Around the Tubes: July 3, 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 Avett Brothers, The Great, Outcry, Bob Marley, The Go-Go's, Benee, PJ Harvey, Liela Moss, and Carl Reiner. 

- The Avett Brothers release the official music video for their song “We Americans.” The song was part of their most recent album Closer Than Together released on October 4, 2019.  Check out “We Americans” music video here!  The lyrics of the song touch on many moments in America’s history. See lyrics here.  The paintings that create the imagery for the video were done by Jason Mitcham. The band previously worked with Mitcham for their 2015 video for “Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full of Promise.”    The band announced Closer Than Together back in June 2019 with a mission statement for the album. Read here.

- Hulu has renewed The Great, from Tony McNamara (THE FAVOURITE), for a 10-episode, second season. The first season debuted on Hulu on Friday, May 15.  The Great is a satirical, comedic drama about the rise of Catherine the Great from outsider to the longest-reigning female ruler in Russia's history. With only occasional historical facts, the series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Sebastian de Souza, Bayo Gbadamosi and Belinda Bromilow.  The Great is created, written and executive-produced by Oscar-nominated writer Tony McNamara and executive-produced by Marian Macgowan, Thruline’s Josh Kesselman and Ron West, Echo Lake’s Brittany Kahan Ward, Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spaulding, Elle Fanning,  Mark Winemaker and Matt Shakman.  The first season of The Great was one of the top performing original comedies on Hulu in 2020 and continues to grow Hulu’s highly successful slate of female-driven comedies, including Dollface, Shrill and the upcoming Love, Beth (working title) starring Amy Schumer. 

- SHOWTIME will release the premiere episode of its new docu-series OUTCRY for free online sampling, on streaming platforms and on demand beginning at midnight on Sunday, July 5. The five-part investigative documentary series, directed and produced by Emmy^® Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis, examines the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley’s controversial conviction for child molestation and the quest for truth and justice that followed in the wake of his sentencing. The first installment will be available on YouTube, as well as across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites, applications and authenticated online services and their free On Demand channels.  OUTCRY will officially premiere on SHOWTIME on Sunday, July 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes will debut every Sunday through August 2, while the entire series will release for on-demand streaming or download on the SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME ANYTIME^® apps and partner on-demand platforms July 5.

-  In observance of the late and legendary Bob Marley's 75^th Birthday,  and in honor of the July 1 International Reggae Day celebrations, an official music video for Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry," premiered today. Directed by Kristian Mercado Figueroa and shot in Jamaica and New York City, the powerful visual explores two tales of a family divided by country but connected by their love and want for a better life for their children. We see a strong and loving Mother strive to look after her children in their homeland. At the same time, the Father works tirelessly, isolated in New York City, working as a taxi driver to better provide for his family back home. The video shines a light on the importance of family and connection while confronting the genuine struggles many families face in the modern world, often forced apart due to poverty. The video for "No Woman No Cry" debuted on Bob Marley's Official YouTube Channel. Watch HERE.  For more information on children and women-focused programs and resources, please visit:

In A Perfect World

Studio Samuel

- SHOWTIME has released the trailer for the upcoming feature-length documentary THE GO-GO’S, hailing from director Alison Ellwood (HISTORY OF THE EAGLES, American Jihad). An official 2020 Sundance Film Festival Selection, the film chronicles the first all-female band to play its own instruments, write its own songs and soar to No. 1 on the album charts. Featuring candid testimonies from the group members, Ellwood’s documentary charts the meteoric rise to fame of a band that not only captured but created a zeitgeist. THE GO-GO’S premieres on SHOWTIME on Saturday, August 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

- The Go-Go’s, the iconic all female L.A. punk band, will release their first new recording in nearly 20 years, “CLUB ZERO,” on July 31st on UMe. The band can be seen working on an early version of the song in their new documentary THE GO-GO’S, directed by Alison Ellwood (Laurel Canyon, History of the Eagles) which premieres August 1st at 9 pm ET/PT on SHOWTIME. View the official trailer HERE and music, HERE.  Propelled by the spirited, melodic punch we’ve come to expect from the Southern California band, as well as a catchy, call-to-action chorus, “CLUB ZERO” will certainly join the ranks among an esteemed catalog of Go-Go’s classics.

- BENEE performs her worldwide smash “Supalonely” with Gus Dapperton on The Ellen DeGeneres Show—watch the performance HERE!  “Supalonely” feat. Gus Dapperton has amassed over 980 million streams to date and 4 million in global consumption. The song is now Gold Certified in the U.S. It peaked in the Top 10 on Spotify’s Global Top 50 Chart, as BENEE currently sits as “The 86^th Most Listened To Artist In The World” on the platform. “Supalonely” continues to climb the U.S. Top 40 Radio Chart, currently charting at #13. Within a short time, BENEE has gone from canvasing Soundcloud with covers out of her teenage bedroom to rising on the charts and amassing over 1.3 billion streams across her catalogue.

- The vinyl reissue of PJ Harvey’s entire back catalogue continues this summer with RID OF ME and 4-TRACK DEMOS out August 21 on UMe / Island.  Just a year after the acclaimed release of debut album DRY (1992), Harvey returned with her second studio album RID OF ME in May 1993. Produced by Steve Albini it featured the singles “50ft Queenie” and “Man-Size.” RID OF ME charted at No. 3 in the U.K.  4-TRACK DEMOS – released in October of the same year – is a collection of demos written and recorded at Harvey’s home throughout 1991 and 1992.  Self-produced, it presents the songs in a simple first incarnation on a record of “depth, range and conceptual completeness” (Rolling Stone).  Taken together, these two releases made for an astonishing major label debut on Island Records in 1993, a body of work which has lost none of its urgent potency. This period also firmly established Harvey’s creative relationship with photographer and director Maria Mochnacz who shot the artwork for both records and also directed the videos for “50ft Queenie” and “Man-Size.”  Watch fully restored video for “50ft Queenie” Here.

- Having last month announced news of her new solo album, Who The Power, that will be released on August 7th via Bella Union, and sharing the video to first single "Atoms At Me", today Liela Moss has shared another new track “Watching The Wolf” and its lyric video. Watch and listen HERE.  Of the track Moss says: “An imagined rebellion created by packs of wolves, who mete out justice when they lure a power-hungry narcissistic wannabe politician to his demise. A modern day folk tale whose villain is a fraud. Useless in the face of an emergency (“now comes the hour, when you're not gonna know what to do”) and utterly inane, he has no idea he is despised by so many, including the animal kingdom.”

- The MeTV Network will celebrate legendary writer, director and actor Carl Reiner with a special, month-long presentation of his favorite episodes of 15-time Emmy award-winning sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. The tribute begins this Sunday, July 5 at 10p & 10:30p ET/PT and will air every Sunday night through July 26 on MeTV.  Born in the Bronx borough of New York, Carl Reiner appeared in several Broadway musicals including “Inside U.S.A.” and “Call Me Mister” before he was cast in the variety show “Your Show of Shows” in 1950. Throughout the series’ four-year run, Reiner honed his writing chops alongside fellow comedy writers Mel Brooks and Neil Simon, and went on to write for the variety TV series “Caesar’s Hour” and “The Dinah Shore Chevy Show.”

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 28, 2020

Billions: That was an interesting dinner party. Granted it was weird they brought in the coach from Dare Me just to be Wags’ date for two scenes. Have they just dropped his children storyline already and he is back to dating way too young women? Almost as uncomfortable as Chuck quoting Billie Eilish.

Snowpiercer: So we are finally done with the cop show and the courtroom episode and we finally get an almost entertaining episode. So the shelves are just there for when the train stops working. But that begs the question, when the Earth is habitable again, who opens the drawers?
You can download Snowpiercer on iTunes.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: I believe this is the first time the Vega clan was all together since the first episode. Weird Tiego was not madder that his brother killed a cop, but at least for him, the one person that could recant is now dead. But I cannot imagine Margeary Tyrell is happy about this after spending the whole season tearing the family apart. Maybe having them back together will be what defeats her.

Stargirl: Okay, Sportmaster, Tigress, and their kid were entertaining. I am beginning to think the worst thing about Stargirl is, well, Stargirl. I just cannot help thinking how much better the show would have been if they cast a better actress.

The Challenge: Total Madness:e no one played a drinking game for whenever Dee was on screen because you would not even been buzzed. If this really that necessary? Okay, you are never going to have her back, but do you really need to completely cut her out? If there anyone going to be that triggered by the sight of someone who said something vaguely ignorant?

Then that Purgatory has some weird rules. I do not get why both people would get points. Shouldn’t the first person who got their thing on their shelf win get that point? Nany should have been up three-zero. Then in the fourth round, Melissa rolls out of bounds before getting to her shelf but still get a point but Nany does not? Meh. #JusticeForNany
You can download The Challenge: Total Madness on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Okay, had to google the Malick boys, one of them turned out to be Powers Booth from the movies and the younger one actually got sacrificed by the older one during the Hive storyline. But that apparently happened right after their father died but if the father does not die I guess the younger one does not get sacrificed so they are really forking up the timeline. That has to bite them eventually.
You can download Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Doom Patrol: Watch two of the three released and I do not care how the daughter is messing up the dynamic so far this season. Then in the second episode, they already split up the team with Cyborg going back home and Negative Man going to his son’s funeral. It may be time to break glass and release Mr. Nobody from the painting because he was a much better antagonist. Although, I wonder what Animal-Mineral-Vegetable Man is up to.

Search Party: Before it launched, HBO Max said they were going to release their shows weekly, but then they released their first show Love Life over the course of three week and now we are getting Search Party all at once. So it seems like they are actually going to go with the Hulu release plan of who the fork knows? What was kind of annoying was that there was no previously on for the first episode yet they put a detailed one of both seasons in the second episode that did not even cover the premiere. Why not put that in the first episode page? I spent the first episode completely forgetting that Dory killed her neighbor and stole her tape of them confessing. But I have to say I am enjoying the new season (at least the two I have seen) better than the second season. That lawyer is going to be a hoot.

In the Dark: So it is thirty-five degrees, they are digging a grave for people they just killed, yeah, sure, what a great time to fork up against a tree even though anyone could just walk up on them. And is dude that quick that he can finish in the time someone could walk back from the lookout? And why did no one chase down the old dude? I mean, he is old and shot, no one can catch up to him?
You can download In The Dark on iTunes.

Blindspot: Okay, I recognize the dude at the end but have no clue who exactly why that was. They did that two weeks ago with Rich’s friend.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

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.