories of women throughout American history that deserve celebration and recognition, told through personalized illustrations, historical artifacts and their own words. To learn more, click here.

- Two-Mara is a five episode comedic digital series from the mind of Sarah Skeist, starring Skeist as Kate Mara and Jewells Blackwell as Rooney Mara. Each episode of Two-Mara is a piece of video content from the (fake) Mara sisters' (fictitious) YouTube channel. Well-meaning and earnest Kate tries her best to bond with her sister while the brooding, mischievous Rooney strives to derail, sabotage, and wreak havoc on her sister's plans. Blackwell had always dreamed of being cast in the kinds of roles that Rooney Mara plays, so Skeist took it upon herself to write her a role she’d be perfect for: Rooney Mara. And naturally, Skeist would play her sister, Kate. “I gave myself permission to write as weird as what is actually in my head,” Skeist says, “And Two-Mara is it.” Based on a thorough 15 minutes of research into the actresses’ filmography and interview styles, Skeist wrote absurd, clown versions of the sisters that take on lives of their own. What began as an intentionally silly idea ended up telling a deceptively poignant story: “Two-Mara is a deranged love song to our sisters—biological or chosen— about the ways in which we both punish and seek approval from the people we love.”

- In a hidden safehouse in the Ghanaian forest, social workers help two children recover from a childhood enslaved to fishermen on Lake Volta, the largest manmade lake on Earth. But their story takes an unexpected turn when their rescuer embarks on another rescue mission and asks the children for help. Directed by Alyssa Fedele and Zachary Fink, The Rescue List has its national broadcast debut on the PBS documentary series POV and pov.org on Monday, March 23, 2020 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). The film is a co-production of Collective Hunch and American Documentary | POV. POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series now in its 32nd season.

- Showtime has released the official trailer and poster art for the new documentary series Outcry, which will have its world premiere at the South By Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals in Austin on Saturday, March 14, ahead of its television premiere on Showtime on Friday, April 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis, Outcry examines the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction and the quest for truth and justice as the case unfolds.


- The legendary Bob Marley’s 75th birthday celebrations continue with the announcement of Bob Marley: Legacy; a 12-part mini-documentary series, featuring a collection of intimate conversations and interviews with his family, friends and fans, woven together with his original music, remixes and covers. This unique YouTube series provides fans a refreshing and cinematic journey through the life, legacy and relevance Bob Marley still holds in this present day. The first episode, ‘75 Years A Legend’ debuts today, on Bob Marley’s official YouTube page. The Iron Lion Zion EP was also revealed today. Featuring a 7” and 12” version of the timeless classic and fan favorite, alongside two special dub mixes, a remix and ‘Smile Jamaica’ (From Songs Of Freedom). Iron Lion Zion EP is available worldwide from today. Listen HERE.

- Caroline Rose: Feel the Way I Want on Late Night with Seth Meyers:


- Sydney-based singer, songwriter, producer and multi-talented performer MILAN RING returns with a brand new single and video, "Switch Off". Watch and listen to it HERE. Produced in Los Angeles in collaboration with The Social Experiment (well known and loved for their ongoing work with Chance The Rapper), "Switch Off" features Milan Ring’s soulful guitar and signature vocals. The track was mixed by Milan in her Sydney studio and is her debut release on tastemaker label Astral People Recordings / [PIAS].

- Embodying the same undeniable attitude on the track, the “Mad At Me” music video sees Kiana Ledé surrounded by the ultimate girl gang serving the same levels of sass. Last year she turned heads with her second EP Myself. Not only did it put up millions of streams, but it also incited tastemaker buzz. Billboard named her among its coveted “Emerging Artists” spotlight and praised “her buttery vocals.” Vibe touted her as “NEXT” and she’s been featured on Refinery29, ROLLACOASTER Magazine, Complex, and more.

- With new album Revel In The Drama due for release on April 3rd via Bella Union, today Ren Harvieu has shared new track “Strange Thing". Listen to it HERE. Commenting on the track, Harvieu says “Strange Thing is a serenade to the outsiders of this world. The ignored, misunderstood, awkward self-conscious sparkling diamonds.. Don’t think you're not being seen because I see you. I am you.”

- Republic Records releases Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1, Episode 3 (Music from the Original TV Series) in conjunction with the critically acclaimed new NBC television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, produced by Lionsgate and Universal Television in association with the Tannenbaum Company, Feigco Entertainment and Universal Music Group’s Polygram Entertainment. Get it via Republic Records HERE. New EPs will be released in tandem with each new episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which will air weekly on Sundays at 9pm ET/ PT on NBC.

- The Hunna unveils their new single and official visual for, "Cover You (Feat. Travis Barker)" off of their highly anticipated forthcoming album. The video, directed by Jordan Wozy [Machine Gun Kelly, Yungblud], sees love blossom in the thick of a mosh pit (filled with real fans of The Hunna) while the band plays on. Adding to the celebration, the band also announces an upcoming US and UK tour as well as the pre-order for I'd Rather Die Than Let You In , out May 15th - HERE.

- This March, in celebration of Women’s History Month, Fuse will honor Future Women’s History makers who are currently using their voice to drive positive change and whose impact on the world will be talked about in the future. The first to be honored in this extraordinary class is Singer, Hayley Kiyoko. Hayley is being honored for using her music to openly and unapologetically share her truth as a queer artist, thus paving a way for her LGBTQ peers. Hayley is the first woman to be honored in the Fuse’s Future Women in History class. Check out this clip highlighting her attributes and accomplishments:


- The Circus travels to South Carolina, where candidates are competing in the first southern primary election of the 2020 cycle. McKinnon catches up with Tom Steyer, whose campaign has the largest operation in the state, to discuss his standing in the race and what it means for Joe Biden's effort to slow Bernie Sanders' momentum. For a preview go to: youtu.be/RBsLdbO9YC0.

- Three-time Emmy nominee Molly Shannon (The Other Two) has signed on to star in the half-hour comedy pilot Big Deal, starring and executive produced by Emmy nominee Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live). If the project is picked up to series, Shannon would appear as a series regular. Bayer co-created Big Deal with Emmy nominee Jeremy Beiler (Saturday Night Live, Inside Amy Schumer), who will also executive produce. Emmy winner Jessi Klein (Inside Amy Schumer, BLACK MONDAY, Big Mouth) will serve as showrunner and executive produce along with Michael Showalter (The Big Sick, Wet Hot American Summer, The Lovebirds), who will direct, as well as Annapurna’s Megan Ellison and Sue Naegle and Jordana Mollick of Semi-Formal.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 23, 2020

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: I wonder if they will eventually “cure” Zoey’s dad. It would be weird to hire Peter Gallagher only to have him sit there motionless every episode aside from a two minute musical number every week. But it turns out the pretty impressive 40 million YouTube viewers NBC has been hyping for the Pilot episode was less impressive when you learn those viewers only averaged about 8 minutes each and only a couple million watched the full episode. Still hard to tell if the show was a success. Live rating were not good but NBC calls it the highest Live +35 rating ever (granted that stat is maybe five years old). Did that count all 40 million YouTube viewers? Just how much do you have to watch be considered a viewer. Hopefully people are watching via somewhere NBC cares about (I am watching next day via Hulu) because I really need this show to go at least six seasons and a movie. If you have not watch the second episode, it is on YouTube now and as I write this Saturday, it has 11 million views, but who knows how many finished.
You can download Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist on iTunes.

Dare Me: Since the first episode, I thought the Queen B would end up being the person who died. But now I wonder if she is the killer. I mean if the coach killed the dude, would she really call one of her students? I guess dude could have killed himself being distraught over the coach ghosting him, but that would be kind of boring. I kind of hope the Queen B killed the dude and set the coach up for the fall.
You can download Dare Me on iTunes.

The Outsider: So is everyone finally on board to the evil entity thing now? Because it is time to start figuring out how to stop it.

Homeland: Well that was pretty bold of Saul to meet with a Taliban leader with only four bodyguards. Boy did that backfire bad. But were the Pakistani’s tracking him or the Taliban? I guess it was the latter if Saul did not really inform anyone. But why was none of the bodyguards guarding the back door, or at least his backside. Seems pretty sloppy for the military even of a car just got bombed. Then I thought that new officer was being groomed as the new Carrie, but she screwed up pretty big. I mean, not forking a Taliban sympathizer big, but that was a pretty big mistake.

Supergirl: Wow, the show just blatantly ripped off the horrible nineties movie The Lawnmower Man.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Good Girls: So the FBI dude just let gangbanger dude just freely roam a hotel room unattended? Of course he was going set you up. I really hoped gangbanger was dead because the show really needed a soft reboot. Worse is he really should kill Beth for shooting him, but we know he will not because she is the lead.
You can download Good Girls on iTunes.

Survivor: Winners at War: Is everyone just going to let Rob run this game? They know his wife is on Extinction where she would undoubtedly feeding him Fire Tokens and other advantages, this would have been the perfect week to vote him out and use Danni’s irrational Parvati hatred to split the vote just in case. I know people are anti-big moves for fear they will put a target on their back but that would have been the easy movie. Although Rob knows very well sometimes a split vote can go wrong.
You can download Survivor: Winners at War on iTunes.

Stumptown: They are just giving everyone daddy issues now. The cop has to go up against his father in court and Grey sees his father for the first time in decades and Dex tried to do the same but ran into her mentally decaying aunt instead.
You can download Stumptown on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: February 22, 2020

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 Little Fires Everywhere, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Auteur, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Maggie Miles, and The Circus: Inside the Craziest Political Campaign on Earth.

- Based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 bestseller, Little Fires Everywhere follows the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. The story explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger in believing that following the rules can avert disaster. The 8-episode series will premiere on Wednesday, March 18th with three episodes.


- Republic Records releases Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1, Episode 2 (Music from the Original TV Series) in conjunction with the critically acclaimed new NBC television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, produced by Lionsgate and Universal Television in association with the Tannenbaum Company, Feigco Entertainment and Universal Music Group’s Polygram Entertainment. Get it via Republic Records HERE. New EPs will be released in tandem with each new episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which will air weekly on Sundays at 9pm ET/ PT on NBC.

- Showtime has announced that it is developing and has ordered multiple scripts of the half-hour series THE Auteur, starring Academy Award nominee Jude Law (The Young Pope) and directed by Academy Award winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, The Mandalorian), who will also write with Peter Warren (Ghost Team). The project, produced by Showtime and Legendary with Endeavor Content serving as studio, is based on the graphic novel by Rick Spears, James Callahan and Luigi Anderson.

- Coldplay and Apple Music announce the release of a brand new EP and companion short film titled Coldplay: Reimagined, featuring stripped-back performances of "Cry Cry Cry," "BrokEn" and "Champion of the World" from their latest album, Everyday Life. Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland enlist long-term collaborators Rik Simpson, Dan Green, and Bill Rahko (The Dream Team) to produce the exclusive EP. Whether it's adding a powerful choir to the doo-wop of "Cry Cry Cry" and the gospel of "BrokEn," or the string-abetted catharsis of "Champion of the World," every twist offers a new perspective on the reimagined songs. As a companion to the EP, Apple Music has released an exclusive short that takes fans inside the studio with Martin and Buckland for a close and unvarnished look. "Today we tried to strip back some of these songs which were already quite stripped back," Chris Martin says with a smile in the opening moments of the Apple Music film. "We did that by removing two band members." The Coldplay: Reimagined EP and the companion short film is available worldwide exclusively on Apple Music. Listen to the exclusive EP and watch the Coldplay:Reimagined short HERE. Listen to Everyday Life on Apple Music HERE.

- This week, Pearl Jam have unveiled the music video for their new single “Superblood Wolfmoon.” Watch it HERE. The song is the latest single to be released from the group’s anxiously awaited new album, Gigaton, arriving March 27, 2020 via Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records, Pearl Jam teamed up with D.I.Y. animator Keith Ross—renowned for his homegrown @TinyConcert Instagram channel. The channel has become popular for “bite-sized animated music videos” drawn with a ballpoint pen and harnessing the punk energy and imagination of the songs.

- Rising alt artist Maggie Miles releases her latest single “WHATDOISAY?,” a hard hitting pop-infused track that perfectly captures a heavy mind on the move, contemplating everything at once, looking for the answers. The song comes from her debut full-length album, out on May 22nd. She is currently on tour with upcoming shows in Bowling Green, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, New York and D.C., with stints in Nashville of course, her new hometown, at the High Watt this Thursday, February 20 and Whiskey Jam the following Thursday, February 27. “WHATDOISAY?” premiered via tastemaker outlet Variance Magazine, who said Maggie “showcases a Maggie-Rogers-meets-Clairo level of pop on the new song.”

- Coming up next on The Circus: Inside the Craziest Political Campaign on Earth, hosted by John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon … Ahead of the Nevada caucuses, co-host Mark McKinnon catches up with Senator Elizabeth Warren the morning after her takedown of Michael Bloomberg on the debate stage. youtu.be/JVfWO4VHJwg

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 16, 2020

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Finally watched the premiere because I did not want to wait six weeks to watch the second episode. It was really good. It is nice to have Jane Levy back doing something fun after spending most of her post-Suburgatory years being a scream queen.


Dare Me: There are fewer things I need to see in my life than a bag full of used tampons. Then I saw a promo for next week claiming someone might die. “Might?” Gee, that is really going to get me to turn in to see if someone might die. I have thought that the mean girl was going to die at the end but after she sort of got date raped, I am a bit unsure.
You can download Dare Me on iTunes.

The Outsider: What a great scene with the private investigator giving her boogieman theory. But the thing is, it is the only theory that makes sense. How else do explain one person being in the same place at the same time? But that was not even the best scene, which belongs to the neck guy getting beat up by his dead mother. Just pure Stephan King right there. Now the PI is in big trouble diving to the middle of with the neck guy. Granted the last guy committed suicide by cop so he might just do the same to himself before he does anything to her.

Manifest: Really, this disappearing thing dates back hundreds of years and for some reason it involves magical tarot cards. This show just gets sillier and sillier.
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: February 15, 2020

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 Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Pearl Jam, The Weeknd, Tears For Fears, Brain Games, Lucifer, Love Fraud, Spy Wars with Damian Lewis, More Women of a Certain Age, Visible: Out on Television, and The Circus: Inside the Craziest Political Campaign On Earth.

- Republic Records announces the release of a series of official soundtrack EPs in conjunction with the critically acclaimed new NBC television series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. The series is produced by Lionsgate and Universal Television in association with the Tannenbaum Company, Feigco Entertainment and Universal Music Group’s Polygram Entertainment. Going live this morning, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1, Episode 1 (Music from the Original TV Series) is available now at all digital retailers in advance of the show’s highly anticipated two hour premiere this Sunday, February 16th, beginning at 8pm ET on NBC. Get it via Republic Records HERE. New EPs will be released in tandem with each new episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which will air weekly on Sundays at 9pm ET/ PT on NBC.

- Fans can experience the activation by heading to moon.pearljam.com via their mobile device and pointing their phone camera at the moon to trigger the song snippet and pre-order the song. Pearl Jam’s highly anticipated 11th studio album, Gigaton, which will be released on March 27, 2020. The app will be available today through February 18th when “Superblood Wolfmoon” will be available at all digital retailers.

- The Weeknd has announced the name of his upcoming album, After Hours, coming soon via XO Records / Republic Records. The album has been led by his two Platinum singles "Heartless", which previously hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Blinding Lights" along with outstanding live performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. "Blinding Lights" also soundtracked the Mercedes-Benz EQC campaign which The Weeknd starred in and served as creative director for. Last week he also scored his first ever UK #1 song with "Blinding Lights" and also earned his 10th #1 song on Billboard's Rhythmic Songs chart. On March 7th, The Weeknd will be making his third appearance as musical guest on Saturday Night Live.

- Spring 2020 sees the 35th anniversary of Tears For Fears iconic ten million-selling album Songs From The Big Chair. The 35th celebrations will include the release of a limited picture disc version of the album and a reissue of the much sought after super deluxe 4CD/2DVD boxset which currently changes hands for hundreds of dollars. Songs From The Big Chair was Tears For Fears second album and spawned classic worldwide hit songs such as the US #1 singles “Everybody Wants To Rule the World” and “Shout” as well as “Head over Heels” and “Mother’s Talk.” Upon its first release, Songs From The Big Chair spent 30 weeks in the UK top ten-album chart, a whole year in the top 30 and only left the charts 18 months later. The story was very much the same all over the world, the album spent five weeks at #1 in the US, and much like the UK, it was in the Billboard Chart for 18 months.

- The Emmy-nominated Nat Geo’s Brain Games featured Jack Black as mentalist Lior Suchard was getting into his mind during the music themed episode which aired this week. Seen in the clip here: screenrant.com/jack-black-brain-games-mentalist-clip watch as Jack Black and his Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass learn how music affects the brain. Wonder what song he was channeling?? Well, it was none other than Don McLean’s "American Pie"!

- Your date with the Devil is soon to arrive, as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings you Lucifer: The Complete Fourth Season on DVD May 12, 2020. Put on your devilish grin as you indulge in all 10 hell-raising episodes from the fourth season and fulfill your deepest desires with tantalizing deleted scenes included in the bonus features. Lucifer: The Complete Fourth Season will be available at all major retailers and is priced to own at $24.98 SRP ($29.98 in Canada). Lucifer: The Complete Fourth Season will also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers on May 11, 2020. Lucifer: The Complete Fourth Season will also be available on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Archive Collection. The Blu-ray release includes all the bonus features on the DVD and is also arriving May 12, 2020. Warner Archive Blu-ray releases are easily found at wb.com/warnerarchive and on your favorite online retailer sites.

- Showtime has released the trailer for the upcoming docu-series Love Fraud, premiering on Friday, May 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series marks the first foray into episodic television for Emmy winners and Academy Award® nominees Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. Love Fraud had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, the first time in the festival’s history a television series screened on opening night. To watch and share the trailer, visit: youtu.be/FZmO_BphMQE

- Smithsonian Channel is set to investigate some of the most shocking and explosive cases of espionage over the last 50 years. Spy Wars with Damian Lewis features the incredible true stories of spy wars fought in the shadows, from the turbulent years of the Cold War to the Iran Hostage Crisis and the discovery of a complex web of sleeper agents living in the U.S. – a major inspiration for the plot of The Americans. Each episode of this new eight-part series sees host Damian Lewis revealing these remarkable tales of the secretive world of government intelligence, surveillance and international conspiracy plots with interviews from the experts and eyewitnesses that lived through them. Spy Wars with Damian Lewis premieres Sunday, March 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- Caroline Rhea (Sabrina The Teenage Witch) will headline More Women of a Certain Age, a new comedy special premiering Saturday, March 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Carol Leifer (Seinfeld), Carole Montgomery (Comics Unleashed), Julia Scotti (America’s Got Talent), Tammy Pescatelli (Finding The Funny) and Thea Vidale (Last Comic Standing) round out the lineup for the hour-long special. Filmed at the Bell House in Brooklyn, the special features six of the funniest women in stand-up for a night of uninhibited, outrageous comedy. More Women of a Certain Age is the second installment of the hit comedy showcase from Montgomery and producer Dave Goldberg. Women of a Certain Age became the network’s highest-rated premiere of a stand-up special in 2019. To watch and share a trailer from More Women of a Certain Age go to: youtu.be/RusGk64Urqk.

- Visible: Out on Television investigates the importance of TV as an intimate medium that has shaped the American conscience, and how the LGBTQ movement has shaped television. The five-part documentary series combines archival footage with interviews with key players from the movement and the screen, and is narrated by Janet Mock, Margaret Cho, Asia Kate Dillon, Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Waithe. Each hour-long episode will explore themes such as invisibility, homophobia, the evolution of the LGBTQ character, and coming out in the television industry. The five-part docuseries premieres Friday, February 14, 2020.

- Coming up this Sunday on The Circus: Inside the Craziest Political Campaign On Earth hosted by John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, and Mark McKinnon: At the biggest rally of Amy Klobuchar’s campaign, The Circus speaks with the Minnesota senator backstage about her surge in momentum ahead of an expectation-defying finish in New Hampshire. For a preview go to youtu.be/0m3B5JxukpI.

Previewing Utopia Falls

John Landgraf of FX coined the term “Peak TV” when he counted 400 scripted television shows that year and since then it has only gotten peakier and will explode even more this year with the launch of HBO Max, Peacock, and something called Quibi which apparently you will only be able to watch on your phone. I do not think anyone even bothers to count how many shows are being aired anymore (the best I could find is 1400+). So with so many different options, there are shows for every little niche you can think of.

But watching Utopia Falls, a Canadian import coming to Hulu today, I have to ask, who exactly this show is for. Having watched every episode, the best I can describe this show is “Hunger Games meets Fame”; feel free to put that in your promos Hulu. I just do not know who would see that and think, cool, I have to watch them. At best, there may be a couple people who read that and think, what the fork, that sounds so stupid I have to watch to see if that is what the show really is.

But seriously, Utopia Falls takes place hundreds of years in a dystopian future where a city within a dome has been split up into four sections, Progress, Industry, Nature, and Reform (which seems to be the lowest rank). The dome is to protect them from the poisonous outside world that was turned into a wasteland from endless wars. Then for the past seventy-three years twenty-four exemplars from the sectors are chosen, but instead of a fight to the death, Hunger Games style, they compete in a talent competition, be it dance, singing, or playing a musical instrument. See, I told you, Hunger Games meets Fame. I was not joking.

Like any good dystopian future, everyone wears very boring clothing and hair styles but there has not been any civil unrest in five decades. Of course most of them have weird names but unlike other YA adaptation, these are just dumb, like Tempo, Apollo, Bohdi, Mags, and Sage and their last names are numbers. Then most everyone is hot and ambitiously ethnic with some weird parentage. The vaguely Asian chick has a black and white mother. The Latina has a redhead mother. If it is ever explained how the parentage does not make any biological sense, I missed it.

Though they are currently living in Utopia, as the title suggests, that will not last long. While celebrating their selection as an Exemplar, two happen upon a secret library outside the city limits which houses a library of media from present day that had been long lost. And really, there are very few things more entertaining that watching a bunch of people who clearly were hired for the dancing ability try to act like they have never heard hip-hop before. Oh, and did I mention, the Alexa of this library is voiced by the disembodied voice of Snoop Dogg?

So despite never hearing rap music before, one dude is able to spit verses an hour later. The Exemplars become so versed in modern music, before long they are debating Old School and New School. And yet the person that claims there was no good rap before N.W.A. (umm, I think someone got their old school/new school and East Coast/West Coast debates mixed up) starts rapping The Message less than five. So I really cannot call this show at all good with its paint by numbers dystopian YA trope presented with bad acting, yet I am kind of hoping it gets renewed.

All episodes of Utopia Falls are now streaming on Hulu.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 9, 2020

The Outsider: So the weird Fear Demon is now haunting the cop’s wife, kind of like apparently it did with the kid early on. But it seemed to vaguely suggest she was just seeing thing. Is this a Freddy Kruger situation? And can it just haunt anyone the person who body it snatches come in contact with? But then why haunt a child and a woman to threaten the cop instead of just haunting him? I guess it is kind of scarier this way.

Stumptown: Yeah Dex, all those Twister knockoffs should have been a very huge warning sign. But I am beginning to wonder just how long that cassette that is stuck in her car is? Should start replay songs at some point. A cassette tape is at most forty-five minutes, unless that crappy broke tape deck and auto flip.
You can download Stumptown on iTunes.

Vikings: Oh wow, the Russians won and Ivar (it looks like) killed Bjorn. That was totally unexpected. Though I do not believe this is the end of the Vikings Empire like the promo for the second half of the season suggested. They did already announce a sequel. But I wonder how that is ending up on Netflix. The show was successful enough that it ran for fairly long on History and then Hulu has the streaming rights so it is weird that Netflix would swoop in for a continuation about those two.

Briarpatch: Well that was mostly boring.

Around the Tubes: February 8. 2020

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 Kidding, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, Utopia Falls, Pearl Jam, Arrow, First Ladies, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, BENEE, Editors, SHAKIRA, Oh Wonder, Phantogram, The Kingmaker, World of Weapons, Infinity Train: Book One, and Katy J Pearson.

- The acclaimed Showtime comedy series Kidding, starring Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey, returns to television for its second season on Sunday, February 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, airing back-to-back episodes at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT every Sunday. Season two hosts an impressive roster of guest stars including Grammy® winners Ariana Grande and Tyler, The Creator, NBA all-star Blake Griffin, Emmy® winner Dick Van Dyke (Mary Poppins), Rachel Boston (500 Days Of Summer), Mae Whitman (Good Girls) and Oscar® and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight). Tara Lipinski and Jenna Alvarez have signed on to return as guest stars for the second season.


- Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, premieres February 7, 2020. Created by Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz, “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” follows a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game. In addition to McElhenney, who stars as the fictional company's creative director, Ian Grimm, the ensemble cast also includes Academy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim, Charlotte Nicdao, David Hornsby, Ashly Burch, and Jessie Ennis. The series is produced by Lionsgate, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ubisoft. All nine, half-hour episodes of the live-action comedy will debut globally on Friday, February 7, exclusively on Apple TV+.


- About Utopia Falls: Hundreds of years in the future, in the last living colony on earth, a city called New Babyl, twenty-four teenage candidates are chosen to take part in an annual musical competition known as The Exemplar. For all of them it's a chance to write their names in the history books, but for Aliyah, the independent and adventurous daughter to a city government official, it’s the beginning of an incredible adventure. Through the discovery of a mysterious archive, she is exposed to hip-hop, an ancient form of music culture, which will lead her to question everything she has ever known and change her world forever.


- Pearl Jam released the official and final video for "Dance of the Clairvoyants", the first single from Pearl Jam's forthcoming album, Gigaton is out now. Watch the official and final music video for “Dance of the Clairvoyants (Mach lll)” HERE Listen to "Dance of the Clairvoyants" HERE.

- After eight remarkable seasons, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC mark the end of an epic era with its final installment of the suspenseful and action-packed series with the release of Arrow: The Eighth and Final Season on Blu-ray & DVD April 28, 2020. Get ready for nonstop action from start to finish with all 10 action-packed episodes from the eighth and final season, plus the show’s 2019 Comic-Con Panel, the broadcast special Arrow: Hitting the Bullseye and deleted scenes! A limited edition bonus disc featuring all five DC Crossover Event: Crisis on Infinite Earths episodes will be available exclusively for fans who purchase the Blu-ray. Arrow: The Eighth and Final Season is priced to own at $24.98 SRP ($29.98 in Canada) and $29.98 SRP for the Blu-ray which includes a Digital Code (U.S. only), ($39.99 in Canada). Arrow: The Eighth and Final Season is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.
Arrow: The Complete Series will also be available for fans to own on Blu-ray and DVD for $189.99 / $169.99 SRP ($249.99 / $229.99 in Canada). The bonus disc is included in the Blu-ray Complete Series set.

- Showtime has given a series order to the first season of the hour-long drama First Ladies, starring and executive produced by Oscar, Emmy and Tony® winner Viola Davis, who will play former first lady Michelle Obama. Produced by Showtime and Lionsgate Television, the series will also be executive produced by Julius Tennon, Oscar winner Cathy Schulman (Crash, Five Feet Apart), Jeff Gaspin (Rhythm + Flow, L.A.’s Finest), Brad Kaplan (Mr. Church) and author Aaron Cooley (Four Seats: A Thriller of the Supreme Court), who created the series and will write.

- The Marley family, UMe and Island Records have begun to roll out their yearlong MARLEY75 commemorative plans in celebration of the legendary cultural icon, Bob Marley's 75th birthday and 40th anniversary of the timeless classic "Redemption Song." In honor of Black History Month, now underway, and to mark the beginning of all MARLEY75 celebrations in 2020, the official music video for "Redemption Song" premieres today on Bob Marley's YouTube channel. Created by French artists Octave Marsal & Theo De Gueltzl, the breathtaking animation, featuring 2,747 original drawings, uses powerful symbols to amplify the magnitude of the song's timeless lyrics and importance in today's world. The video highlights Bob's contribution to the empowerment of black civilization, as well as his manifestation of hope and recovery for all mankind.

- Jimi Hendrix's immortal 1970 live album, Band of Gypsys, is one of his most influential releases, with the charismatic guitar icon testing the bounds of his creative approach to produce some of the most ambitious music of his career. Capitol/UMe will honor this landmark record on March 27, almost exactly 50 years from its original release, with special 50th anniversary vinyl editions of Band of Gypsys that recapture the album’s boundary-breaking spirit.

- UMe will reissue Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ first two albums Matthew & Son and New Masters on March 27, available on vinyl for the first time since 1982. Exquisitely ‘De-mixed’ with enhanced vocals at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, both albums will be available on 180-gram vinyl with fully restored artwork. Featuring newly enhanced vocals, Abbey Road Studios have used their revolutionary ‘Demix’ software on the original master tapes to reinvigorate and breathe new life into both albums. Where vocals have always been buried by the subsequent orchestral backing track, ‘Demixing’ enables the studio to digitally extract and enhance the original vocals to create a superior listening experience for fans. As well as vocals, ‘Demixing’ has also considerably helped amplify the bass, something that was commonly strenuous to achieve with mixes in the late 1960s. Pre-order here.

- New Zealand’s indie pop sensation BENEE returns with the video for “Supalonely” featuring Gus Dapperton, today—watch HERE! “Supalonely” is featured on her latest EP, STELLA & STEVE, released to critical acclaim in November. BENEE worked with rising Australian director, Rome, on the video. Explaining how she wanted the video to match the song’s colorful and fun mood but also convey its contrasting lyrical theme, she says, “It starts with me being a lonely teen at home then turns into this weird dreamscape, where I end up dancing around with Gus who appears through a TV screen in the lounge!”

- Having kicked off the European leg of their Greatest Hits tour in Paris last week, Editors this week unveil the brand new video for "Upside Down", the latest single from their best-of album Black Gold, out now via Play It Again Sam. Watch it HERE. Directed by Rahi Rezvani, the striking video plays with shadows and light, enclosing the band in a room that beguiles and denies as they are illuminated one second and cast in darkness the next. The result is an uncanny sense of mental claustrophobia and that reflects the uncertainty of the track’s lyrics.

- SHAKIRA--the iconic, Colombian singer-songwriter and multi-GRAMMY® award winner–is drawing rave reviews for her electrifying and history-making live performance last night at Super Bowl LIV, the biggest sporting event on the planet. Performing on her birthday, SHAKIRA played a new Gibson Firebird guitar which was encrusted with 70,000 Swarovski jet hematite crystals. She treated the worldwide audience to a thrilling medley of her music hits celebrating Latin music with a few surprises including “She Wolf,” “Empire,” “Ojos Asi” and Led Zeppelin, “Kashmir” Remix, “Whenever, Wherever,” “I Like It” (Shakira and Bad Bunny), “Chantaje” and “Callaíta” Remix (Shakira and Bad Bunny), “Hips Don’t Lie” and a finale of “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” alongside co-headliner Jennifer Lopez at the Pepsi Superbowl LIV Halftime Show at Hard Rock Stadium.

- Oh Wonder releases their third album, No One Else Can Wear Your Crown—listen HERE. The record was previewed by the beautiful video for their new song, “In And Out Of Love,” out now—watch HERE. The duo’s epic 2020 world tour begins this week with intimate album release shows across the U.K., followed by headline tour dates through the summer—see the full list of dates below.

- Lauded as an experimental and alternative band, and one that’s never been married to a particular genre, Phantogram—comprised of lifelong friends Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel—have continued to change the zeitgeist for almost a decade by consistently challenging it with their signature blend of hard-hitting beats, guitar-driven dark psychedelia and electronic pop. Today, Phantogram announces the release of their highly anticipated fourth studio album, Ceremony, set for release on March 6th. The duo celebrates the announce by dropping “Pedestal,” from the forthcoming project. Pre-order Ceremony HERE and listen to “Pedestal” HERE.

- The Kingmaker, nominated for a Critics’ Choice Best Documentary Feature Award and a WGA Award for Best Documentary Screenplay, will have its television debut Friday, February 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Written and directed by Emmy winner Lauren Greenfield (Generation Wealth, The Queen of Versailles, Thin), the critically acclaimed feature from SHOWTIME Documentary Films presents a searing portrait of Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines whose behind-the-scenes machinations in the political careers of her husband, and later her son, cemented her indelible mark on the global political stage. The Kingmaker was named to several 2019 “Best Of” lists during its theatrical run last fall and premiered to sold-out audiences at prestigious film festivals across the world, including the Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival.

- Smithsonian Channel will explore the evolution of weapons throughout history and how they changed the course of mankind in the new documentary series World of Weapons. Weapons comprise an ever-evolving arsenal that has transformed combat – helping build empires, destroy them and deter aggression. This ten-part series highlights some of the world’s most important and innovative weapons and how and why they work, what problems they solve on the battlefield and give fresh insight into their role in history. Along the way, renowned international experts look at weapons and war as a way to explain human progress and how they may determine our fate. World of Weapons premieres Sunday, March 15 at 9 PM ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- Created by Owen Dennis (former writer and storyboard artist from “Regular Show”), Cartoon Network’s mysterious and critically acclaimed series Infinity Train: Book One will be released on DVD on April 21, 2020 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Go on a journey will all 10 episodes from the first season and bring home some extra magic with over an hour of epic bonus features including commentaries, documentaries, animatics, and more! Infinity Train: Book One DVD is priced to own at $14.97 SRP ($16.99 in Canada).

- New Heavenly Recordings signee Katy J Pearson has shared brand new track "Hey You" and its accompanying video. Watch it HERE. Written during solo sessions at community artist space Island Studios in her home city of Bristol, the track was later recorded with Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, M. Ward, Perfume Genius, Gruff Rhys) at his studio Toy Box.

Previewing Into the Dark: My Valentine

Like most of America, I did not see Jem and the Holograms but I could only imagine it may have been better as a horror film (hey, they repurposed Fantasy Island as one recently so why not). Maybe we will see what a potential Jem and the Hologram horror movie might look like with the latest Into the Dark installment, My Valentine.

The new episode stars Britt Baron (G.L.O.W.) as, well, Valentine, a musician performing for the first time since a really bad co-dependent relationship. Of course her first show back attracts said boyfriend… and his new girlfriend, who just so happens to be the spitting image of her because he took all her songs and looks (they both spot wigs that look like a mix of California Gurls era Katy Perry and Just Dance version of Lady Gaga, yet somehow more annoying looking) and turned it into Trezzure, the newest pop start with 21.9 million subscribers.

With it pop music sensibilities mixed with gratuitous violence, this is the weirdest episode of Into the Dark in a while. I am not going to say that is a good thing, but boy it is weird. I do appreciate they went in a different direction from last year’s Valentine’s Day episode, but did end up enjoying that one more. But for those that have been patiently waiting for any sign of a Into the Dark extended universe, I believe this is the first episode that actually references a previous installment (even though the episode ends with two music videos for mediocre songs, stick around for it in the credits).

Into the Dark Season Two Power Ranking:

1. Uncanny Annie (October)
2. A Nasty Piece of Work (December)
3. Pilgrim (November)
4. My Valentine (February)
4. Midnight Kiss (December)

Into the Dark: My Valentine premieres today on Hulu.

Previewing Homeland: The Final Season

It struck me as I am slowly working on my best of the decade list is how different my greatest shows of the decade would look if I just ranked shows on their first season. I would not have to deal with the trash fires that were the last couple season of Game of Thrones. Mr. Robot would be much higher. But the biggest benefactor would undoubtedly be Homeland which had one of the best debut season ever but then the third was one of the worst ever and has been bouncing back and forth between good and bad for the next five season. This is not a problem confined to this decade; Lost also had a great first season but ended up in the middle of my top 100.

So here we are at the final season of Homeland and for all the talk we have about sticking the landing, after eight season, I am just glad we will finally get a conclusion be it bad or good. I kind of hope it ends with Saul and Carrie retiring because, boy have they been through so much this decade. Fork, Carrie ended the last season spending 213 days in a Siberian prison without her bi-polar medication. And yet, twenty-three minutes into the premiere, Carrie is back behind enemy lines doing spy work for her country despite a failed polygraph which most spies are taught to pass and still recovering from being tortured. Granted it is an interesting juxtaposition from the first season where you wonder if the Russians turned Carrie like the Taliban turned Brody.

But hey, Saul needs her in Afghanistan for a week or two. He is close to bringing peace to the region if it not for a Pakistani general who is acting like he is the villain in an eighties action film. Also in the region is Max, Carrie’s wire tapper she hired whenever she did not want her bosses to know what she was doing. Apparently Saul hired him to in an official capacity to repair a functional listening devise near an enemy camp. Also back is Beau Bridges who I forgot was promoted to president after his superior resigned last season. And he seems to be at odds with his VP as his predecessor was with him. But in Homeland world why you actually can lose your job as president for gross incompetence, I wonder if he will last the season. Maybe by the end of the series, maybe Carrie or Saul will fail all the way to the White House.

Homeland airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

Previewing Kidding: Season Two

I know I spend a lot of time complaining bout how much I forget about a show’s previous season, but you would think a mild mannered children’s television host running over his wife’s boyfriend on Christmas Eve would have been pretty memorable. But there I was watching the previously on for the second season of Kidding and Mr. Pickles just ran over a dude… and that is where the season left off.

The first season of Kidding had to be the weirdest show in the history of television that was completely based in reality. It probably helped that Jim Carrey played his children’s show host in the vein of Mr. Rogers so straight that it got really weird. And then that character started to crack and shave what I guess you can call a reverse Mohawk into his head. Just as that grew back he gets another haircut early in season two, this one a little less funny, and he is not the only one who gets a haircut this season.

Another thing I forgot is last season also featured a speech by Mr. Pickle that was controversial enough to get his show pulled from the air for the first time in thirty years so not only is he losing his wife, he might also be losing his show. His sister’s divorce also complicates things as her husband wants half of everything, which includes half of the puppets she created for the show.

But not is all lost, we do get to see a full episode Mr. Pickle’s Puppet Time and much like G.L.O.W.’s show within a show, it is one of the best, and I would say in the case of Kidding, the best of its two season run so far. This episode features a special appearance of Pickara Grande, a pickle fairy played by Jim Carrey super-fan Ariana Grande. Really, this season is worth watching just for that. Although the season also features the second episode that I have seen in less than a month (the other being Mix’ish) that centers on the Challenger explosion. So yeah, that was also weird for different reason.

Kidding airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime with back-to-back episodes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 2, 2020

Dare Me: Just when you thought it was not going to get more gross than someone biting their own lip last week, someone gets their teeth kicked out this week. Except I guess it was implied this week that Beth did not bite her own lip, but that she was sexually assaulted. But was the pool of mouth blood on the mat the same pool of blood from the season premiere? I kind of assumed that someone died. But without actually looking back at that first scene, it did look similar.

Shameless: So the Frank storyline did not amount to anything but to add a car to Ian’s wedding? And was that car always a convertible? But the big news is that Debbie is about to be arrested (and Carl may be right behind her). Although what exactly is the law in Illinois? Most states have a grace period so kids a couple months older but just slightly above the adult line do not get in trouble for this kind of thing. I believe my state has a five year rule which Debbie would be easily inside. But that is it, just one more season left… until the inevitable reboot in ten years.

The Outsider: So that random prison storyline last week was the nurse at Jason Bateman’s father’s hospital? If that was expressed last week, I missed it. Then he opens this week again as we see how he got the “virus.” But the whole pain demon thing that feeds on destroying whole families make it just seems worse than just child murder. So how did the lady in jail survive?

Supergirl: Just when you thought it could not get worse than multiple Brainiac 5’s last week, this week we got multiple Toymen Jr.’s. Ugg. Now if only we could get multiple Saturn Girls.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Manifest: So if that college student ends up forking the daughter who a year ago to him was just ten, would that not be kind of creepy?

Vikings: I thought the Resurrection episode title was going to be a huge spoiler that Floki would finally return after being trapped in a mountain for the last eight episode, instead we got an even more shocking return of Athelstan. Or, I guess someone who claimed to kill him. I had to look it up since it has been so long, but it was Floki who actually killed Athelstan. Umm, whatever that means. Another thing that I am not entirely sure what it means, Ivar brother does not think the queen looks like his dead wife. But he is crazy so maybe that may not mean anything.

The Good Place: So the suicide door turned out not to be a suicide door… but kind of still feels like a suicide door? Sure Eleanor turned into stardust that got Michael Realman’s neighbor to get him his lost mail, but it still seemed to endorse suicide to me. And Michael Realman kind of got a short shrift getting sent to earth in his current form of an old dude. How about giving him a baby skin suit and let live a full life? But I guess even with the suicide door it ended up being a solid finale but I feel like a great finale was sitting right there. Instead of a suicide door, make it a reincarnation door and have the final scene being the soul squad unbeknownst to themselves just happening to bump in to each other.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: February 1, 2920

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 Desus and Mero, Def Leppard, lovelytheband, Kate Tempest, Disgraceland, Keb’ Mo’, Angie Rose, COOKED: Survival by Zip Code, The Circus, and Friends.

- Desus and Mero returns with special guest David Letterman joining the duo in-studio to kick off season two on Monday, February 3 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. The show will continue to air all-new episodes on Monday and Thursday nights. Desus and Mero features the duo chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more, as well as giving their take on the day’s hot topics in their signature style in front of a small live studio audience from New York City. Additional upcoming guests include Missy Elliott, Penn Badgley, Lakeith Stanfield, Seth Meyers and returning guest Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

- Legendary British rock ‘n’ roll icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® inductees Def Leppard release The Early Years 79-81 box set, representing the band’s first two albums, On Through The Night (1980) and High ‘N’ Dry (1981), on March 20 via UMe/Virgin. The box set was executive produced by lead singer Joe Elliott and mastered by the band’s long serving sound engineer Ronan McHugh. Joe Elliott says of the box set, “Well the fans asked, and we listened! Really excited to have our early years reworked with a load of rare material including the newly unearthed Live at the Oxford New Theatre, recorded on the 1980 UK tour …. It’s been a trip putting this box set together and I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we did working on it!” Pre-order The Early Years 79-81 box set HERE.

- This week, alternative pop trio lovelytheband is back with their brand-new single “loneliness for love. The track is packed with an energetic beat, glistening keys, and nimble guitar that pulsates alongside sweeping verses and an instantly irresistible chorus. “loneliness for love” is available now at all digital retail providers via The Century Family, Inc. Click HERE to listen.

- British spoken word artist, rapper, poet, novelist and playwright Kate Tempest releases her new song, “Unholy Elixir”—listen HERE! The track, produced and mixed by Dan Carey, is accompanied by a video created by illustrator Natalya Lobanova—watch HERE!

- Jake Brennan, host of “Disgraceland” in partnership with iHeartRadio, released the first episode of the podcast “27 Club,” a musical, true-crime iHeartRadio Original Podcast that tells the stories of musicians who have joined rock and roll’s most infamous and morbidly exclusive 27 Club. Over the course of 12 episodes, season one will analyze the life and death of one of the greatest guitarists of all time: Jimi Hendrix. “27 Club” will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network beginning today and can be heard now on iHeartRadio and everywhere else podcasts are available. Episode 2 will air this Thursday, January 30, with new episodes to follow every Thursday through the end of the season.

- he now five-time GRAMMY® Award-Winner, Keb’ Mo’, has earned another statue for his mantel for Best Americana Album, awarded for his critically acclaimed album Oklahoma released via Concord Records on June 14, 2019.

- Rising hip-hop artist Angie Rose has released her latest single “Infatuation” today, an up-tempo track that tells the story of a girl who grows in personal strength and independence, as she overcomes an initially deceptive attraction to a man, by realizing those feelings were ultimately nothing more than infatuation. Highlighting her raw energy and undaunted songwriting, the single promises to become a radio staple.

- The new feature documentary COOKED: Survival by Zip Code, a searing exploration into the politics of “disaster,” blends investigative reporting about the deadly 1995 Chicago heat wave with a potent argument that the best preparation for a disaster may start with investing in racial and economic justice. COOKED: Survival by Zip Code will have its national television debut on the PBS television series Independent Lens this Monday, February 3 at 10:00 pm (check local listings), preceding coverage of the Iowa Caucuses. The film will also be available to stream at PBS.org and on the free PBS Video App throughout Black History Month.

- This week on The Circus, Alex Wagner goes backstage with Andrew Yang, who talks about the future of his campaign, how he voted for Bernie Sanders in 2016, and his chances in Iowa on caucus night.

- On September 22, 1994 the first episode of Friends aired on NBC, and since then the series, characters and its infamous taglines have become a global phenomenon. After 236 episodes and its ten season run on-air, the beloved series went into syndication episodes on a number of networks, and in 2015 Netflix acquired the exclusive rights to stream the series; eventually becoming one of most watched shows on the platform, until the close of 2019! So where have your “Friends” been, now that its 2020? According to Ross, “We Were On A BREAK!” from streaming - but have no fear, you can still get all of your favorite episodes on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD today!

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 26, 2020

Ray Donovan: So OG Bridget was pregnant and knocked up by Succession Daddy when she jumped off the roof? Somehow that death got even darker. But no one asked the question I would have asked, did she actually jump or was Succession Daddy getting rid of two problems at once? But after two or three seasons, is the show going back to California? Bridget says she wants to go home. Ray did follow her there. Terry was just there to train a boxer which faded away. Mickey and Bunchy just came to this coast to avoid the law. The whole Donovan tribe could migrate back west. Hey, maybe Connor is just hanging out in the house alone this whole time. I would not mind the move back because the setting was much better there.

Dare Me: Oh wow, finally an entertaining scene with the two half-sisters in therapy with their daddy. More of that please. Less lip biting, too, please. Really more proof, she dies by the end of the season, probably by her own hand.

Shameless: Wait, is the chick would go through great lengths to set up Frank because he got her boyfriend and just casually mentions she is taking a vacation? I thought for sure that was another ploy by her to get back at Frank. Maybe that will come next episode. But if going on two dates at once, a big sitcom clichéd plot, is the best the show can come up with now, maybe it is a good thing they announce next season will be it last (until it is inevitably rebooted in five years). Okay, Mickey as bridezilla was pretty funny.

The Outsider: If you are a super prestige show that does not want its characters to devolve into a caricature, maybe should not introduce your character on the spectrum with a Sheldon Cooper bit. But she did shout out my doppelgänger theory even though it seems to be already debunked as it seems like we are dealing with a shape shifter. Then what was going on in prison? Dude implanted a shiv, but had to craft a shiv to get the other shiv inside him. Then used it to kill himself. Did I miss an episode?

Supergirl: So Crisis gave us a soft reboot which you think would have fixed one of the bigger flaws of this season in Lena’s irrational hated of Supergirl but instead Lex somehow gave her all of her memories. Meh. Even worse, Crisis gave us multiple Braniac 5’s. Ugg. But why were they talking about there only being one Earth now? We saw at the end of Crisis that Doom Patrol et al were still on different Earths? Are they just being self-centered that now that Supergirl is on the same Earth as The Flash and Black Lightning that there are no other Earths out there? Where do they think all those people went? Just were not brought back after they rebooted the timeline? And what happened to Miss Tessmacher? Lena essentially killed her last season turning her into a robot? Is she still a robot? Is she dead? Is she back as a secretary at CatCo? Since Lex never was “evil” in this timeline, does she not become evil? Is she with Leviathan? It was weird that she ran into Leviathan is the season finale, but that really was not brought up this season.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Manifest: Really, all that to get cave boy out of prison after he pleads guilty? Just seemed like they need to fill and extra episode. And I missed the connection between yoga mom and the university guy? Are they plotting something together?

Vikings: Well the episode title, Valhalla Ca Wait turned out to be a huge spoiler. Though I did think the skies would open up and put out the flames, instead it was his brother who would save him. Then with three episodes left (at least until the end of the half season, I kind of hate when they block off episodes like this, just call each ten episodes a season if the next ten will not air for months) we finally go back to Iceland. I wonder if we will finally get any definitive proof of Loki, dead or alive.

The Good Place: I did not like all the Best Show of the Decades that came out late last year, I thought it was silly to rank The Good Place with five episodes remaining which no one is not going to be considered when ranking the Best Shows of the 20’s. What is the show had a Game of Thrones type ending that knocks it down five to ten spots? Really, if the door they came up with this week, which sounded very pro-suicide to me, turns out to be suicide, this show might sink more than ten spot on my list which I hope to have out before the end of the year… I hope.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: January 25, 2020

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 Pearl Jam, The Go-Go’s, JP Cooper, KIANA LEDÉ, Black in Space: Breaking the Color, The Circus, Mo’nique and Friends: Live From Atlanta, The Trade, Our Cartoon President, and Outcry.

- "Dance of the Clairvoyants", the first single from Pearl Jam's forthcoming album, Gigaton, is now officially available. Listen to "Dance of the Clairvoyants" HERE. "I can’t tell you how proud I am about this group of songs, " explains Jeff Ament. "As you know, we took our time and that benefited us taking more chances. 'Dance' was a perfect storm of experimentation and real collaboration, mixing up the instrumentation and building a great song, and Ed writing some of my favorite words yet, around Matt’s killer drum pattern. Did I mention Mike’s insane guitar part and that Stone is playing bass on this one? We’ve opened some new doors creatively and that’s exciting." To accompany the single, Pearl Jam have released mysteriously titled video "Dance of the Clairvoyants" Mach I. Watch the video HERE.

- The multi-platinum Los Angeles rock band The Go-Go’s announce 11 North American summer dates in conjunction with the release of THE GO-GO’S, a new Showtime documentary directed by Allison Wood which chronicles the meteoric rise to fame of a band born of the L.A. punk scene. Kicking off on June 25th at Humphreys in San Diego, CA, and performing at intimate venues across North America gives fans a chance to see the band up close and personal. Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 24th at 10am local time with the Los Angeles dates going on sale next Friday, January 31st at 10am PT. For the latest ticketing information visit facebook.com/OfficialGoGos/.

- JP Cooper follows singles ‘The Reason Why’ and ‘Sing It With Me’ with ‘In These Arms’, out on the 24th of January. ‘In These Arms’ is an all-powerful torch song ballad, with Cooper’s voice soaring above a grand wall of sound. The lyrics pivot between unquestioning love and paranoia, whilst the verses classic, uncomplicated descriptions of precious time sets the scene for a sucker punch of a chorus. To accompany the release of the single, JP has also shared the visuals for the track – watch them HERE.

- After emerging as one of 2019’s boldest and biggest breakout R&B starlets, KIANA LEDÉ returns with a new single entitled “Mad At Me” today. Get it HERE via Republic Records.

- The race to get to space is long over, but buried in time is the revelatory story of the world’s first black astronauts. For many Americans, the 20th-century Space Race was a Cold War competition over rocketry and technological feats, but the world’s two superpowers were also engaged in another high-stakes race – one whose impact is still being felt today. Black in Space: Breaking the Color examines the crucial moment when America’s history of racial prejudice became a critical vulnerability in the effort to win hearts and minds around the globe. Confronting a Soviet foe determined to show that communism was the face of the future, the U.S. would need a new generation of astronauts. Black in Space: Breaking the Color barrier premieres Monday, February 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel and will also be available to stream on Smithsonian Channel Plus beginning February 1.

- With less than two weeks before the Iowa caucuses, The Circus gets a rare behind-the-scenes look at Senator Amy Klobuchar’s efforts to campaign in Iowa while stuck in Washington serving as a juror in the Trump impeachment trial. Click here for a preview: https://youtu.be/-TcuhlZ2Fc8.

- Bold and unapologetic, comedienne Mo'Nique is back hosting her first stand-up special in almost 10 years, Mo’nique and Friends: Live From Atlanta, premiering Friday, February 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Filmed at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, the hour-long special features a variety of talented newcomers including Prince T-Dub, Just Nesh, Tone-X and Correy Bell alongside veteran comedian Donnell Rawlings (Chappelle's Show). To watch and share a clip from Mo’nique and Friends: Live From Atlanta, go to: https://youtu.be/8k0OBNfnU24.

- Showtime has released the trailer and key art for the upcoming season of the IDA Award-winning series The Trade ahead of its premiere next week at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Emmy® and DGA Award winner and Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman, the four-part series follows Central Americans on an odyssey to the United States (including some heading back home after being deported), while also delving into the shadow industries that prey on them every step along the way. By shedding light on the smugglers and traffickers who take advantage of the migrants’ vulnerability and on law enforcement pursuing them at the border, THE TRADE brings audiences inside the rarely seen underbelly of the migrants’ world and humanizes their struggle to survive. THE TRADE premieres on Friday, March 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.


- Showtime has released the key art and trailer for the upcoming third season of Our Cartoon President, premiering on Sunday, January 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Executive produced by multiple Emmy® winner Stephen Colbert, showrunner R.J. Fried and Late Show executive producer Chris Licht, Our Cartoon President kicks open the doors of the White House for a satirical look at President Trump, his family and the power players in Washington, D.C. and beyond.


- Showtime announced it will air Outcry, a five-part documentary series examining the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction and the quest for truth and justice as the case unfolds. Produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis (DISGRACED), OUTCRY will have its world premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals in Austin, ahead of its television premiere on Friday, April 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

The Twenty-Five Best Movies I Saw in 2019

I have a completely rational hatred of movie theaters so I am content to wait and watch movies when they come to services I already pay for. These are the best movies I watched in the past twelve months:


1. A Simple Favor

2. Avengers: Infinity War

3. BlacKkKlansman

4. Aquaman

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming

6. Thoroughbreds

7. Anna and the Apocalypse

8. Blockers

9. Spider-Man: Into the Spideyverse

10. The Edge of Seventeen

11. The Favourite

12. The Long Shot

13. Booksmart

14. Pitch Perfect 3

15. Brooklyn

16. Ant-Man and the Wasp

17. Mr. Right

18. Always Be My Maybe

19. Now You See Me 2

20. Ready Player One

21. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

22. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

23. The Predator

24. The Day Shall Come

25. Don’t Breathe

Previewing Project Blue Book: Season Two

My big problem with the first season of Project Blue Book was that it seemed like the real life version of The X-Files but where the X-Files could actually do aliens and bile monsters, Project Blue Book has to stay in the realm of reality. So they hinted at it and other weird stuff, but we never did, and likely never will get any real aliens or other weird stuff. But they do certainly push the bounds of what we think we see.

Although the second season does delve into two of the biggest mysteries involving UFO’s in America’s history, the two part season premiere dealing with Roswell, New Mexico where people believe a UFO crash landed at a ranch near the town. That is then followed up with an Area 51 episode where some claim the US government is hiding proof of alien life and a group actually planned on storming it last year except no one actually showed up. Although I really doubt the validity of that conspiracy theory now considering the guy who now knows all the country secrets has not let that slip yet but was quick to declassify the JFK assassination and told Russians Israeli state secrets in the Oval Office.

The Roswell episode involves someone claiming to have proof of an alien encounter and is going to share that information with the public which includes metal that was not made by men. Of course that brings to town the Project Blue Book duo to try and figure out what is really going on. It also turns out this is not the first time General Harding has been to the Arizona town which only deepens the conspiracy. But the end of the two episodes we do get an interesting theory as what could be behind the spike in UFO sightings. Although the show would be even more interesting if there was a bile monster every once in a while.

Project Blue Book airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on History.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 19, 2020

Ray Donovan: Ray has gotten out of some sticky situation, but being caught on tape admitting to killing multiple police officers, then assaulting one of the officers taping you seemed like a very hard predicament to escape. But apparently even murder can be forgiven if you can help take down the dirty mayor. Alrighty. Seems like some jail time would still be warranted.

Dare Me: Still mostly bored, but I am now predicting the Queen B chick hurting herself turns out to be the forshaddowing from the beginning of each episode.

Shameless: Debbie living the dream of hooking up with a mother and her daughter. Great like from her friend about Debbie is going down. But will Lip really be going down… to Wisconsin? A free house is a free house. Although the renting it seems like a decent option. Or maybe sell it and buy something closer to Chicago. I do not see Lip living out in the country.

The Outsider: I think I may have cracked the case while making a joke on social media. While Jason Bateman was getting arrested, I commented that of course he was a child murderer; he has an evil doppelganger goatee. Which made me think, oh, maybe the twist is that actually is an evil doppelganger out there.

Crisis on Infinite Earths: So the Green Arrow died and became The Spectre and then died as The Sprectre? Huh? And what happened to his hot daughter? Shouldn’t she get his chair? But really, had it not been for all those cameos (oh wow, movie Flash), this crossover would have been a complete and utter mess that made little to no sense. Okay, the comics it was based on made little to no sense so I guess it was faithful. But if Gleek is in for the next crossover sign me up.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Almost Family: Is the show implying that Britanny Snow’s mother is a homosexual? I guess if she looks anything like Brittany Snow, she could very well turn and gay dude straight.
You can download Almost Family on iTunes.

Vikings: Sure Lagatha went out kind of weakly last week being done in by a crazy person after surviving an epic fight but at least she got a hero’s send off this week. I guess that leaves Bjorn as the only original character still alive. Maybe Floki. We never got a definitive answer either way other than we last saw him stuck in a cave and he has gone missing. I guess a very old Rollo is out there somewhere in France.

The Good Place: So after showing up at the end of the Crisis, Gleek’s name shows up on the blackboard of potential humans that could work in the new system that could get into the Good Place. Obviously that had to be Jason’s suggestion. But add Vicky running the new Good Place evaluation system to potential spin-off I really want to see. Granted, I do not believe Team Cockroach will stay in the Good Place and will eventually run the new system with Michael by the finale.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: January 18, 2020

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 Pearl Jam, Oh Wonder, Chelsea Cutler, Neneh Cherry, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Black Monday, Shrill, The Chi, Flack, Billions, One Day at a Time, COOKED: Survival by Zip Code, VICE, Big Cat Country, Mother Mary, The L Word: Generation Q, and Work in Progress.

- Pearl Jam will release their much-anticipated eleventh studio album, Gigaton, on Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records on March 27, 2020 in the US. Internationally, the album will be released and distributed by Universal Music Group. Produced by Josh Evans and Pearl Jam, Gigaton marks the band’s first studio album since GRAMMY award-winning Lightning Bolt, which was released on October 15, 2013. Gigaton is available for pre-order now at pearljam.com. The first single, “Dance of the Clairvoyants”, will be released in the coming weeks.

- Oh Wonder premieres the video for their latest single “Happy”—watch HERE! The duo’s fast-approaching third album, No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, is set for release on February 7th. Oh Wonder has also unveiled international dates for the “Wear Your Crown Tour,” which is on sale now at www.ohwondermusic.com.

- Singer, songwriter and producer Chelsea Cutler’s highly anticipated debut album, How To Be Human, is out now via Republic Records—listen HERE! The 16-track album features Chelsea’s latest single, “Sad Tonight,” written by Cutler and produced by the renowned creative team Captain Cuts. The song is accompanied by the official video, shot by award-winning director Drew Kirsch (“You Need To Calm Down,” “Lover”), out now—watch HERE! Chelsea will make her debut late night television appearance performing “Sad Tonight” on Late Night with Seth Meyers on January 23rd.

- Neneh Cherry continually draws inspiration from her surroundings. In the late ‘80s, she traversed between post-punk London nightlife and the burgeoning hip-hop movement in New York. Capturing these unique experiences, and also shaped by the influence of her musical family, she exploded onto the pop music landscape by closing out the ‘80s with her internationally acclaimed debut album, Raw Like Sushi. This melting pot of musical styles and streetwise lyrics that take on life and love with equal parts tenderness and toughness is set for a 30th Anniversary celebration befitting its global impact.

- Showtime has announced today that the highly anticipated series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels will premiere on Sunday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The series stars Tony® and Emmy® winner Nathan Lane, Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, Kerry Bishé, Rory Kinnear, Adriana Barraza, Michael Gladis, Jessica Garza and Johnathan Nieves. Tony and Golden Globe® 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. The series is currently in production in Los Angeles.


- Showtime has announced that the ten-episode second season of its acclaimed comedy series Black Monday will debut with back-to-back episodes each week beginning on Sunday, March 15th from 10 to 11 p.m. ET/PT. The series is executive produced by Emmy® nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Don Cheadle, who stars with two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls), Regina Hall (Little, Girls Trip) and Screen Actors Guild® Award winner Paul Scheer (Veep). The series is created by showrunners and executive producers David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl). Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Good Boys, The Boys) serve as executive producers.


- After facing her demons – her mom, her boss and, of course, her troll – Annie starts the season feeling pretty good with boyfriend Ryan by her side. That is, until she realizes that hastily quitting her job and jumping into a relationship with someone who is, well, a little less career-focused may not have been the best idea. Shrill (starring Aidy Bryant) returns with eight all-new episodes Friday, January 24, only on Hulu.


- Showtime has announced that the third season of its drama series The Chi, which will feature series creator and Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Queen & Slim, Boomerang) in a multi-episode arc as a Chicago mayoral candidate, will debut on Sunday, July 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.


- Crisis averted! Pop TV today announced the return of the dark comedy Flack, set in the world of a celebrity crisis PR firm, starring Academy Award® and Golden Globe® winner and Emmy®-nominated actress Anna Paquin (True Blood, The Affair on Showtime®). The six-episode season will premiere on Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and features new cast members Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor Sam Neill, Screen Actors Guild Award® winner Daniel Dae Kim and guest star Emmy-winner Martha Plimpton. Executive Producer Stephen Moyer will direct two of the season’s episodes. Pop TV will make the entire second season available on its app Pop Now and via cable and satellite video on demand after the Network premieres the first episode.

- Showtime announced that season five of the hit drama series Billions will premiere on Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, Billions is currently in production in New York. As previously announced, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Golden Globe nominee Corey Stoll (House of Cards) will guest star in multiple episodes of the fifth season.

- Showtime has announced that it has picked up an 11th and final season of its hit comedy series Shameless, premiering this summer. Shameless, which originally premiered in the winter of 2011, ranks as the network’s no. 1 comedy, its longest-running series and has the youngest-skewing audience of any Showtime series. Season 10 of Shameless, which will finale on Sunday, January 26, has been averaging 5.7 million weekly viewers across platforms.

- After a celebrated new season pickup following a passionate fan campaign, Pop TV today announced that the acclaimed series One Day at a Time, will return on Tuesday, March 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT, following all new-episodes of the final season of Schitt’s Creek before moving to 9 p.m. ET/PT, starting on April 14.

- The new feature documentary COOKED: Survival by Zip Code, a searing exploration into the politics of “disaster,” blends investigative reporting about the deadly 1995 Chicago heat wave with a potent argument that the best preparation for a disaster may start with investing in racial and economic justice. COOKED: Survival by Zip Code will have its national television debut on the PBS television series Independent Lens on Monday, February 3 at 10:00 pm (check local listings), preceding coverage of the Iowa Caucuses. The film will also be available to stream at PBS.org and on the free PBS Video App throughout Black History Month.

- Showtime announced that the Emmy®-winning documentary series VICE, known for delivering longform, on-the-ground journalism and newsworthy explorations of our world today, will premiere across all Showtime platforms on Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The 13-episode season will continue to air weekly on Sundays. The series has delivered crucial in-depth journalism from the frontlines of global conflict, including civil uprisings in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and beyond, and has provided perspective on some of the world’s most pressing issues, from LGBTQ rights and the climate crisis to immigration and gun control.

- In Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, two neighboring prides have held their land for generations – the Hollywood pride, consisting of six female lions and the once-powerful MK pride, made up of 17 lions. Both prides now face a gang of young males aggressively looking to takeover new territory. Smithsonian Channel’s Big Cat Country exposes every triumph and tragedy as the two prides struggle to withstand the young males’ invasion and maintain control of their land. Can they survive the greatest challenge of their lives? Find out when the captivating six-part series premieres Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

- #Blessed. Pop TV this week announced that it has ordered the miraculous new comedy pilot Mother Mary, a modern twist on one of the famous stories ever told. The project is conceived by CBS Television Studios, written by Casey Feigh (What We Do in the Shadows), Dan Gregor (How I Met Your Mother) and Betsy Sodaro (Disjointed) and executive produced by Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) along with Tony Hernandez and Brooke Posch of Jax Media (Broad City, Russian Doll, FLORIDA GIRLS), and Feigh, Gregor and Sodaro. The pilot joins the Network’s slate of bold comedies with a point of view including SCHITT’S CREEK, ONE DAY AT A TIME and FLORIDA GIRLS.

- Showtime has ordered a ten-episode second season of The L Word: Generation Q, the sequel to the groundbreaking drama series THE L WORD®. Season one has followed the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey), along with new characters Dani Nùñez (Arienne Mandi), Micah Lee (Leo Sheng), Finley (Jacqueline Toboni), Sophie Suarez (Rosanny Zayas) and Gigi (Sepideh Moafi), as they experience love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A. Currently airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, season one is executive produced by showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan (The Four-Faced Liar, 6 Balloons), with series creator Ilene Chaiken, Kristen Campo, Allyce Ozarski, Steph Green (pilot), and original series stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey. The season finale is set to air on January 26.

- Showtime has picked up a second season of the critically acclaimed comedy series Work in Progress. Created and written by Chicago improv mainstays Abby McEnany and Tim Mason and co-written by Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix), the series stars McEnany as a fictionalized version of herself whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. The ten-episode second season will be entirely written, shot and produced in Chicago this year. Season one currently airs on Sundays at 11 p.m. ET/PT, with its season finale set to air January 26.