Around the Tubes: December 19, 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 Ultimate Playlist of Noise, Shameless, Woman in Blues, Desus and Mero, Bob Marley, Noah Kahan, Kid Cudi, The Virtual Night We Stole Christmas, Nova Miller, Yellowjackets, and The D’Amelio Show.

- While 2020 may have us cooped up at home, Hulu’s THE ULTIMATE PLAYLIST OF NOISE trailer will bring you some much-needed adventure and appreciation for all things in life as Marcus and Wendy set out to record a bucket list of favorite sounds before Marcus faces losing his hearing. The Hulu Original film premieres on January 15 on Hulu.

- As the acclaimed series SHAMELESS kicks off its 11^th and final season, SHOWTIME will give fans the chance to say a long goodbye to the beloved comedy with an all-new SHAMELESS HALL OF SHAME series. Beginning on Sunday, December 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the six-episode series will feature new, original SHAMELESS scenes juxtaposed with a retrospective look at each character’s journey over the prior 10 seasons. The first episode will feature Ian (Cameron Monaghan) and Mickey (Noel Fisher), showcasing their unique relationship and its evolution from a teen fling into a loving, complicated marriage. New episodes of SHAMELESS HALL OF SHAME will be interspersed throughout the 11^th and final season of SHAMELESS, which premiered on Sunday, December 6. 

- Filmed from 2017-2020, WOMEN IN BLUE follows Minneapolis’ first female police chief Janeé Harteau, as she works to reform the Minneapolis Police Department by getting rid of bad cops, retraining the rest, diversifying the ranks and promoting women—who statistically use less force than their male counterparts—into every rank of leadership. The film focuses on four women in Harteau’s department, each trying to redefine what it means to protect and serve. After a high-profile, officer-involved shooting forces Chief Harteau to resign, the new, male chief selects only men as his top brass. The women left behind continue to fight to police differently and to rebuild community trust.  WOMEN IN BLUE offers an unprecedented view into the inner workings of the MPD, chronicling a department—and a community—grappling with racism and a troubled history of police misconduct long before an MPD officer killed George Floyd in May of 2020. The film reveals the limitations of police reform through incremental change and asks questions that apply well beyond the city of Minneapolis. Could increased gender equity and more women —especially Black women — contribute to greater public safety?  WOMEN IN BLUE will broadcast on PBS television series Independent Lens series on Monday, February 8, 2021.

- SHOWTIME has announced that DESUS & MERO, the network’s first-ever late-night talk show, will return for season three on Sunday, January 31 and will continue to air weekly on Sunday and Thursday nights at 11 p.m. ET/PT from New York City. Each episode of DESUS & MERO features co-hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero giving their take on the day’s hot topics and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more, with past guests including President Barack Obama, President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Missy Elliott, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Beastie Boys, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and David Letterman.

- As the year's celebrations commemorating the legendary Bob Marley's 75^th birthday continue, yet more incredible collector edition items and activations have been announced and released for December and January 2021.  On January 29, 2021, the highly acclaimed Songs of Freedom: The Island Years, an extraordinary 6LP set, as well as a 3CD set, will be re-released worldwide. A limited-edition color 6LP set featuring two red, two green, and two gold vinyl LPs will also be available.  Streamlined to the period of Bob Marley's emergence and stardom, with rare tracks on vinyl for the first time outside Jamaica, Songs of Freedom: The Island Years is available to listen to or pre-order HERE  In addition to Songs Of Freedom, twelve limited-edition Bob Marley vinyl LP's pressed exclusively at the legendary Tuff Gong International headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, will be available on January 22, 2021. The Jamaican pressings will include nine original studio albums, two original live albums, plus the world's best-selling reggae album, Legend, all individually numbered along with a highly-desirable Tuff Gong stamp. Catch A Fire, The Wailers' debut album, will be available in its original Jamaica-recorded version, with two extra tracks from the sessions and some tracks with longer fades. Originally recorded in Jamaica, Catch A Fire was eventually released with overdubs and a mix overseen by Island founder Chris Blackwell at the label's London headquarters. Produced entirely by Bob Marley & the Wailers and mixed by longtime Marley associate Errol Brown, this Jamaican version will be on vinyl for the first time. The limited-edition albums were pressed at Tuff Gong's newly refurbished vinyl pressing plant, which re-opened in summer 2020 and will have an annual capacity of 250,000 units. Dave Cooley mastered each album at Elysian Masters in Los Angeles.  To view the full list of the limited-edition Jamaican LPs, click HERE.  Pre-order HERE.

- Noah Kahan releases a live performance video of his latest single, “Pride” feat. mxmtoon—watch it HERE!  “Pride,” which features vocals from songstress and internet sensation mxmtoon and production by chart-topping artist and producer Alexander23, has amassed nearly 3 million Spotify streams to date. Idolator praised the song as a “relatable, deceptively catchy tune,” while Variance Magazine said, “The track displays Kahan’s renowned relatable songwriting craft by taking his personal experiences and lyricizing them.”

- Kid Cudi released his highly anticipated new video for “HEAVEN ON EARTH” (THE RAGER, THE MENACE PT. 2). Directed by Nabil, the video is part 2 of the narrative short film featuring music from his new album MAN ON THE MOON III: THE CHOSEN. The video premiered exclusively on Cudi’s Official YouTube Channel. Watch video here! “She Knows This,” was the first of the two-part narrative short film from his album, also directed by Nabil [Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Dua Lipa].

- CUMULUS MEDIA has partnered with NoCap and #HAPPENS to keep their annual Christmas concert tradition alive by producing a virtual, multi-artist live recorded concert, THE VIRTUAL NIGHT WE STOLE CHRISTMAS, featuring live-streamed performances from Glass Animals, Wallows, Cold War Kids and special surprise guests. THE VIRTUAL NIGHT WE STOLE CHRISTMAS, celebrating its 8th year and usually held live in Chicago, will now be streamed globally via NoCap starting December 23^rd at 6PM PST / 9PM EST through Christmas Day. This year’s event benefits PROJECT SHINE and VolunteerMatch, the world’s largest volunteer engagement network, with a dollar from every ticket sold being donated to volunteermatch.org. Tickets are on sale now at: http://thenightwestole.nocapshows.com/.  Headlining THE VIRTUAL NIGHT WE STOLE CHRISTMAS will be Glass Animals from London, England, playing songs from their new album Dreamland as well as fan favorites. This theatrical live production is a must-see event. Dave Bayley, Glass Animals lead singer, songwriter and producer said: “This is a memoir in the form of a song cycle, inspired by sonic maestros from Brian Wilson to Timbaland, and it holds nothing back.” Their 2014 hit Gooey is a platinum-certified viral streaming hit with hundreds of millions of streams. Their current single Heat Waves is Top 15 on the Alternative Radio charts.  Sharing the bill are Wallows and Cold War Kids.

- It's the season of giving and today, Nova Miller, the Princess of Christmas, is gifting fans with the glimmering music video for her festive bop, "Only When it Snows," directed by Nikko LaMere - watch here. The ebullient music video for "Only When It Snows" pulls viewers into Nova's winter wonderland, complete with sparkling backdrops, snow-covered scenery, extravagant costumes, and spirited choreography that culminates into a festive visual perfectly suited for spreading the holiday cheer. 

- SHOWTIME has given a series order to the survival drama YELLOWJACKETS. Created and executive produced by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson (Narcos), the one-hour drama series stars Melanie Lynskey (Castle Rock), Oscar^®, Emmy^® and Golden Globe^® nominee Juliette Lewis (Camping), Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Christina Ricci (Z: The Beginning of Everything) and Tawny Cypress (Unforgettable). Jonathan Lisco (Animal Kingdom, Halt and Catch Fire) joins Lyle and Nickerson to serve as executive producer and showrunning partner. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), Karyn Kusama (Destroyer, Girlfight) executive produces and directed the pilot. Drew Comins of Creative Engine also serves as executive producer. Production will start early next year in Vancouver, Canada for a 2021 debut on the network. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.  “YELLOWJACKETS is a genre-bending, riveting story told across time periods, exploring the journeys of these women at two of the most formative times in their lives,” said Winograde. “We have an unbelievable cast, led by Juliette, Christina, Melanie and Tawny, in a series that’s going to leave you on the edge of your seat with every episode.”

- THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH returns for its sixth season on Sunday, January 10th at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME just ahead of the crucial Georgia run-off elections that will determine control of the U.S. Senate. The first half of season six will consist of eight episodes. Prominent political strategist and commentator Jennifer Palmieri will join season six as a co-host along with John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark Mckinnon. Palmieri was a guest contributor for season five which had its finale on Sunday, Nov. 8^th.  Jennifer Palmieri was Communications Director for the Clinton 2016 Presidential Campaign and White House Communications Director for President Obama. She is the author of number-one New York Times bestselling book, Dear Madam President as well as her new book She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man’s World.  

- On Saturday, December 26th at 3 PM ET, Live For Live Music, in partnership with HeadCount, presents Georgia Comes Alive, a one-day virtual music festival to promote voter participation in the upcoming Georgia runoff elections by supporting local grassroots organizations like Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda and CivicGeorgia. Starting today, fans are encouraged to visit GeorgiaComesAlive.com and donate to the cause. Those who make a donation of any size in advance will receive an email with a link to the stream on the day of the show.  Today, five new acts were added to the already power-packed line-up. Additions include Nathaniel Rateliff, Phil Lesh & Friends, Grouplove and Houndmouth as well as a performance by R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills featuring Big Something. The virtual event, powered by Nugs.net and Plus1, is the latest from the team behind Democracy Comes Alive, Quarantine Comes Alive and Justice Comes Alive, which collectively raised close to $300,000 for various charitable causes and garnered nearly two million views. Like its predecessors, the event aims to direct this momentum toward the critical Georgia Senate runoff elections in January. 

- Hulu announced today The D’Amelio Show, a new eight-episode docuseries following the reigning family of social media, the D’Amelios. With a combined social media footprint over 250 million followers, The D’Amelio Show will give an authentic look at the reality of this family as Charli, Dixie, dad Marc and mom Heidi as they navigate their sudden rise to fame, all the while still staying true to their family values. The D’Amelio Show is expected to debut on Hulu in 2021.  From relative obscurity and a seemingly normal life, to overnight success and thrust into the Hollywood limelight overnight, the D’Amelios are faced with new challenges and opportunities they could not have imagined. Charli, who at 16 became one of the biggest celebrities with over 150 million followers combined and #1 on the TikTok platform in less than a year, has the world at her fingertips and is working to balance fame and family life with dancing, relationships, making new friends in LA and battling the naysayers online. Her sister Dixie, is now 19 and experiencing her own overnight rise to fame with over 78 million followers combined, one of the fastest growing YouTube channels and ranked within the Top 10 Most Followed Creators on TikTok. Rather than attending college in Alabama, Dixie is now pursuing a music career in LA. For mom Heidi and dad Marc, raising teenagers is hard enough before adding in a cross-country move, supporting their daughters’ dreams and doing the best they can to stay close as a family and protect their girls from the dark side of fame, while also finding their place in the spotlight. 
 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: December 12, 2020

 
 
 
His Dark Materials:  So angels exist, they have been interfering in human existence and the reason is… vengeance?  Although, I whatever is speaking through that computer could be lying about what dust really is.  Another thing I did not quite understand was why Snake Guy was going through the world with the adult attacking specters at night when he could have just waited until it was daytime when there were no specters. And while I am nit-picking, so the witches can avoid machine guns pointed right at them, but the all the other witches could not survive the slow moving fire-bombing?
 
 
Big Sky:  I get a lot of press releases, one group keeps sending me ones that attack this show for featuring two hot blondes when it is a very real problem of indigenous women getting kidnapped and sold into sex trade in western states.  I wonder if the radio at the beginning and the indigenous woman talking about her daughter were added after the attacks to quell these people.  They certainly seemed tacked on.  Though this episode did not stop the negative press releases.
 
 
A Teacher:  So the hot teacher got arrested off screen?  Meh.  Boring.
 
 
The Challenge: Double Agents:  I think TJ needs to look up the phase “double agent” because how they are using it was a stretch.  My first thought at the new twist was, no one is going to switch.  But later I realized, if Natalie does not pouch Fessy she is really stupid.  Although, where would that leave Aneesa?  Does she get to pick between Wes and CT?  And what happens to the odd man out?  Did they become immune for the next challenge because they have no partner?  Do they have to compete by themselves?  Oh, I am thinking too much about the new stupid rule, I should just go watch the GIF of Wes getting hit in the face with a random shoe again.
 
 
The Flight Attendant:  So Miranda has not been trying to kill the flight attendant this whole time?  Instead Miranda is also on the hit list with her and her fork buddy is the actual assassin?  Certainly did not see that coming.  Though seems like there is a better way to get the assassin than what Miranda came up with.  The flight attendant does know where he lives.
 
 
The Mandalorian:  So Bill Burr is not needed in the rescue of Baby Yoda next week?  And they did not even need him to pass the facial recognition at all?  Does that mean Mando was part of the Empire?  Or can anyone that is not on the Empire’s hit list access their computers?  That would seem like a pretty big security flaw.

Around the Tubes: December 12, 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 Undoing, Letterkenny, Desus & Mero, The Curse, Kid Cudi, Anthony Hamilton, Paris Jackson, Shannon LaBrie, Greta Van Fleet, Black Pistol Fire, The L Word, and James Blake .

- Nothing stays hidden! From Emmy®, Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning director Susanne Bier (“The Night Manager”, Bird Box) and the Emmy® -winning creator of “Big Little Lies,” David E. Kelley and starring Emmy®, Academy Award and Golden Globe-winner Nicole Kidman (HBO’s “Big Little Lies”) and Emmy® nominee and Golden Globe and BAFTA Award winner Hugh Grant (“A Very English Scandal”), comes the highly anticipated six-part limited series, THE UNDOING: AN HBO LIMITED SERIES from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-ray and DVD March 23, 2021. Making HBO history as the first Original Series to grow viewership consistently week after week over the course of its season, the thriller will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish with all six gripping episodes from the fantastic limited series, plus three bonus features including one where the longtime friends and co-stars discuss working together for the first time. THE UNDOING: AN HBO LIMITED SERIES is priced to own at $24.98 SRP ($29.98 in Canada) for the DVD and $29.98 SRP ($39.99 in Canada) for the Blu-ray which includes a Digital Copy (US Only). Both sets have an order due date of February 9, 2021. THE UNDOING: AN HBO LIMITED SERIES is also available to own on Digital via purchase from all major digital retailers.

- LETTERKENNY kicks off post-fight with Dierks (Tyler Hynes), and the Hicks, Skids, and Hockey Players attend an American Buck and Doe. Katy () takes her scorched earth dating strategy back to Letterkenny and Gail (Lisa Codrington) gets some action of her own. Meanwhile, The Hockey Players learn about Judaism and the whole town gets really into sleepover activities like movies, board games, and girl talk. Then, a competing restaurant opens in Letterkenny and Tanis (Tiio Horn) starts her own energy drink.  All 7 episodes of Season 9 streaming Saturday, December 26

- SHOWTIME announced today that a special episode of DESUS & MERO in which the pair sit down with former President Barack Obama will air Sunday, December 13 at 11:05 p.m. ET/PT. Starting December 14, the special episode will be available for free on YouTube, Showtime.com and Sho.com, as well as across multiple SHOWTIME partner platforms. DESUS & MERO just wrapped its second season and, as previously announced, will return for season three in 2021. Each episode of DESUS & MERO features the co-hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero giving their take on the day’s hot topics and chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more.  To watch and share a preview clip from the interview, go to: https://youtu.be/RAhQzrsLS-s.

- SHOWTIME announced today it is has ordered the half-hour comedy series THE CURSE, to star Oscar winner Emma Stone (La La Land, The Favourite, Birdman), who will also serve as an executive producer on the project under her Fruit Tree banner. The series will be directed by and co-star Nathan Fielder (Nathan for You, How To with John Wilson), who will also executive produce alongside brothers Josh and Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) and their Elara Pictures banner. A24 will produce the series. Fielder co-created the series with Benny Safdie, who will also star. THE CURSE is a genre-bending scripted comedy that explores how an alleged curse disturbs the relationship of a newly married couple as they try to conceive a child while co-starring on their problematic new HGTV show.

- After ten years, one of the greatest trilogies in hip-hop gets its final chapter today…Kid Cudi unveils his anxiously awaited seventh full-length studio album and the third installment of his legendary Man On The Moon series, Man On The Moon III: The Chosen [Republic Records].  Get Man On The Moon III: The Chosen HERE  Watch “She Knows This” Video HERE

- GRAMMY® Award-winning, multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer and actor, Anthony Hamilton makes an important statement with his new single “Mercy” [feat. Tamika D. Mallory].  Get it HERE via his own label My Music Box in partnership with BMG.  In a fiery, yet uplifting opening speech, activist, visionary, and generational voice Tamika D. Mallory declares, “You don’t want pity, but you damn sure deserve a little mercy!” Anthony responds with soulful verses over soft piano and a steady beat as he pleads, “Have a little mercy,” on the powerful and poetic refrain. Together, they deliver the perfect combination of art and activism on a timely and timeless anthem.

- Paris Jackson made her late-night television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! performing “let down” from her debut album wilted [Republic Records]. Upon its release, wilted received widespread critical acclaim and climbed to #1 on the iTunes US Alternative Albums Chart.  Filmed at the world-famous Viper Room on the Sunset Strip, the performance illuminates the nuances of her presence and understated, yet palpable star-power.  WATCH THE PERFORMANCE HERE

- Following her successful LP Building, which received acclaim from NPR and American Songwriter, Shannon LaBrie gifts the world with a heartwarming tune, “A Joyful Noise.” The harmonious track offers a sense of hope as the unbridled year of 2020 begins to come to a close, “To me, it's the perfect song to close out a rather difficult year,” LaBrie says of the track. “There’s so much to be hopeful for, and this song keeps my eyes open and looking up!"   “A Joyful Noise” is now available and can be heard HERE.  The music video for “A Joyful Noise” premiered with Parade.com, view it HERE.

- Greta Van Fleet, the GRAMMY-winning, GOLD-certified rock'n'roll band, shared their visionary new video for the song “Age of Machine” today. The video can be viewed HERE.  The video creates a new universe filled with symbolism and open to interpretation, with whispers of reflections on modernism. It is a response, a tiny piece of art in a very large conversation - four brothers and friends who spend very little time online, filled with questions - where is technology taking us, what does it all mean, and what are we trading in exchange? The video addresses the crumbling beauty around us, but leaves the final significance to the viewer - whether that narrative be focused on climate, industrialism, intimacy, self confidence, tradition, humanity itself, or otherwise. The only clear concept in the video is that the band chooses life. 

- BLACK PISTOL FIRE return today with a new live video for the single, “Temper, Temper,” watch the ferocious live clip shot in the band’s hometown of Austin, TX on Rolling Stone Australia HERE.  “Performing with only an acoustic guitar, and with a boombox providing minimal instrumentation, McKeown takes the idea of a ‘field recording’ to the next level, as he shares this exceptionally ferocious take on the already-explosive track.”   --Tyler Jenke, Rolling Stone Australia, (12/4/2020)

- Emmy^® winner Rosie O’Donnell (SMILF), Donald Faison (Scrubs) and Emmy, Golden Globe^® and Academy Award^® nominee Griffin Dunne (HOUSE OF LIES, This is Us) have signed on to guest star in multiple episodes of the second season of the SHOWTIME drama series THE L WORD: GENERATION Q. In addition, Jordan Hull has been upped to series regular this season playing Angie, the daughter of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals) and Tina Kennard (season one guest star Laurel Holloman). THE L WORD: GENERATION Q is currently in production in Los Angeles and will return to the network in 2021.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning UK singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer James Blake has released his highly anticipated new EP, Covers EP. A collection of his favorite covers, the EP is available everywhere now and includes his eagerly awaited rendition of Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over” as well as his critically acclaimed version of Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed”.  Listen to Covers EP HERE.  “Doing these covers and live performances has kept me going this year…” said Blake as he announced the EP on social media. “I chose to record a few in the studio and it turned into this EP.”

57 Channels and Only This is On: December 6, 2020

 
The Walking Dead: Worlds Beyond:  Wasn’t this supposed to be a limited series?  Seemed like it left multiple treads open.  I thought maybe it was going to tie into the Rick movies, I kind of thought he would show up at the end to tie things in, but no, just a pretty unsatisfying show.  But the big bad seem to go to the Thanos School of helping because they seem to kill quite a few people in their quest to save humanity.
 
 
Fargo:  Well, why not end the season with another worthless dead.  And they saved the worst for last, the acting among all three were just so bad.  Good riddance to this season.  If they do bring back a fifth season, more small time crime and female cops please.  Those are what were missing this season.
 
 
His Dark Materials:  So is snake dude good or evil?  I remember him going between both worlds last season but only vaguely.  Maybe just an opportunist.  But who is the dude in the clock tower and how does snake dude know him?
 
 
Big Sky:  Well, we have already reached spinning our wheels because this is network television and we have to fill so many episodes to squeeze advertising dollars part of the show.  It was pretty obvious that the smart chick that escaped was going to get captured because the story is over if one of them escapes and reports her captures, the story is over.  But I did find it funny that she spent so much time trying to degrade the concrete and then just falls though the rotten wood.  And then so did creepy dude.  I also have to admit that I laughed when Drew Carey’s brother kept on shooting her with an arrow,
 
 
The Flight Attendant:  Well that brother episode was pretty worthless.  I guess that is the advantage of this sill release multiple episodes a week but not all at once model that HBOO Max seems to adapted.  The second episode was much better.  But poor boyfriend got hit by a car.  I was just thinking earlier in the episode he was not going to make it out of the season alive.  Though we will have to wait a week to see if he actually survived or not.
 
 
The Mandalorian:  You kind of had to expect that ending when they entitled the episode, The Tragedy.  Really, kind of a huge spoiler.  But I wonder just how many people Mando is going to round up in his pursuit of Baby Yoda?  He already has Boba Fett and The Calvary.  He looks to break Bill Burr out of prison next week.  Does he also round up Raylan Givens?  Asoka?  Bo Katan?  Apollo Creed?  Pillboi?  Does the Jedi that Baby Yoda summons show up to lend a hand.  Not many know Jedi are out there, I believe it is just Luke and Erza.  Though Sam Jackson claims Mace Windu survived his fall.  Gotta figure someone has to figure in by the end of the season even if it is a final scene tease.

Around the Tubes: December 5, 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 Showtime, People Puzzler, The Weeknd,  Greta Van Fleet, The Mamas & The Papas, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, David Bowie, bülow, Earcandy, In Concert at the Hollywood Bowl,  Norman Reedus, and Artists For a New Georgia.

- SHOWTIME has released over 60 hours of original content for free online sampling, on streaming platforms and on demand to celebrate the holiday season. Among these free episodes will be the premiere of the final season of SHAMELESS, as well as the premiere of the limited series YOUR HONOR, starring Oscar^® nominee and Emmy, Golden Globe^®, Screen Actors Guild^® and Tony^® Award winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad). While full seasons of hit series such as THE L WORD^®: GENERATION Q, CITY ON A HILL, THE AFFAIR and LOVE FRAUD are already available, the premieres of SHAMELESS and YOUR HONOR will be available starting on Sunday, December 6. Additionally, new subscribers who sign up for SHOWTIME before January 11 will receive the gift of a 30-day free trial and lock in a lifetime price of $8.99 per month. The offer is available at Showtime.com, as well as through select platforms which feature the SHOWTIME standalone app.  The final season of SHAMELESS will officially premiere on Sunday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the premiere of YOUR HONOR at 10 p.m. ET/PT. All free SHOWTIME content is available on YouTube and Sho.com, as well as across multiple SHOWTIME partner platforms, until January 11.

- In PEOPLE PUZZLER, hosted by Leah Remini, three contestants put their pop culture knowledge to the test to complete crosswords in a show based on the iconic puzzles in PEOPLE Magazine. The player who has won the most points after three rounds will move on to the Fast Puzzle Bonus Round where they will have the opportunity to win a cash prize.  PEOPLE PUZZLER will premiere on Monday, January 18th at 6 p.m. ET on Game Show Network and air weekdays.

- To celebrate the 1-year anniversary of its release, The Weeknd and Rosalía have teamed up for a remix of “Blinding Lights” the certified smash released as part of The Weeknd’s fourth studio album After Hours. Rosalía joined The Weeknd for the "Blinding Lights” remix while also recording the upcoming follow-up to her groundbreaking “El Mal Querer" album. The duo also released a behind the scenes lyric video for the track directed by Dylan Coughran (Travis Scott, NAV) you can check out the track HERE and watch the video HERE.

- After three years, one-million concert tickets sold across five continents, four consecutive #1 singles, a GRAMMY Award, and performances on "The Tonight Show" and "Saturday Night Live," GRETA VAN FLEET is hurtling into the future with its second album, The Battle at Garden's Gate due April 16, 2021 (Lava/Republic Records).  The album can be pre-ordered HERE.  A bold evolution from the band's 2018 full-length debut Anthem of the Peaceful Army, The Battle At Garden's Gate came together primarily on the road or while in the studio after the runaway success of 2017's "Highway Tune" led to the band packing up, leaving home, and eagerly soaking up new experiences on an extended road trip around the world. 

- On January 29, Geffen/UMe is set to release The Mamas & The Papas’ If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears on black vinyl. Also, the album will be available on opaque yellow vinyl exclusively at uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl. Considered one of the best pop-rock albums of all time, the 12-song 1966 debut showcases the exquisite pop sensibilities and impeccable harmonies of Cass Elliot, Denny Doherty, John Phillips and Michelle Phillips. Reaching No. 1 on the Billboard album charts within months of release and spending more than 100 weeks on the chart, the Lou Adler-produced gem opens with the No. 1 hit “Monday, Monday” and includes “California Dreamin’,” which hit No. 4 on the Billboard singles chart. Preorder here: https://TheMamasAndThePapas.lnk.to/IfYouCanBelieveVinyl.

- Following the widely acclaimed release of Tea for the Tillerman², Yusuf / Cat Stevens is celebrating the two albums that first established him as his generation’s premier acoustic troubadour and then fired him into international superstardom. Released only seven months apart in 1970, Mona Bone Jakon and Tea for the Tillerman are now both available in a suite of releases, including single CD and LP, a double CD Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition box sets, featuring more than 20 unreleased tracks each alongside a host of other rarities. 
Stream/purchase Tea for the Tillerman: CatStevens.lnk.to/TFTTBoxset
Stream/purchase Mona Bone Jakon: CatStevens.lnk.to/MBJBoxset

- Deram Records originally released David Bowie's self-titled debut album on June 1, 1967, the very same day as The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band. While it was not a hit at the time, over the past 50 years it’s gained a reputation for being a perfect snapshot of the time and has earned plaudits for being one of the first contemporary pop albums to be sung in an English accent. Bowie himself revisited songs from this era in 2000 re-recording the likes of “Silly Boy Blue” for an album called Toy which remains unreleased.  The album will be released for the first time as picture disc on January 29th and will be made available exclusively via https://UMCUK.lnk.to/DavidBowieLP.

-  Today, award winning and multi-platinum selling artist bülow shared new music, a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lost” via Republic Records/Universal Music Canada.  Listen to “Lost” HERE.  On the song choice, bülow commented, “I haven’t done a lot of covers but I brought the idea to IG and someone asked me to cover it. I had the song stuck in my head for months, so it was perfect."

- After igniting TikTok with over 60 million views and 16 million likes, EARCANDY unwraps the expanded edition of their debut album An EARCANDY Christmas Deluxe today—listen HERE!  The multi-talented, 11-person a cappella group added four new holiday gems to a tracklist already decked from top to bottom with holiday favorites, including “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town.” The holidays just got a little sweeter thanks to EARCANDY.

- KCET, Southern California PBS station and home for award-winning, original public media programming, today announced the new weekly PBS television program IN CONCERT AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, a weekly music series produced in partnership between KCET and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. On May 13, the 2020 season of the Hollywood Bowl was officially cancelled for the first time in its 98-year history in an effort to protect artists, audiences and staff from the spread of COVID-19. The series, which aired in Southern California earlier this summer, will allow viewers nationwide to experience iconic moments from the LA Phil archives at the Hollywood Bowl. Six episodes featuring the “best of” live performances from the past 10 years at the Bowl’s Summer Concert Series will be hosted by LA Phil’s Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel. IN CONCERT AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL premieres on Friday, January 15, at 9:00 p.m. on PBS and on the free PBS app.

- In this brand-new electrifying book of photography by Norman Reedus, he captures moments behind the scenes of TWD as only Norman could deliver. With his unique sense of humor, traveling into the Georgian woods with Norman’s cast of characters and zombies, alongside portraits of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Hideo Kojima, Lena Dunham, Diane Kruger, Dave Chapelle and many more to reveal the individuals that inhabit his life.  Norman has an indelible way of capturing the beauty and mystery in others. His photographs are beautiful and terrifying, macabre and provoking, alternately dark, and sublime.  The hardcover first edition (144 pages, 9.5" x 12") is now available exclusively on Reedus’ website Big Bald Galley for $75. Additionally, the Special Collector's Edition: Clothbound Clamshell Box which includes the hardcover book plus a signed archival photograph is also available now. Proceeds from sales are being donated to the COVID-19 Response Fund.

- Internationally renowned artists such as Alex Katz, Cindy Sherman, Marilyn Minter, Laurie Simmons, Mika Rottenberg, José Parlá, KAWS, Deb Kass, Shirin Neshat, Tony Fitzpatrick, Glenn Kaino, Renee Stout and Elizabeth Peyton are joining forces with Georgia-based artists including Cosmo Whyte, Jiha Moon, Rocio Rodriguez, Krista Clark, Holly Coulis, Sheila Pree Bright, Davion Alston and Zipporah Thompson, among others, by contributing artworks to “Artists For a New Georgia,” an online art sale benefiting the New Georgia Project Action Fund (NGPAF).  Set to be live on Artsy from Tuesday, December 8 through Tuesday, December 15, “Artists For a New Georgia” aims to get out the vote for Georgia’s two senate runoff races on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. 

Previewing Shameless: The Final Season

Back when Showtime announced that the eleventh season of Shameless would be its last, I joked: well, until it is rebooted in five to ten years.  Since then, Showtime announced that they were bringing back Dexter after canceling it seven years ago, do my joke may actually turn out to be a prophecy.   Of course there were bigger things that have happened since Showtime announced the final season that have altered the show.

Yes, the Coronapocalypse has hit the Southside.  Sure Frank thinks it is a hoax and Debbie wears her mask below her nose, rendering it useless, but I doubt this is how the writers envisioned the final season going, but they are trying to make lemon out of lemonade.  Kev and Vee even found a new revenue stream despite the city shutting down bars across the city for the third time.

Last season was the first without the main star, Emmy Rossum, but the rest of the Gallagher ramped up their antic, Lip knocked up some chick then rented out an apartment for them to live in without his baby mamma’s permission when her family gave them a house in Wisconsin.  Ian is also basking in marital bliss of his own after making an honest man out of a Mickey Milkovich.  Well, as honest as you can make a Milkovich. 

Debbie started dating her own Milkovich, but still had issues with her former girlfriend and her daughter who she also was lady forking which the city of Chicago was not too happy to find out about.  Then there was Carl who did some undercover work in hopes in getting into the police academy.  Though where the evil cop outine was pretty funny last season, it is pretty cringy watching that stuff go down now.

Sure, they may have to wear mask and Kev had to put up some social distancing markers, but like every obstacle that has come before them, it seems like the Gallagher’s are able to adapt to these times, some of which are even survive.   Sure, it is unfortunate that the show has to adapt to the new way of life in its final season, but then again, wait seven years, and we may very well see teenaged Franny and Freddy running wild on the Southside of Chicago.

 

Shameless airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

 

 

Previewing Your Honor

The first episode of Your Honor is so generic, take out the partial nudity and a couple naughty words and you probably could have mistaken it for a basic cable show from about fifteen years ago. The show follows the unfortunately even where a asthmatic runs over someone on a motorcycle while searching for his inhalers during an episode. But this is not just any asthmatic; he is the son of a judge. A very sympathetic judge, played by Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle) who will stop by a house where a crime was committed to see if a testifying beat cop could possibly see what he claims he saw before arresting someone.

Oh, and the kid on the motorcycle is also not just any kid, but the son of the most vicious crime family in the history of New Orleans despite being very religious. I guess some of those Commandments, like Thou Shall Not Kill are just suggestions. You can see exactly where this is going. Well, at least for the first episode. For as clichéd as the first episode was, the second episode is packed full of surprises, none more so than where we first see the girl the judge’s kid was forking in the premiere. Though that may be the most inconsequential part of the plot.

Crime shows like this usually feature smart people keeping one step ahead of the law and/or just barely one step ahead the antagonist, but what sets Your Honor apart and keeps itself somewhat interesting is that people start getting really dumb in the second episode. Seriously, if you are driving a stolen car, how about not run a stop sign, especially if you are black in a place where cops sometime do not even wait for a reason to pull you over.

While sometimes these stupid acts keeps things entertaining and unpredictable (see The Flight Attendant who has been great at this so far), sometimes plot contrivances can be too much like when the dog finds a blood rag, somehow loses it under a cabinet and then spends multiple episodes trying to retrieve while the owner just tells him to shut up. Almost half way through the season and I am still not sure if Your Honor is good enough, but thankfully it is billed as a limited series so I will not have to spend multiple seasons trying to figure it out.

Your Honor airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: November 29, 2020

 
 
Fear the Walking Dead:  I totally forgot Grace was pregnant.  Though I forgot who the father was.  Did Morgan hit that or did it happen before they met?  I am thinking it was the latter.  But what exactly is Strand’s game?  Is he really aligned with the evil chick or does he think it is best to stick around until everyone is out.  Pretty bold to go back after you lost the sister.
 
 
The Walking Dead: Worlds Beyond:  Wait, so the evil chick is the army chick’s mom?  You think her big twist was going to be what happened last week.  But which daughter is going to turn out to be “The Asset”?
 
 
Fargo:  My biggest problem with this season is it just did not feel like Fargo.  The show and movie to me is fumblingly small time criminals being followed by the law, preferably female.  The dude tripping and blowing his own head off was the first thing to happen this season that actually felt like the Fargo I knew.
You can download Fargo on iTunes.
 
 
His Dark Materials:  So Dust is dark matter?  Okay, this got more complicated.  But will Lyra actually go back to that professor who seem a little too chill about learning about a parallel universe?  But did the evil people just kill off most of the witches?  Seems like they could have just flown away once the first bomb hit because, you know, they are witches that can fly away.
 
 
Black Narcissus:  So the title came from a cologne?  Alrighty.  But it turned out the Hulu thumbnail was a huge spoiler with the one nun hanging off the side of a building with the bell rope.  Though even if you did not see the thumbnail, it was pretty obvious that is where things were going once see started seeing the girl who jumped off the side of the mountain.
 
 
Big Sky:  The trucker needs to get out more if he needed to see the chick naked to realize it was really a dude.  Seemed pretty obvious to me.  Though I do not understand how the teen girls would not sell because they are too hot.  That was one thing the trucker got right, seems like someone rich, disgusting person would pay top dollar for one or both.
 
 
A Teacher:  Oh my goodness, the teacher just admitted she was forking her student to a co-worker like a teenager coyly admitting her crush in the ladies room.  So gross.
 
 
The Flight Attendant:  Well that ended up being weirder than I was expecting, and I mean that in a good way.  Though I have no idea how they can keep up the bat-shirt crazy pace for multiple seasons because something has to break at some point, but at least the first season is shaping up to be a wild ride.
 
 
The Mandalorian:  So we finally got what we all have assumed was coming for months now, Rosario Dawson as Asoka.  Does not seem like we will see much of her again (at least on this show, it seems like there have been quite a few potential spin offs they have set up in a season and a half) though I guess there is always a chance they cross path again.  But just who will answer the call when Baby Yoda (nope, not calling him by his real name, I think they made his and Mando’s real names stupid so we would still call them by what we all have so far) goes to the Jedi Temple.  I thought for sure when Mando said he left Baby Yoda back at the ship, the evil dude would have already been there to snatch the kid.  Maybe that is who will show up at the Jedi Temple.  Then maybe one of the few remaining Jedi (*cough*Luke*cough*) shows up and saves them.  But do they de-age Mark Hamill?  Recast someone more age appropriate?  Maybe I am over thinking things.