Around the Tubes: June 27, 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 Stargirl, The Circus, Shannon LaBrie, Pearl Jam, The Score, The Soundflowers, Oh Wonder, Johnny Cash, Chelsea Cutler, Hollywood, the Sequel, UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America, as well as Showtime and Hulu news.

- Ir’s time for a new generation of justice! Get ready for nonstop action with the release of DC’s Stargirl: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray and DVD on September 29, 2020 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Strap yourself in for an exhilarating ride with all 13 episodes from the first season of the original series on DC UNIVERSE & The CW. DC’s Stargirl: The Complete First Season is priced to own at $24.98 SRP for the DVD and $29.98 SRP for the Blu-ray, which includes a Digital Copy. DC’s Stargirl: The Complete First Season is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.  Focusing on the character that started creator Geoff Johns’ career in comic books, when he created her, lovingly inspired by his late sister who was killed in a plane explosion, new DC drama series, DC’s Stargirl follows high school sophomore Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) as she inspires an unlikely group of young heroes to take up the legacy of a long-lost Super Hero team – The Justice Society of America – and stop the Super-Villains of the past.

- THE CIRCUS returns to SHOWTIME as America approaches a monumental presidential election, confronts systemic racism and endures a deadly pandemic and economic upheaval. New weekly 30-minute episodes will premiere on Sunday, August 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and continue through the election. For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/jfLDiyTlu3w.  Co-hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, and Mark McKinnon will again take viewers behind the scenes as the Trump and Biden campaigns hurtle toward a historic Election Day in November. THE CIRCUS launched the first part of its fifth season this past winter and averaged more than 1 million viewers weekly, continuing to be the top docuseries on the network.

- Hulu is excited to announce that three Original Series will be participating in Comic-Con@Home. Be sure to check out virtual panels featuring the cast and creators of our upcoming horror series Helstrom, along with newly released animated series Solar Opposites and Crossing Swords this July. Panel timing and details coming soon.

- Like a Phoenix from the ashes, Shannon LaBrie shows what grit and determination can do with the release of her new music video for her current single “Firewalker.” The video premiered on Right Chord Music and is now available for viewing HERE. “Firewalker” can be found on all digital streaming services, now available HERE.  Eager to take advantage of her time off the road during the world pandemic, LaBrie got together a crew of two, herself and famed music video director Roger Pistole (Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Cage the Elephant), to film the powerful video in the backwoods of Tennessee, “Roger Pistole, is one of the most inventive, endearing and calming directors I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” Shannon praises, “He’s got a way of easiness about him when he’s behind a camera. I felt very comfortable being myself…in fact, that’s his one request.” Through the magic of editing, lighting, and pure talent, the two created a commanding visual treat. 

- Pearl Jam contribute the inaugural live performance of “Dance of the Clairvoyants” to All In WA: A Concert for COVID-19 Relief today. This marks the first time a track from the band’s new album, Gigaton, has been performed. Watch it HERE. The concert livestreamed at 7pm PT at allinwa.org and broadcast locally in Washington on stations KREM, KING 5, KONG, and KSKN. It is also available globally on Amazon Prime now.

- Gold-certified and critically acclaimed Los Angeles-based, New York-born rock band The Score—Eddie Anthony and Edan Dover— unleash a new single entitled “The Champion.”  Stream “The Champion” HERE via Republic Records.  On the track the band said: “The world and society is in transition. We desperately need champions to shine their light on positive change and are grateful to all those who have stood up offer their voices & skills to create an impact. Whether that is in the streets or in our hospitals, there are Champions in this country and across the globe who are putting themselves at risk to make the world a better place. This song is meant to keep that spark alive.”

- The Soundflowers, featuring Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn, unveils their self-titled debut EP, The Soundflowers, out now via IMPERIAL—listen HERE!  The Soundflowers EP’s lead single “Your Look (Glorious)” is accompanied by a lyric video, which features scenes shot, directed and produced by Prince Jackson via his production house King’s Son Productions—watch it HERE! The EP also includes the highly anticipated song “Geronimo,” which Paris wrote when she was 15, inspired by loss, heartbreak and letting go. “Geronimo” marked Jackson’s first foray into songwriting, allowing her to explore her passion for the craft and develop her songwriting skills.

- Oh Wonder wraps their Home Tapes project with “Don’t You Worry,” their fifth song written, recorded, produced and released during isolation. Listen HERE!  “Don’t You Worry” is a beautifully stripped-back love song about the intimacy and connection still possible under lockdown. Like everything Oh Wonder touches, it’s a feeling deeply of the present moment (“We walked the city streets at midnight as the world went quiet”) but also rooted in classic, timeless songwriting.  The band also recently unveiled another fan-generated video for one of the series’ highlights, “Oceansize,” following thousands of entries worldwide—watch HERE!

- In the mid-1980s as Johnny Cash found himself between labels, Mercury Records snatched up the country legend for what would end up being a prolific string of six albums in five years. The records, released from 1986 to 1991, were a diverse collection that included a notable reunion with fellow Sun Records alumni Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, star-studded collaborations with Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams Jr. and others, inspired takes on songs from Elvis Costello, Guy Clark and Harry Chapin, the Man in Black revisiting his classic hits, and some of the finest songs ever written by Cash. Despite the quality of material, Cash’s stint with Mercury has never been revisited—until now.  Now, Cash's often overlooked and underappreciated chapter of his body of work are available for revisiting with a suite releases via Mercury/UMe including a comprehensive new box set, The Complete Mercury Recordings 1986-1991, and a new greatest hits album, Easy Rider: The Best Of The Mercury Recordings, a newly assembled collection that compiles 24 highlights selected from Cash's Mercury catalog. Easy Rider is available to stream now or as a single CD or double LP.  Stream/purchase: The Complete Mercury Recordings 1986-1991:  https://JohnnyCash.lnk.to/CompleteMercuryAlbums  Stream/purchase: Easy Rider: The Best Of The Mercury Recordings: https://JohnnyCash.lnk.to/EasyRiderBestOf

- Chelsea Cutler recruits Noah Kahan for their new collaboration “Crazier Things” out now—listen HERE!  “Crazier Things” stands out as a fan favorite from Chelsea Cutler’s debut album, How To Be Human, released earlier this year. Adding another layer to the intimate and emotional original, she invited Noah Kahan to join her on this very special duet version. Over delicate acoustic guitar, their voices melt into a heavenly harmony.

- #loverecordstores, the campaign launched to raise awareness of the challenges faced by record stores during the current pandemic, and to encourage music fans to continue shopping online with their favorite stores, has announced further details of its 24 hour event, including the world’s biggest online in-store, which takes place at www.loverecordstores.com on June 20^th.  Record Store Day has become an important fixture in the music retail calendar for UK record stores, labels and music fans alike, so it came as a real blow that the organizers have had no choice but to postpone this year’s event due to the continued Covid-19 crisis.

- Kerry Washington appeared on the debut episode of the podcast “Hollywood, the Sequel," which looks at how the entertainment industry can change for the better following this moment of disruption.  Kerry makes some powerful points about how words like diversity and inclusion are inherently creating a world where there is an us and a them, an in and an out. She also addresses those who have asked how “Olivia Pope” would respond to the pandemic, saying “we can get into trouble when we rely on imaginary characters to save us…I have joked at times that part of how we got into the situation we’re in now is that we had a reality television character swoop into an election and people thought that he could save the day.”

- Open Door Productions LLC is proud to present the broadcast premiere of UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America, a documentary revealing the untold stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum-seekers, produced and directed by Tom Shepard and co-produced by Jen Gilomen.  UNSETTLED had its World Premiere at the San Francisco International Film Festival, is the winner of the Best Documentary Feature Film at 2019 Outfest, and played at 55 festivals worldwide - winning 14 other top awards.  UNSETTLED will lead Doc World’s new season which broadcasts on public media’s WORLD Channel on June 28 and will be available for streaming on WorldChannel.org through July 12.

- Amid the ongoing fluctuations in production operations due to the COVID-19 virus, SHOWTIME is making the following changes to the schedule for its scripted content and is also announcing the acquisition of a series:

·         SHOWTIME has picked up the six-episode drama WE HUNT TOGETHER, an hour-long series from BBC Studios starring Eve Myles (Keeping Faith, Torchwood), Babou Ceesay (GUERRILLA), Hermione Corfield (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and Dipo Ola (Baghdad Central, Inside No. 9). A gripping twist on a classic cat-and-mouse story, WE HUNT TOGETHER explores the intoxication of sexual attraction and the dangerous power of emotional manipulation. As two conflicted detectives (Myles and Ceesay) track down a pair of deadly killers (Corfield and Ola), the series reveals how finding a volatile form of solace in another can have dire consequences. Written by Gaby Hull and directed by Carl Tibbetts, WE HUNT TOGETHER will premiere on SHOWTIME on Sunday, August 9 at 10 p.m.   

·         THE COMEY RULE, starring Emmy^® winners Jeff Daniels as former FBI Director James Comey and Brendan Gleeson as President Donald J. Trump, will air on consecutive nights: Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28 at 9 p.m. Adapted for the screen and directed by Oscar^® nominated screenwriter Billy Ray, the two-part, four-hour limited series is an immersive, behind-the-headlines account of the historically turbulent events surrounding the 2016 presidential election and its aftermath, which divided a nation.

·         THE GOOD LORD BIRD, starring Oscar^® nominee Ethan Hawke as John Brown and Joshua Caleb Johnson, will premiere on Sunday, October 4 at 9 p.m. Based upon the National Book Award-winning novel by James McBride, THE GOOD LORD BIRD is told from the point of view of Onion (Johnson), a fictional enslaved boy who becomes a member of Brown’s motley family of abolitionist soldiers and eventually finds himself participating in the famous 1859 raid at Harpers Ferry. THE GOOD LORD BIRD uniquely and unpredictably spotlights the complicated racial, religious and gender roles that make up the American identity.  

In addition, SHOWTIME is making the following schedule additions and changes with its non-fiction content:

·         THE COMEDY STORE (w.t.), comedian-turned-director Mike Binder’s five-part documentary series that chronicles the evolution of comedy from within the walls of the iconic L.A. club, will premiere on Sunday, October 4 at 10 p.m.

·         THE REAGANS, director Matt Tyrnauer’s four-part documentary series that explores the many surprisingly unexamined aspects of the Reagan White House, and how Nancy Reagan’s paper-doll image was at odds with the power she ultimately wielded throughout her husband’s presidency, will premiere Sunday, November 15 at 8 p.m.

·         BELUSHI, director R.J. Cutler’s feature documentary examining the too-short life of the once-in-a-generation talent John Belushi, who captured the hearts and funny bones of devoted audiences, will premiere Sunday, November 22 at 9 p.m.

- UPCOMING HULU ORIGINAL DRAMAS

On the heels of successful dramas Little Fires Everywhere and Normal People, Hulu continues to deliver awe inspiring dramatic stories with the addition of Dopesick and The Mysterious Benedict Society. The two join previously announced new seriesincluding Nine Perfect Strangers and The Dropout:

• Emmy-Award® winning writer Danny Strong and Golden Globe®-winning Actor Michael Keaton, join Hulu’s newest limited series Dopesick, a compelling look at the epicenter of America’s struggle with Opioid addiction. Strong shared, “I truly believe this is one of the most important stories of our time, and I want to shine a light on the heroes who fought back.”

• The Mysterious Benedict Society, featuring Emmy Award® winner Tony Hale and based on the bestselling novel, is a tale of four gifted orphans who are recruited by a benefactor to go on a secret mission at a boarding school.  “I am so excited about this because when the story begins, the world is just being bombarded with messages of fear and negativity...and I feel like today we are being flooded with [these] messages… and its stories like these that hopefully emulate a different way of being,” described Hale. 

• Coming to Hulu in 2021, starring Academy Award® winner Nicole Kidman and based on the book by New York Times best-selling author Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers takes place at a boutique health-and-wellness facility that promises healing and transformation, as nine stressed city-dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Kidman explained“Sometimes thrilling, sometimes mysterious and sometimes funny, the series dares us to dream, transform, transcend… all you have to do is check in. Give us 10 days of your life.”  

• Kate McKinnon stars and executive produces The Dropout, a limited series inspired by the ABC News podcast on the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. McKinnon states “It’s a story about ambition, about the pain behind that ambition, and about the pain that the ambition wrought... That’s good. I’d watch that.”

UPCOMING HULU ORIGINAL COMEDIES

With recent hits like Solar Opposites, Ramy, Pen15 and Shrill, engagement of Hulu Original comedies have seen an 80% increase year-over-year. Joining the category, featuring world-class comedy talent, includes:

• Only Murders In The Building, starring comedic legends Steve Martin and Martin Short and from executive producer Dan Fogelman, the series follows three New Yorkers who find they have a mutual interest in solving true crime - but limit their amateur sleuthing to only murders in their building. Martin and Short are excited to embark on the show together, stating “I’m so proud to say that this show is already one of the highlights of my career” said Short, quickly followed by Martin “I’m proud to say it’s a blip on the radar of mine.” “It is…” Short agreed. 

• Love, Beth, starring and executive produced by Amy Schumer, is an upcoming 10-episode comedy series that Schumer describes as “...hilarious, it’s raw and it's very me. About three years ago, I found my journals from growing up, from age 13 - 21… And it made me remember the time when I had all this confidence and life was fun and full of possibility. So, I really wanted to make a show about a woman who blows her whole life up and returns to the things that really make her happy.”

• Semi-animated live-action series Woke, featuring Lamorne Morris, is a series that Morris shares as, “Simply put—this series is smart, funny and right on time. And the cast is unbelievable.” Inspired by the life and art of cartoonist Keith Knight, the show follows Keef (Morris), a Black cartoonist living in San Francisco, who is finally on the cusp of mainstream success when an unexpected incident changes everything. 

• As the home to the largest streaming TV library of Adult Animation, Hulu continues to infuse fresh new content into the genre and recently announced season renewals of Crossing Swords and Solar Opposites. These renewals expand Hulu’s massive collection of adult animated series with award-winning hits like Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, Rick and Morty, Futurama and King of the Hill.

UPCOMING FX ON HULU ORIGINALS

Launched in early March, FX on Hulu is the dedicated content hub that brings together more than 40 of FX Networks’ acclaimed and award-winning current and legacy series, features over 1,600 episodes and includes Hulu exclusive FX originals. Since launch, over 50% of Hulu subscribers have engaged with FX on Hulu and the content hub has expanded FX’s reach by 130%.  Upcoming originals include:

• The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges and based on the bestselling novel, is a drama series centered on “Dan Chase” (Bridges) who absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid since.  When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past.
• A Teacher, an upcoming miniseries starring Kate Mara and Nick Robinson, examines the complexities and consequences of an illegal relationship between Claire Wilson (Kate Mara), a young teacher at a suburban Texas high school, and her student, Eric Walker (Nick Robinson).
• Y: The Last Man, based on the DC Comics series of the same name by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, traverses a post-apocalyptic world in which a cataclysmic event decimates all but one cisgender male, Yorick Brown, and his pet monkey. The series follows the survivors in this new world as they struggle with their efforts to restore what was lost and the opportunity to build something better. Diane Lane leads a star-studded cast featuring Ben Schnetzer, Imogen Poots, Lashana Lynch, Juliana Canfield, Elliot Fletcher with Marin Ireland and Amber Tamblyn.
• American Horror Stories is the highly anticipated new weekly anthology series from Ryan Murphy and will feature a different horror story each episode.

HULUWEEN

Returning for a trilogy, Huluween streams this Fall with even more chilling Hulu Originals. After viewers watched 6.2 billion minutes of Halloween content in 2019, October continues to be a high-engagement driver for Hulu. Brands are also reaping the benefits, as marketers that partner with Hulu during Huluween have seen a +55% increase in ad recall and an 80% increase in brand association. Brand-new Hulu Originals featured in Huluween this year include: 

• Based on Clive Barker’s acclaimed and influential horror anthology, Books of Blood takes audiences on a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three uncanny tales tangled in space and time.  Starring Anna Friel, Rafi Gavron, Britt Robertson and Yul Vazquez. 
• In this horror satire set in 1989, Bad Hair follows an ambitious young woman (Elle Lorraine) who gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career comes at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
• As the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer, Helstrom follows Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon), and their complicated dynamic, as they track down the worst of humanity — each with their own attitude and skills.
• Encounters with mermaids, fallen angels, and other strange beasts drive broken people to desperate acts in Monsterland, an anthology series based on the collection of stories from Nathan Ballingrud, featuring Kaitlyn Dever, Mike Colter, and Taylor Schilling.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 21, 2020

Billions: That was an interesting dinner party. Though it was weird that Wags brought the coach from Dare Me who really did not add much to the episode. Whatever happened to his children storyline? Wait, was she his daughter? Do I miss that? I did not miss Chuck quoting Billie Eilish but I wish I did.

Snowpiercer: So the show went from a cop shot to a courtroom drama? Meh, hopefully that is now over and something interesting can start happening.
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Wait, so the Nazi is not one of the evil Nazi’s? But I guess if you are going to give your Mexican housekeeper a raise, or even hire one in the first place, you must not be extremely evil. Make me wonder why Margeary Tyrell picked him.

Barskins: So we do not get to see how bad the chick’s scar is? I thought that was going to be a Chekov’s scar situation. Oh well. Shame they left it on a cliffhanger because I am not sure if we will get to see how that plays out. I also want confirmation if the crazy French dude is really alive. Did his baby mama knowing give him something that would paralyze him or was that just some poetic license with him coming back to life.
You can download Barkskins on iTunes.

Stargirl: It is always good for superpowers to have superpowers to have limitations because being too powerful would be boring, but having super strength for just an hour a days has to be up their as one of the lames superpowers.

The Challenge: Total Madness: Really silly how they completely edited Dee out this week. She wins, is in the Tribunal, but we only manage to hear her say two words, and one was who she was voting for. I wonder if they will bother to say where she places in the finale (assuming she makes it). Speaking about who makes it, could this be the last male vote? There are only two guys left without a Red Skull and if they go another round, and Josh goes against Kyle, it would mean every guy would have a Red Skull. With three Skull-less girls left, if they get two more rounds, they could easily have everyone have a Red Skull going into the finale (unless they keep throwing Dee in out of spite). Hopefully this is it.
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Poor Enoch, the team finally catches up with him, but then leaves him behind again. Though I would be fine with him being left behind after every jump as a running joke. To make things worse, it seems like he has been replaced by Souza who gets to die a hero without actually dying.
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

The Bold Type: So the conservative chick got Kat fired… again. But then got her reinstated. I said in the finale those two were going to hook up at some point and I am more convinced after that.

In the Dark: Blind Chick is being really dumb again. Isn’t having one of them go with the drug addict worth have the cop follow them? At least hide in the back seat. But that was a tense final moment. Obviously we knew the Blind Chick would not die because we saw her clean up the body (the addict dying by overdose was a silly twist). At least it was until you start to wonder why the lesbian was there in the first place. I sure there will be some find my phone app reason, but why make this big show of it only to stalk your roommate?
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: June 20, 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 The Chi, Desus and Mero, Prince, Killing Eve, Greenleaf: Goin’ Up Yonder, Unsetteled, The Comey Rule, Indie Music Battle, Solar Opposites, Crossing Swords, and Dopesick.

- SHOWTIME announced a virtual concert dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the Equal Justice Initiative, along with a $500,000 donation by the network and ViacomCBS on behalf of its drama series THE CHI. The one-hour special will feature an appearance by Lena Waithe (creator and executive producer of THE CHI) and a headlining performance by Oscar^® and Grammy^® Award winner Common (executive producer of THE CHI), along with notable Chicago-based artists and series cast members. The event will transform each artist’s “from home” performance into a unique concert experience. THE CHI WITH LOVE will air on the series’ YouTube page on Sunday, June 21 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, ahead of the drama’s on-air season premiere that evening at 9 p.m. ET.  “In this moment and always, SHOWTIME has a responsibility to support the change our country so sorely needs,” said Michael Engelman, Chief Marketing Officer, Showtime Networks, Inc. “We’re proud to stand with Lena and Common as storytellers and as activists as we present an evening of music, joy and reflection. Inspired by all the artists involved, it’s our hope that THE CHI WITH LOVE will be just one of many catalysts designed to inspire togetherness and action.”  “In this moment and always, SHOWTIME has a responsibility to support the change our country so sorely needs,” said Michael Engelman, Chief Marketing Officer, Showtime Networks, Inc. “We’re proud to stand with Lena and Common as storytellers and as activists as we present an evening of music, joy and reflection. Inspired by all the artists involved, it’s our hope that THE CHI WITH LOVE will be just one of many catalysts designed to inspire togetherness and action.”

- DESUS & MERO returns from hiatus with all-new episodes starting Sunday, July 5 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, joining acclaimed series THE CHI and BLACK MONDAY in the network’s Sunday night block. Previously airing Mondays and Thursdays, the late-night show will now air weekly on Sunday and Thursday nights in the same time slot, and will continue to shoot remotely from the hosts’ own homes. Each episode features Desus Nice (Daniel Baker) and The Kid Mero (Joel Martinez) giving their take on the day’s hot topics and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.

- Hurry Before It’s Too Late! Prince’s legendary 1987 concert film SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES is available to stream for free now on PlutoTV, Tubi, The Roku Channel, and the FilmRise App.  Shot at both Prince’s home base of Paisley Park and live in concert in Rotterdam and Antwerp, the film features the iconic Prince at the height of his powers and features performances from singer Sheena Easton and drummer Sheila E, among others in Prince’s canon. 

- The Emmy-winning spy show Killing Eve has concluded its third season, which, just like both seasons before, featured an abundance of Unloved tracks including new singles "Strange Effect" and "Why Not." The latter first appears against a backdrop of horror in the first episode of Killing Eve’s third season, when a young Dascha (the woman who trained Villanelle) commits her first kill. The brand new video for "Why Not" was directed by Julian House, who has worked with the band since their inception to craft the iconic, visual world of Unloved. Watch it HERE.

- OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will air the new one-hour special ‘Greenleaf: Goin’ Up Yonder,’ Tuesday, June 16 at 9pm ET/PT.  Hosted by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Patti LaBelle, who played Christian motivational speaker Maxine Patterson during Season Three of ‘Greenleaf,’ the special celebrates the first four seasons of the landmark drama series, with a look forward to the show’s fifth and final season which one week later on Tuesday, June 23 at 9pm ET/PT on OWN.  Featuring new interviews with series stars Merle Dandridge, Keith David, Lynn Whitfield, Lamman Rucker and Deborah Joy Winans, clips of unforgettable moments from throughout the series, as well as a sneak peek at what is to come in the new season.  “Greenleaf’s” fifth and final season will premiere on Tuesday, June 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. See teaser trailer for the new season HERE.

- Open Door Productions LLC is proud to present the broadcast premiere of UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America, a documentary revealing the untold stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum-seekers, produced and directed by Tom Shepard and co-produced by Jen 
Gilomen.  UNSETTLED had its World Premiere at the San Francisco International Film Festival, is the winner of the Best Documentary Feature Film at 2019 Outfest, and played at 55 festivals worldwide - winning 14 other top awards.  UNSETTLED will lead Doc World’s new season which broadcasts on public media’s WORLD Channel on June 28 and will be available for streaming on WorldChannel.org through July 12.

- SHOWTIME has announced that the new limited series THE COMEY RULE,  starring Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) as former FBI Director James Comey and Brendan Gleeson (Mr. Mercedes) as President Donald J. Trump, will premiere on back-to-back nights in late November. The two-part, four-hour event series was adapted for the screen and directed by Oscar^® nominated screenwriter Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, Shattered Glass) and executive produced by Shane Salerno, Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin and Ray. The series was produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Home Run Productions, The Story Factory, and Secret Hideout.  Based on Comey’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling book A Higher Loyalty and more than a year of additional interviews with a number of key principals, THE COMEY RULE is an immersive, behind-the-headlines account of the historically turbulent events surrounding the 2016 presidential election and its aftermath, which divided a nation. THE COMEY RULE is not a biopic of one man, but is instead the story of two powerful figures, Comey and Trump, whose strikingly different personalities, ethics and loyalties put them on a collision course.

- REELZ announced a new late-night series Indie Music Battle that puts a twist on music competitions with the music videos from unsigned independent artists across all genres battling it out for the top spot as chosen by live viewer voting via text message. With new videos introduced every week getting to number one is hard but staying there is even harder. Indie Music Battle makes its late-night premiere on Monday, June 29 at 3am ET/ 12am PT with new episodes weeknights at 3am ET/ 12am PT. Indie Music Battle is produced by IndieCast TV.

- Hulu has renewed 20^th Century Fox Television’s adult animated series Solar Opposites for a 3rd season (12 episodes). The series was initially picked up for two-season order.

- Hulu has renewed Stoopid Buddy Stoodios’ adult animated series Crossing Swords for a 2nd season (10 episodes). The first season debuted on Hulu on Friday, June 12 and is distributed by Sony Pictures Television Studios.

- Hulu announced a straight-to-series order for Dopesick from Emmy Award-winning writer Danny Strong (Empire, RECOUNT, GAME CHANGE). The eight-episode limited series will star Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Michael Keaton and will be directed by Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson (Paterno, RAIN MAN). The project, based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name by Beth Macy, comes to Hulu from FOX 21 Television Studios and The Littlefield Company.  “The minute we met with Danny Strong about Beth Macy’s bestselling book, we immediately knew it was the kind of groundbreaking series we just had to bring to Hulu. Danny’s unflinching and deeply compelling take on America’s opioid crisis will bring to life one of the most important stories impacting our culture.  Add to that the cinematic vision of Barry Levinson and the extraordinary talent of Michael Keaton, and we’ve got an undeniable series that perfectly embodies our Hulu Originals brand,” said Craig Erwich, SVP of Originals, Hulu.  “Although we were sharply aware of and empathetic to the horrifying pain caused by the Opioid crisis for millions in this country, we were blown away when Warren Littlefield showed us Beth Macy’s book Dopesick. Consequently, Danny Strong had been crafting his own telling of the opiate epidemic and in typical Danny form, it was mesmerizing. The fact that Warren and Danny are collaborating on this is a studio’s dream. Together with Barry Levinson and Michael Keaton, we have every reason to believe this important story will be one of the tv events of the coming year,” said Bert Salke, President, FOX 21 Television Studios.

Previewing The Chi: Season Three

It is not every day when the lead of a show gets fired. Though we may see it happen more often after three high profile cases in recent memory with Lethal Weapon and Roseanne getting the boot from her own show as co-worker are less likely to put up with a lead that does not respect their co-stars. The third was Jason Mitchell who was posed to be the next big thing but was booted from The Chi after allegations from multiple people on the show. One of his accusers also has left the show.

That is not the only trimming to the cast as Reg was killed off at the end of the last season and Detective Cruz is completely absent, at least in the first couple episodes. Still, the cast is still big enough that those loses are not missed, really, Mitchell’s storylines were always the least interesting. The three young boys were always the most interesting and they continue to be as the third season goes on as they embark on a new chapter in their lives at a new, mostly white, school.

The third season starts with two life events on the opposite end of the spectrum happening on the same day. It is probably not too hard to guess who is involved in one of them. By the second episode, we are introduced to a mystery that at the very least takes up half the season. But as reminiscent of the first season mystery of who killed Coogie, it really does not take up a big chunk of the time and seems a bit gratuitous. But after some cast shake up, it is good to see The Chi remains consistent.

The Chi airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 14, 2020

Billions: I predicted in the premiere that the college professor and the painter would be new love interests, but extremely weird that both showed up to the hospital for Chuck’s father.

Snowpiercer: Well, as, meh as the first four episodes were, at least they solved the crime pretty quickly. I just hope they do not unfreeze the cop every time they need a crime solved. They need the tailey to escape and slowly move up the train like in the movie.
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: I believe that was the first time the two Gods came face to face since the premiere. And I think it was the first time Margary Tyrell showed her true form to any human. Although all of that could have just appeared in her mind.

Barskins: Oh, that is why the new groom was so disappointed. Granted I did not get to see how bad the scar is, but really, when the rest of her looks like that, it would not be a big deal breaker for me.
You can download Barkskins on iTunes.

Stargirl: I found the first couple episodes to be a little to geared to small children but nothing like a little selfie scandal to make the show a little more adult. Probably the best episode of the bunch so far. I am a little more excited for the Justice Society than I was just Stargirl fighting crime.

The Challenge: Total Madness: I am not sure we really needed a disclaimer, but whatever. It seemed to line up just perfectly, having Dee go out after suffocating in Purgatory, except she then pulled out the win. Now I am beginning to think Dee may actually win this season.
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I guess I was wrong that the good robot could just meet back up with the rest of the team when they are back on the time line. Maybe not next time, but I am sure it will happen eventually. But this episode had a nice tie in to Agent Carter, unfortunately they could not get Peggy herself.
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

In the Dark: Wait, why did the blind chick tell the Queenpin about the raid? If the Queenpin is taken down, she is free. Now with all the drugs in the basement, and telling the other Kingpin, you have to worry about the Queenpin retaliating and the Kingpin keeping his word. Oh, and clearly the drug addict brother is obviously going to find the stash and be murdered for it.
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

Blindspot: Of all the people they could have brought back, Jane’s first handler and Kurt’s dad? I thought for sure the Reade would show up since he had already a bunch this season. But I guess future daughter was a nice touch.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: June 13, 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 NASCAR, BENEE, Lenny Kravitz, Flikka, Paul McCartney, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, The Ed Sullivan Show, Ringside, Attica, Ponpu, 2020 Concert for Love and Acceptance, Love, Victor and Taste the Nation.

- Just two days after Bubba Wallace made a statement saying he felt NASCAR should ban fans from flying the Confederate flag at tracks, a ban has been permanently put into effect at all events and properties of the auto-racing giant. On Sunday, Bubba Wallace, the only African American driver racing full-time in any of NASCAR’s top three series wore a shirt that said “I can’t breathe” in honor of George Floyd’s last words as he was killed on May 25th in Minneapolis. After Wallace wore the shirt for pre-race ceremonies and the national anthem, NASCAR held a moment of silence before the green flag as president Steve Phelps spoke to drivers and teams over the radio about racial injustice and the move for social change.

- BENEE ft. Gus Dapperton: Supalonely:


- Lenny Kravitz: Believe (The Tonight Show: At Home Edition):

- Following her Gotts Street Park collaboration "Favourite Kind of Girl", Stockholm-based singer-songwriter Flikka today has shared her new single "Stop Me From" via Blue Flowers (Nilufer Yanya, Puma Blue, Westerman). Listen to it HERE.  Produced by Leon Michels aka El Michels Affair, Flikka explains the inspiration behind the song: “I wrote this song while going through a difficult time,” the artist explains. “I had a lot of anxiety and regret and I couldn't sleep. I remember calling up my father in the middle of the night asking what to do with the state I was in. He told me to pick up my guitar and so I did, and this song happened. This was the first song I wrote for the Flikka project and its really about  looking for love in the wrong places. It's one of my most personal songs, which makes it hard to talk about. Sometimes you trust people who you shouldn't trust. It's kind of funny how some people can treat you like shit and make you feel guilty about it.”

- Paul McCartney proudly announces the thirteenth installment in his GRAMMY Award-winning Archive Collection: On July 31, Paul’s critically acclaimed and universally beloved tenth solo album Flaming Pie will be the latest to receive the Archive Collection treatment, being released on formats including a 5CD/2DVD/4LP Collector’s Edition, a 5CD/2DVD Deluxe Edition, plus 3LP, 2LP and 2CD editions.  All digital pre-orders for the Archive Collection release of Flaming Pie will include YOUNG BOY. Also available as a stand-alone for digital download & streaming, the EP recreates the 1997 “Young Boy” maxi single and features the remastered Flaming Pie single “Young Boy," a home-recorded version of the song, the original B-side “Looking For You,” and excerpts of “Oobu Joobu Part 1,” also from the original single. The two music videos for the track have been restored and will also be published on the same day.  Two additional EPs will be available with “The World Tonight” arriving on June 26 and “Beautiful Night” on July 17.

- Yusuf / Cat Stevens today releases a 2020 reimagination of his ‘70s classic ecological anthem, “Where Do The Children Play?” - A first glimpse into the forthcoming album Tea for the Tillerman² (Out September 18^th on UMe).  50 years later, “Where Do The Children Play?” still depicts a chilling reality of modern man’s disregard for nature and its disastrous implications for our future on this precious planet. Its original release on Tea for the Tillerman - Cat Stevens’ multi-platinum selling album - made a giant imprint on the consciousness of the seventies generation and is set to do so all over again, this time accompanied by an allegorical and visually arresting animated video by director Chris Hopewell, whose previous credits include Radiohead’s “Burn The Witch.” Watch here.

- Nearly 50 years after The Ed Sullivan Show wrapped its final episode and charmed TV viewers for the final time on Sunday night June 6, 1971, it officially joins the streaming universe and lives on forever. UMe today announced an agreement with SOFA Entertainment Inc. for the global digital rights to The Ed Sullivan Show library, which encompasses the influential television program’s historic 23-year primetime run on CBS. This marks the first time that Ed Sullivan Show performance and guest segments will be officially available in their entirety across streaming services worldwide. Launching today on The Ed Sullivan Show’s official YouTube channel, the first segments showcase landmark live musical performances.

- SHOWTIME has released a first look at its upcoming award-winning documentary RINGSIDE, premiering on Friday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Filmed over the course of nine years by award-winning director Andre Hörmann, RINGSIDE chronicles the dramatic upbringing of two boxing prodigies and follows the divergent paths they take as they navigate life’s uncertainties on the South Side of Chicago. The never-before-seen clip illustrates the separate paths of Destyne Butler Jr. and Kenneth Sims Jr. In an emotional letter to his father, Butler reflects from a correctional center in Shawnee, Ill. upon the mistakes he’s made, while Sims travels the country fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a prosperous professional boxer. To watch or share the first look, go to: https://youtu.be/yjC2AoiYPP8. 

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films announced ATTICA, a new feature-length film from acclaimed Emmy-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till). The project details the five-day prison rebellion that transpired in the fall of 1971 in upstate New York and still stands as the largest and deadliest the country has ever witnessed. The film is set to premiere on SHOWTIME in 2021, the 50^th anniversary of the uprising. The announcement was made by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. More than a simple recounting of the five days of rebellion, ATTICA will also offer a broader understanding of the Attica tragedy in the crosscurrents of politics, race, power and punishment during the early 1970s. Through expert voices and archival images of urban and suburban life, the film explores the tensions between a young, radicalized population of mostly Black and Latino inmates, and correctional officers from a predominately white company town, where the Attica prison was the primary employer for generations of families. ATTICA examines inmates’ demands for recognition of their humanity at the culmination of a moment where racial justice activists embraced prisoner rights as an extension of their fight for civil rights. Dr. Heather Ann Thompson, the Pulitzer Prize and Bancroft Prize-winning author of Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy, will serve as the lead historical consultant on the project.

- Developer Purple Tree Studio and publisher Zordix today announced that due to overwhelming fan demand, their upcoming four-player duck-on-duck destruction game Ponpu will feature both local and online multiplayer when it releases for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Steam, and Xbox One this Fall. The all-seeing Duck God has had enough and the world has run out of time. Every 2 billion years the world must be refreshed through divine destruction and he has sent you, a Ponpu, as his herald. But, a nasty bump on the head during a crash landing took your memory and now you find yourself working against the Duck God in a carnage-fueled battle against other Ponpu to save the very world you were sent to destroy. 

- The Academy of Country Music’s charitable arm ACM Lifting Lives®, CMT, GLAAD, and country music star and philanthropist Ty Herndon today announced new appearances and performances for the upcoming 2020 Concert for Love and Acceptance, set to take place as an online event amid the ongoing COVID19 crisis. Musicians Lauren Alaina, Lewis Brice, Terri Clark, Billy Gilman, Dennis Quaid, Kalie Shorr, and Rita Wilson will join the performance lineup, which already includes two-time 2020 Grammy® winner Tanya Tucker, who is set to open the show. In addition, singer Mickey Guyton will make a special appearance, as will actor, producer, and director Matt Bomer, who will introduce Wilson. The event will be live-streamed on YouTube, Facebook, and at www.F4LA.org/concert, with additional appearances and performances to be announced. 

- This coming June 19 -- Juneteenth  -- will mark 155 years since slavery was abolished in America. This date represents an important turning point for our nation and for human rights, and we believe that now, more than ever, it deserves to have its own day in the spotlight.  For this reason, we are shifting the premiere dates for our new original series, Love, Victor and Taste the Nation, to June 17th and 18th, respectively.

Previewing Into the Dark: Good Boy

With nothing being filmed since March, it is a bit surprising that there is still plenty of stuff that is already in the can. I was kind of hoping we would get a Coronapocalypse induced episode of Into the Dark with a creative writer/director filming some Father’s Day lockdown themed episode in their house, but the episode had already finished filming by the time lockdown when into effect. They are already done with the July episode too.

But it turns out this month does not even feature a father; instead this month’s holiday is Pet Appreciation Week. After some research, there is actually over 175 themed pet holidays this year. I guess whenever I go to the vet there is some new pet disease awareness month they are celebrating. Granted, technically we are actually at the end of Pet Appreciation Week as it ends Saturday. So it is time to sit your furry friend down and watch the latest installment of Into the Dark: Good Boy.

Or, well, maybe don’t because you may not want to give them any ideas. Judy Greer, plays a culture editor at a newspaper that is about to go digital who’s biological clock is ticking pretty loud. While looking for a donor, she decides to adopt a dog, and shortly after, people around her start dying. Though we do not get to see the deaths, the bodies are hilariously gruesome.

Okay, it is pretty easy to see where this going, but it is so nice to see Greer being a leading lady after way too many years as the best friend or side kick. She is literally just the ex-wife in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The supporting cast is pretty good, Steve Gutenberg is her boss, Ellen Wong plays a girl Greer used to babysit, while Elise Neal is her fertility doctor. After seeing Good Boy, you may want to skip Take Your Dog to Work Day which is coming up later this month.

Into the Dark: Good Boy premieres today on Hulu.

Into the Dark Season Two Power Ranking:

1. Uncanny Annie (October)
2. A Nasty Piece of Work (December)
3. Pooka Lives! (April)
4. Good Boy (June)
5. Delivered (May)
6. Crawlers (March)
7. Pilgrim (November)
8. My Valentine (February)

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 6, 2020

Billions: I predicted in the premiere that the college professor and the painter would be new love interests, but extremely weird that both showed up to the hospital for Chuck’s father.

Killing Eve: So the first season ended with Eve seemingly killing the crazy French assassin, the second season ended with the crazy French assassin seemingly killing Eve, and the third season ends with… what the fork was that?
You can download Killing Eve on iTunes.

Snowpiercer: So was there ever a Mr. Wilford? The big twist was that Jennifer Connolly was called Mr. Wilford. Here we have her playing a tape of a dude. Is that Wilford? Just a dude she got so she can continue to keep up the rouse? There is a Mr. Wilford in the movie but it seems like they do not take place in the same universe so it seems like a clunky way to make Connolly the head person.
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Well that was a masterclass of detectiving. Nathan Lane just managed to figure out that Tiago’s brother did it and got the other dude to not only admit to killing that cop, but also got him to admit to the murder that set off the series. Not too bad for the only two straight arrows on the force. But this begs the question, will we ever learn who really killed that family. They certainly implied that Miss Adelaide had something to do with it last week and she was going to take care of Tiago in the same fashion.

Barskins: Um, why as the new husband so disappointed when his new bride got naked? I have never seen a guy so sad to see a hot chick take off her clothes. Was she packing a little something extra downstairs? Was there a baby bump? I just feel like I missed something.
You can download Barkskins on iTunes.

Stargirl: They need to get to the pink pen sooner than later because I need to know whvt is up with that. And has Stripsey been feeding that owl? It has been like a decade since his master die and it just sits there in the dark?

Love Life: Man, Anna Kendrick’s boyfriends just get worse (note I have only seen one of the new episodes this week). Seriously, dude’s massive debt gets exposed and his response is to propose? That is some stones to think someone will take over your debt.

The Challenge: Total Madness: You knew the unholy alliance would not continue but boy did it go down in flames. Johnny was definitely one in the wrong. Whoever is in the tribunal should be assumed they would be the one who will pick themselves especially this late in the season. I am actually shocked whenever someone in the tribunal does not go in if they do not have a red skull.
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Really, Daisy is that stupid that the robot dude who went back in time to specifically set a timeline that would help them rule the planet, and she was like, yeah, Deke, kill the person that the robot dudes want dead. At first I felt bad for the good robot dude for being left behind, but I guess he can just hang out for a couple decades and meet back up with everyone later, not like he will age, he once just hung out in that pod with Fitz for a century or two.
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

In the Dark: So the uncle guy is the little brother of the Queen Pin? Um, so that makes the dead kid her nephew too? Why was she not more mad that Harry Crane killed him?
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

Blindspot: A whole episode full of Reade flashbacks? Yeah, continues my belief that he is not really dead. But if Weller was so mad at those two, why did he quickly pick them for the task force a short time later? I guess it mad for a funny site gag, but does not make much sense.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.