Around the Tubes: October 2, 2021

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Chucky, Public Enemy, John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen, Oh Wonder, Chelsea Cutler, Jeremy Zucker, and Rick and Morty.

- In the new television series, an idyllic American town is thrown into chaos after a vintage 'Good Guy' doll turns up at a suburban yard sale. Soon, everyone must grapple with a series of horrifying murders that begin to expose the town's deep hypocrisies and hidden secrets. Meanwhile, friends and foes from Chucky's past creep back into his world and threaten to expose the truth behind his mysterious origins as a seemingly ordinary child who somehow became this notorious monster.  Chucky series premieres on USA & SYFY October 12 at 10 PM.

- Def Jam Recordings/UMe releases the 30^th Anniversary digital Deluxe Edition of Public Enemy’s platinum selling, landmark release, Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black. The Deluxe Edition of Apocalypse 91… features thirteen bonus tracks, eight of which have never been available through digital platforms, and it can be pre-ordered and pre-saved HERE.  “We never begged for acceptance and thought that was the most rebellious sh** ever,” says Chuck D. “So we set out to never repeat ourselves on an album. Once you thought you had us figured out, we flipped on you again. Apocalypse 91 came with a totally different sound than Fear Of A Black Planet which had a totally different style than It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back which was even more different than Yo! Bum Rush The Show. With Apocalypse 91,” Chuck D continues, “we wanted to grate on nerves and still be great in our approach. Never beg for acceptance. This is what it is, down your throat. Boom.”

- John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen come together for the first time with the new single, “Wasted Days.” The duet is unveiled alongside an official music video directed and produced by filmmaker and frequent Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny. Mellencamp and Springsteen filmed the video together in New Jersey this September.  Listen to/share the track HERE and watch/share the video HERE. Additional information is available at the revamped Mellencamp.com.  “Wasted Days” is the first single off of Mellencamp’s forthcoming album slated for release in 2022.  

- Oh Wonder has today released brand new track “Don’t Let The Neighbourhood Hear” – a further preview of surprise new album 22 Break, which is set for release on October 8^th. The project was launched recently by its powerful title track, and swiftly followed by news of a 52-date world tour for 2022 (an intimate London date at The Albany Theatre this week sold out in seconds and will be streamed globally on October 14^th). All this is the unique duo’s first new material since 2020’s No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, and back-to-back top 10 albums from the band who have—on their own distinct terms—become one of UK pop’s more unsuspecting success stories (2.7 billion streams, 1.7 million adjusted album sales, and vocal fans in the likes of Billie Eilish, who covered “All We Do” during her Apple documentary).  LISTEN TO “DON’T LET THE NEIGHBOURHOOD HEAR” HERE.  WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “DON’T LET THE NEIGHBOURHOOD HEAR” HERE

- Following the recent announcement of her upcoming sophomore album, Platinum Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Chelsea Cutler gifts fans with her latest single, “Devil On My Shoulder,” today—listen HERE.  The stunning song paints an intimate portrait of mental health, as Chelsea vulnerably sings about her struggle with depression, which is personified in the track’s title. Her voices echoes with raw emotion as she pleads, “Help me, I’m still waiting for someone to tell me, this won’t last forever but it’s hell for me, just to remind myself I’m supposed to breathe...”

- 17-year-old Southern California singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Claire Rosinkranz releases her Amazon Originals cover of Daniel Caesar’s smash “Best Part” [feat. H.E.R.].  Listen to “Best Part” only on Amazon Music HERE.  In between a sparse horn-laden beat, her voice flutters from intimate verse into a swooning hook. It showcases her dynamic vocals front-and-center as she takes on both sides of this R&B duet, infusing undeniable emotion into the original.

- Platinum-Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Jeremy Zucker drops his anxiously awaited sophomore album, CRUSHER, today—listen HERE.  With a newfound creative freedom, Jeremy opened up his sonic palette on CRUSHER and incorporated different elements and sounds, defining his artistic identity like never before. The 12-track album features his latest single, “Therapist” (co-written and co-produced with Ethan Gruska [Phoebe Bridgers, Fiona Apple]), alongside his summertime anthems, “18” and “HONEST,” and heartfelt ballad, “Cry with you.”

- America’s favorite crazy scientist and his grandson return for their long-awaited and highly anticipated misadventures when the latest season of Adult Swim’s hit series Rick and Morty: The Complete Fifth Season arrives on Blu-ray Steelbook, Blu-ray and DVD on December 7, 2021. From creators Justin Roiland (“Solar Opposites”) and Dan Harmon (“Community”), get ready to binge on one of cables #1 watched comedies featuring all 10 episodes from Season 5, and outrageous bonus content including the never-before-seen featurette - "Fighting Gravity": The Making of Season 5. Exclusive to the set, follow co-creator Dan Harmon and the crew as they reflect on the challenges of completing this season in the middle of a pandemic. Additional special features include “Inside the Episode” segments for every episode, numerous featurettes, and more. Rick and Morty: The Complete Fifth Season is priced to own at $24.98 SRP for the DVD ($29.98 in Canada), $29.98 SRP for the Blu-ray ($39.99 in Canada), $39.99 SRP for the Blu-ray Steelbook ($44.98 in Canada). Rick and Morty: The Complete Fifth Season is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 26, 2021

 

Billions:  I could have sworn they said COVID was not going to effect the show.  But last week, there was an offhand comment of hospitals filling up soon and this week everyone is wearing masks.  Well, all the unimportant people were wearing a mask which seems all too realistic.  But how did it take Bobby until the episode the episode to realize that meeting was all a set up?  As soon as Chuck did not seem all that bothered that his estranged wife could hear and see things, I knew that he wanted her to see it.  This is because the show has pulled this trick so many times so far, it is just so predictable.

 

The Walking Dead:  Oh yeah, they never did find the deaf girl.  Or the deaf girl’s sister?  Friend?  Like I said before, I stopped caring about the new people a long time ago so I forget who exactly who anyone is most times.  And wouldn’t it be better for Eugene and company to be exiled than what other punishments coming inside the walls?

 

American Rust: After the first episode, I was thinking this was all a fake out and Billy did not have anything to do with the murder.   Maybe someone stole his jacket and was framing him.  But you do not burn your clothes and bury them if you are innocence.  So at the very least he witness something.  But why leave your jacket there?  Did he take it off to fight?  And why didn’t the chief come back and get the jacket?  It was not well hidden so someone will find it eventually while looking for clues.  But it was very heartening that a bunch of twenty year olds would get the excited for a Kool and the Gang song.  

 

Y: The Last Man:  Seeing who his sister is traveling with, isn’t the best way to keep Y safe is just claim he is transgendered?  Seems like an easy out right there.

 

Reservation Dogs:  So are the girls going to California?  The group talked about California all season but in the car they talked about going to “The City.”  I wonder if they end up going to Oklahoma City instead.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  Well, there goes my theory that Selena Gomez’s aunt never existed, Selena just made it up to hang out with rich kids.  But Martin Short was right, that was a great line to end an episode.  But Nathan Lane as the killer does not make much sense.  Why finance a podcast looking into the murder you committed?  Though his kid could be involved, he seems like he could be around the Hardy Boys’ ages.  And as much as I enjoy hearing the boomers and millennials trade insults, as someone as in between, I finally feel represented when the detective started talking about Herman’s Head and Dwayne Wayne.  I have to assume she is naming her kid Keith after Mr. Sweat.  But I was a bit offended when she mocked my: the cat did it theory.

 

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Stargirl:  So this is Eclipso’s plan?  Just get every member of the JSA to quit one by one, first it was Wildcat, and it looks D. Mid-Nite is next.  Is he just going to pick them off until… what exactly?  What is his grand plan?  He been trying to get out of that gem and now that he has, he is just going to stay and torture a bunch of teenagers?

 

Supergirl:  Well that was a very special episode of Supergirl.  Remember when comic books served as analogies to what was going on in the world.  Now they are just beating you over the head with it.

 

Nine Perfect Strangers:  How nice that Nicole Kidman can just torture people to figure out how to spend more time with her dead child, Stockholm Syndrome them into not pressing charges and lie to the police, and just drive off into the sunset while tripping balls in a stolen car.  Unless everything after Melissa McCarthy writing in the restaurant was just what is in her next book.  That was kind of confusing as to if that was her book or it really happened… or both?  But honestly, if the show wants to pull a White Lotus and just do a second season of the limited series with Samara Weaving as the new Nicole Kidman, I would definitely watch that.

 

Wu-Tang: An American Saga:  I thought maybe there would be more blowback to those contract.  No one is even going to even skim it?  But it was nice of them to remember that U-God was a member of the group.  But I kind of want more scenes with the ODB and the building manager.

 

Survivor:  Oh joy, the “new” Survivor which just seems like old Survivor but shorter timeframe and even more twists.  The dice game seems silly and could cause problems especially when we get past the merge and there can be advantageddon situation where everyone plays an advantage and someone spins a dice.  But like old Survivor one of the most attractive players goes out pretty quickly.  Meh.

 

The Challenge: Spies, Lies, and Allies: Good riddance Fessy.  Never come back.  But I am not sure why a slap to the face is a bootable offence, but throwing a water bottle with malice only gets you a strong warning.  I think I would much rather be slapped than pelted with a water bottle, especially if it was full (I do not actually remember how full the bottle was, an empty water bottle would be fairly harmless, I guess). 

 

In the Dark:  Really, is the Blind Chick actually going to solve this cold case over beads?  Is this how she clears her name?  Gets hired by the CPD because she solved it?

 

Doom Patrol:  So the Candlemaker was this big bad that was going to destroy the world and Dorothy was able to control him within the first minute of the season?  What a waste of that storyline.  But it looks like she is gone, off to do… whatever the Dead Boy Detective agency does.  The Dead Boy Detective agency that has one girl in it.  A Girl named Crystal Palace.  I wonder who her favorite futbol team is.  Though I am sure we will see them again, they did leave a big plotline about the demon that possessed Crystal still out there.

 

But after they diverted their attention away from Dorothy the show is back to being as good as it was in the first season.  The Brotherhood of Evil just sounds great.  Even though it seems like they were already taken down by the original Doom Patrol.  Maybe they needed Garguax the Decimator (that name should have been a pretty big red flag; but a pretty entertaining dude) to kill Rita in the future to bring them back.  But maybe Rita needs to die to keep it from happening and that is why other Rita kept her from escaping?  The new chick who popped a squat in the middle of the road without even taking off her pants is from the past so maybe she will explain everything next week.

 

Titans:  With just five episodes left in the season, we finally got a Raven sighting.  But did they really have to make us wait nine episode to do what everyone knew was going to happen at the end of season two: that Wonder Girl would be resurrected?  Granted, it did not actually happen the way I was expecting with Raven becoming powerful enough to do it.  Instead, Donna and Tim Drake escape purgatory by some mythical bridge that Hawk somehow could not cross even though Donna was able to lasso Tim Drake.  I thought maybe it was because Hawk did not have a body to go back to, but where Tim ended up back in the ER where his body was, Donna was for some reason not sent back to Themyscira where her body was, but was sent to wherever Batman went off too.  Comic Book logic I guess.  But I thought it was weird that HBO Max premiered Doom Patrol in the middle of the Titans, but what makes it even more bizarre is that both shows had purgatory episodes this week.

Around the Tubes: September 25, 2021

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Marvel's Hit-Monkey, Dexter: New Blood, Jacinta, Attica, Nirvana, Garbage, Oh Wonder, Anthony Hamilton, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, James Bond, Champaign Ill, and Let the Right One In.

- Hulu Original "Marvel's Hit-Monkey" premieres on November 17th, 2021 with all ten episodes. Check out our official date announcement teaser below!  After a Japanese snow monkey’s tribe is slaughtered, he joins forces with the ghost of an American assassin and together, they begin killing their way through the Yakuza underworld.

- SHOWTIME breathes new life into the official DEXTER companion podcast with the premiere of DEXTER: NEW BLOOD WRAP-UP WITH SCOTT REYNOLDS, hosted by Reynolds, executive producer and writer for the much-anticipated special event series DEXTER^®: NEW BLOOD.  In conjunction with the 15^th anniversary of the DEXTER premiere, the podcast – which will be available everywhere – will launch Friday, October 1, and will continue its spree with new episodes every Tuesday for 16 weeks. To listen to the trailer and subscribe to the podcast, please click on LINK.  Ahead of the world television premiere of DEXTER: NEW BLOOD (Sunday, November 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT), Reynolds will give fans their fix by fleshing out the episodes and dissecting the characters and plot twists with razor-sharp precision. The podcast will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access and feature special guest stars from the cast and the brilliant minds who bring the show to life, including Michael C. Hall (“Dexter Morgan”), Jennifer Carpenter (“Deb Morgan”), John Lithgow (“Arthur Mitchell”), showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips, the writers and many more on the hit list.
- Check out the official trailer and key art for Hulu Original documentary "Jacinta". The documentary, from ABC News and Impact Partners, debuts on Hulu and in select theaters on Friday, October 8th, following an impressive festival run at DOC NYC, AFI Fest, IDFA, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, where it won Best Documentary, and MountainFilm, where the film won Best Feature. Trailer Available: HERE.  Filmed for over three years, "Jacinta" begins at the Maine Correctional Center where Jacinta, 26, and her mother Rosemary, 46, are incarcerated together, both recovering from drug addiction. As a child, Jacinta became entangled in her mother's world of drugs and crime and has followed her in and out of the system since she was a teenager. This time, as Jacinta is released from prison, she hopes to maintain her sobriety and reconnect with her own daughter, Caylynn, 10, who lives with her paternal grandparents. Despite her desire to rebuild her life for her daughter, Jacinta continually struggles against the forces that first led to her addiction. With unparalleled access and a gripping vérité approach, director Jessica Earnshaw paints a deeply intimate portrait of mothers and daughters and the effects of trauma over generations.
- SHOWTIME will delve deep inside the bloodiest prison rebellion in U.S. history with ATTICA, the new feature-length documentary from Emmy-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till) and co-director Traci A. Curry, premiering Saturday, November 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The film recounts in vivid detail the five-day 1971 prison rebellion at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York, which took the lives of 29 inmates and 10 hostages – the deadliest single day of violence Americans inflicted on each other since the Civil War.  To watch and share the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/aElB8oEfbiU.
- The September 24, 1991 release of Nirvana's Nevermind touched off a seismic shift in global youth culture. Rising to #1 worldwide over the next few months, its impact would elevate Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl from a promising Pacific Northwest cult band to one of the most successful and influential artists of all time. Nevermind returned rock ’n’ roll integrity and passion to the top of the charts, and continues to be a singular inspiration to fans and musicians alike over the last three decades--as it no doubt will for generations to come.  Beginning November 12, 2021, Geffen/UMe commemorates the 30th anniversary of Nevermind with several multi-format reissues. A total of 94 audio and video tracks--70 previously unreleased--will be made available across configurations ranging from Super Deluxe Editions to standard digital/CD and single disc vinyl with bonus 7-inch. In all formats, Nevermind is newly remastered from the original half-inch stereo analog tapes to high-resolution 192kHz 24-bit.  For pre-orders, full track listings and release dates for all configurations go HERE.
- Garbage have announced details of their upcoming 20^thanniversary reissue of the band’s third studio album, beautifulgarbage. The reissue will be released via UMe on November 5^th, twenty years after the album was first available. The band have also revealed a previously unheard version of the album’s lead single “Androgyny.” The track features lyrical content and a message that was ahead of its time upon its initial release in 2001 and was also reflective of Garbage’s new, pop-leaning sound.  
- Oh Wonder is back this week with new single “22 Break”, the title track from the unique duo’s surprise new album, 22 Break, out on October 8^th. Listen and watch the video for “22 Break” HERE and pre-order 22 Break HERE.  The project was teased earlier this week by the cinematic visual for the short film set to accompany the record, which also previewed opening track “Baby”—watch HERE. All this follows 2020’s No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, and back-to-back top 10 albums from the band who have—on their own distinct terms—become one of UK pop’s more unsuspecting success stories (2.7 billion streams, 1.7 million adjusted album sales, and vocal fans in the likes of Billie Eilish, who covered “All We Do” during her Apple documentary).
- Following last year’s 50^th anniversaries of the era-defining albums, Tea for the Tillerman and Mona Bone Jakon, 2021 will see Yusuf / Cat Stevens celebrate the succeeding album that immortalized his status as a forerunner in the singer-songwriter movement. The 1971 multi-platinum selling landmark record, Teaser and the Firecat, will be celebrated as a 50^th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set, due on November 12^th, 2021 via A&M/UMe.  A previously unheard recording of the Cat Stevens classic and Teaser album highlight "Moonshadow (Olympic Studio Demo, 1970)" is released today. Actually recorded at Olympic before the release of the two 1970 albums, Mona Bone Jakon and Tea For The Tillerman, this version provides a fascinating insight into the origins of one of the most enduring songs of the 1970s. Listen HERE.
- GRAMMY® Award-winning, multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer, and actor, Anthony Hamilton releases his anxiously awaited tenth full-length and first album in five years, Love Is The New Black. It notably will be the flagship release under his own label My Music Box in partnership with BMG. Listen to Love Is The New Black — HERE. Hamilton’s influence courses through popular culture, and his voice continues to resound louder than ever. To pave the way for the album, he also took the stage in Brooklyn at Club Quarantine last week and will host a livestream performance of Love Is The New Black on Facebook Live on Monday, September 27 at 12pm PST // 3pm EST.
- UMe releases an updated version of The Best Of Bond…James Bond, available as a digital download and a 2CD set; on October 8, 3LP black vinyl will be released, plus a limited-edition gold vinyl will be available exclusively via uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl. Each compilation features celebrated theme songs from the longest-running film franchise and includes “No Time To Die” by Billie Eilish from No Time To Die, the 25th film in the series*. Also now included will be Adele’s “Skyfall” from Skyfall, the highest-grossing Bond film to date, and Sam Smith’s Spectre theme, “Writing’s On the Wall,” – Oscar® winners for Best Song in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The Best Of Bond…James Bond is available for purchase and vinyl preorder here.
- "Champaign Ill," starring Adam Pally and Sam Richardson, streaming Tuesday, October 12th only on Hulu.  Every rapper has a crew he can't live without...and vice versa. In this new comedy starring Adam Pally (Happy Endings, The Mindy Project), Sam Richardson (Veep, Detroiters) and guest starring Jay Pharoah (Saturday Night Live, Ride Along), we see how long the crew can survive without being in the limelight.
- SHOWTIME has given a series order to the elevated genre drama LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Led by Oscar nominee Demián Bichir (A Better Life), the series also stars Tony winner Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, Power), Grace Gummer (Mr. Robot), Madison Taylor Baez (Selena: The Series), Kevin Carroll (Snowfall), Ian Foreman (Merry Wish-Mas) and Jacob Buster (Colony). Award-winning playwright, writer and producer Andrew Hinderaker (Away, PENNY DREADFUL), who wrote the pilot, will serve as showrunner and executive produce along with Seith Mann (HOMELAND, #FreeRayShawn, Blindspotting), who directed the pilot and will also direct additional episodes. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is produced by Tomorrow Studios (Cowboy Bebop, Snowpiercer) with Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements also serving as executive producers. The 10-episode series will go into production in New York City in early 2022. 

57 Channels and Only This Is on: September 19, 2021

 

Billions:  Saving Chuck’s dad when Chuck could not?  That may be the most underhanded thing anyone has done on this show.  But Chuck failed to bring down Axe own his own.  Still was not able to do it when he teamed up with Taylor (granted Taylor was trying to take Axe and Chuck down at the same time), can the trio of Chuck, Taylor, and Mike Prince finally be able to do it?  If the history of the show is indication, those three will turn on each other first; one will probably join up with Axe to do it.

 

The Walking Dead:  Big reveal at the beginning of the episode, but honestly I had no clue who that was until seeing the name listed as a guest star and that sort of jogged my memory.  But that is the problem with the show; I do not care about any new character because I just assume they are going to die before I get to know them.  But having Daryl escape from a burning building is a pretty warped initiation.

 

Y: The Last Man:  I came to the revelation watching the first couple episodes that I may be at my dystopian breaking point.  Just how many times do I really need to see the world end?  That first episode was particularly wasteful considering just by knowing the premise of the show we knew half the characters were going to die.  Plus I do not understand how it was so hard to get out of the Pentagon.  They got Y in, is getting out that much harder?  And is the crazy lady in Israel that much of a threat?  To be sworn in as president, don’t you need to be, you know, in America?  I cannot image it is going to be very easy to travel half way around the globe at this time.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  Tye-Dye Guy turned out to be exactly who I thought it was.  But are we buying his story?  Ignoring a fire alarm just to “talk” to Tim Kono still seems suspicious.  But now we know how all that jewelry ties into everything.

 

Stargirl:  The set up to the season seemed like a cool idea, Shiv creating her own Legion of Doom.  Except of of the people she tried to recruit rejected her and Stargirl’s brother just turned out to be bait, leaving her with just Artimis and Violin Boy who has barely gotten any screen time to the point I had no clue who he was when he was at the diner.  What a waste of a good idea which turned into a sad team.  Though I have no idea how Atimis could go punch for punch with Hour Man.  How can a girl who can throw a football last so long in a fight against a dude with superpowers?  One punch and she should be done.  They should have had her fight Wildcat which would have been a better match.  I could actual see Violin Boy neutralize Hour Man.  But now Shiv is dead… or least that is what Stargirl thinks, I am not convinced.  Maybe she is in the same place as the original Dr. Mid-Nite. 

 

Supergirl:  So Lena’s mom was a witch.  Huh?  But I guess that is very convenient for the Superfriends who currently are fighting an imp with magical powers that they do not have an answer for.

 

Nine Perfect Strangers:  Oh my, Regina Hall tried to kill Nicole Kidman.  And maybe not for the first time?  Are we to believe she was the one who shot Nicole Kidman?  Nicole Kidman just took a big dose of drugs with the family prior to that scene so was it a flashback or hallucination.

 

Wu-Tang: An American Saga:  Is it still a bottle episode if the whole episode takes part on a boat?  But why was Ghostface asking tourist how long the ferry was?  Is this his first time going to Manhattan?  At least it seems like the beef was swashed and they can finally get down to making some music.  I kind of forgot why Divine and Power were beefing in the first place,

 

The Challenge: Spies, Lies, and Allies: Uh oh, TJ is making a house call next week.  This week ended with Fessy laying hands on Josh.  Then there was also Esther throwing a drink on Bamber which could be seen as assault.  Granted was either offence as egregious as Josh and his two handed shove of Devin last season?  Granted that slap could be the start of something more.  But if this all leads to Fessy, and possibly Josh, getting the boot, then good riddance.  But if they do get rid of two guys, are they going to do two girl team eliminations to even things out?  Granted, Esther could be following her partner out the door.  Ugg, instead of a special one hour episode, they should have done a special to hour episode instead.

 

Titans:  Why was no one that concerned with the leak above Barbara’s desk?  That should be a big red flag.  But I have to go with Starfire in regards to not taking Jason back.  Where Beast Boy was being forced to do those things, Jason took the drugs; Scarecrow did not force it on him.  Get that boy in Arkham.  And where is Bruce in all this?  He has to come back now after the water supply gets tainted, right?

Around the Tubes: September 18, 2021

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Only Murders in the Building, Dopesick, The Circus, Coldplay, Carol Ades, Olivia Rodrigo, Foxes, Lyn Lapid, U2, and Fruits of Labor.

- “Only Murders in the Building,” the hit Hulu Original comedy series starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez has been picked up for a second season.  “Only Murders in the Building” debuted as the most-watched Hulu Original comedy on premiere day and also the most-watched comedy on premiere day across all SVOD titles ever on the platform. Additionally, the 20^th Television produced series has maintained a 100% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score since launch.  “‘Only Murders in the Building’ reflects the kind of creative excellence that is the hallmark of Hulu Originals. Steve, John and Dan have created a uniquely captivating and entertaining series. The audience’s response to the delightful blend of mystery, humor and emotion in the show has been overwhelming and we can’t wait to follow this unlikely trio on their next adventure,” said Craig Erwich, president, ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals.

- Hulu Original "Dopesick" premieres on Wednesday, October 13th with the first three episodes.  New episodes stream weekly. From Executive Producer Danny Strong and starring and executive produced by Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” examines how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history. The series takes viewers to the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Big Pharma, to a distressed Virginia mining community, to the hallways of the DEA. Defying all the odds, heroes will emerge in an intense and thrilling ride to take down the craven corporate forces behind this national crisis and their allies. The limited series is inspired by the New York Times bestselling book by Beth Macy.

- Recently nominated for two Emmy® awards, THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH resumes its sixth season amid the spiraling pandemic and bitter partisan divide over how to combat it.  Hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, Mark McKinnon and Jennifer Palmieri crisscross the country to examine the fallout from the Biden administration's most aggressive move against Covid to date -- requiring tens of millions of workers to be vaccinated or regularly tested. The program tracks the furious response from Republican state leaders, businesses welcoming the decision, and an American public struggling to endure the pandemic.   For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/f9reHkhgI_U.

- Coldplay’s ‘Amsterdam Sessions’, a rarely seen and intimate 2000 performance in support of the band’s breakout critically acclaimed album Parachutes, is now available to stream for the first time ever exclusively on The Coda Collection. Taped in summer 2000 on the eve of the record’s release, the performance captures a pivotal moment in the band’s early career just prior to their meteoric ascent to global stardom. The session marked one of the first times the band had showcased their music outside of the U.K., delivering renditions of standout hits such as “Trouble,” “Don’t Panic,” and “Shiver” as well as “Yellow,” which was released as a single on the exact same day of the session’s recording.  Until now, the performance has never been seen before outside of the Netherlands. Watch the trailer now here and stream Coldplay’s “Amsterdam Sessions” on The Coda Collection now here.

- Globally successful singer-songwriter Carol Ades has released "Unlearn Me," the newest single from her much anticipated, soon-to-be-announced debut EP. "Unlearn Me" is available to stream now at all DSPs with an official lyric video on Ades' YouTube channel HERE.  "'Unlearn Me' is the result of the end of a really tumultuous breakup where I wasn’t really the good guy," says Ades. "At the very end I wished so badly that I could erase everything that went wrong and start over as a version of myself that would have done so many things different. That's obviously not how it works, but I was still grieving this relationship after so long. It felt like one of the last things I had to say to myself and the other person about it before I really started to move forward. It’s a really cathartic song for me and still breaks my heart a little every time I listen to it."

-  Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB), a leader in immersive entertainment experiences, teamed up with multi-platinum singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo to celebrate a new era for music in Dolby Atmos, which is transforming how music is created and enjoyed. Fans looking to connect with Olivia on a deeper, more emotional level can enjoy SOUR today in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music.  "I create music to tell my story and to share how I'm feeling. Songwriting is a cathartic process that’s often the clearest window into your soul,” said Olivia. “Experiencing music in Dolby Atmos is magical and allows you to hear music in a whole new way.”  The long-form commercial provides an intimate look at Olivia as she moves seamlessly between singer-songwriter, performer, and breakthrough artist on a journey of self-discovery through her craft. With Dolby Atmos, Olivia is able to look at music in a whole new way and convey her artistic expression to connect more deeply with her music.

- Foxes announces the details of her forthcoming third studio album The Kick due for release February 11, 2022, via [PIAS] Recordings. Alongside the announcement, Foxes shares the first single to be taken from the album, "Sister Ray," produced by Ghost Culture (Daniel Avery, Kelly Lee Owens) and the accompanying video directed by Florence Kosky.  New single "Sister Ray" is the first single taken from The Kick. While inspired by the Velvet Underground song of the same name, the single takes an anthemic and electronic approach akin to Robyn. Shimmering synths and an ear-wormy hook making for a quintessential feel-good track.

- After amassing over 4 million song views and 1 million likes on TikTok before officially releasing the song, singer and songwriter Lyn Lapid drops the video for her latest single, “In My Mind”—watch HERE!  On making the video, Lyn says, “I knew from the start that I wanted the video to center around the many things that run through my mind, and so what better way than to focus on the concept of daydreaming? The entire video focuses on me working at a mundane office job, trying not to doze off while I get paperwork done. Then suddenly you see me go on a rampage, chuck office supplies everywhere, and maybe swing a bat once or twice at my stingy mannequin boss. The catch is that whatever you see when I’m not typing my life away at my computer is all a daydream. It was exhilarating being able to destroy the office space in my little rampage moment, I think it was the first time someone ever told me to let loose and make a mess. I loved working with everyone on set, and one of the best parts was all of the snacks there. Eliot Lee is super talented, and he did a fantastic job bringing my initial vision for the video to life.”

- Island Records and UMe announce the 40^th-anniversary vinyl release of “Gloria,” a limited-edition 12” yellow vinyl EP to celebrate RSD Black Friday on Friday, November 26, 2021.  Originally released as a single in October 1981, “Gloria” is the second single to be taken from U2’s second studio album October and has been a staple in U2’s live set to this day. This very special anniversary release includes the studio version of “Gloria” plus three live versions from three different decades.  The 1990s are represented by the Point Depot show on the band’s home turf of northside Dublin.   Although ticketed as  December 31, 1989, the show started at midnight on January 1, 1990, with a live radio simulcast broadcast across Europe.  Side B contains two previously unreleased live recordings of “Gloria” – recorded at the Fleet Center in Boston during the 2005’s Vertigo Tour, and at London’s O2 Arena during the third night of their run of shows in the English capital as part of the iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour in 2015.

- Fruits of Labor, which had its world premiere at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, follows Ashley, a Mexican-American teenager living in a small agricultural town on the central coast of California. A moving coming-of-age story about a determined young woman and an eye-opening look at the seen and unseen forces that trap many families in poverty, Fruits of Labor is a co-presentation of POV and Latino Public Broadcasting’s VOCES.  Produced and directed by Emily Cohen Ibañez, the film premieres on Monday, October 4, 2021 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, pbs.org and the PBS Video app.

Previewing Back to Live: Season Two

Of all the post Fleabag shows where a British female made a half hour show with limited amount of episodes starring themselves, Back to Life clicked with me the least.   The lead character was just too unlikeable and may have been better off in prison where she spent eighteen years, half her life for luring her best friend to her death, even though there was more to that story that was explored in the first season.

 

When season two starts, it has just been six weeks since Mari was released from prison.  Right after being released from prison, she gave herself some hideous bangs.  She upped that bad hair for the season season by pulling out her old crimping iron which disturbingly manages to stay for the entire season.  It has not been three weeks since she has talked to her mother despite still living with her parents.

 

Her father remains the best part of the season as he attempts a social media campaign to help the environment.  But he does have some competition this season in a cop who would like any chance she can find to put Miri back in prison for any reason.  While the show is a bit funnier in places, it does get much darker at times.  The second season does improve on the first, but still not something that fully clicks together.

 

Back to Life airs Mondays at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 12, 2021

  

The Walking Dead:  So what exactly was this plan?  Take a small group and try to steal food around a bunch of savages that are good at stealth attacks?  Why are they doing this?

 

Reservation Dogs:  For the run of this show, I have found the tertiary characters than the main four.  The rapping twins, the doctor, the policeman, the crazy uncle, the succubus, but this episode just lacked any interesting tertiary and just ended up being the least interesting of the season so far.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  Well, Tina Fey just moved to the top of my murder board.  Really, what better way to find compelling true crime subjects for your podcast that committing the crime yourself?  Then it sounds like she is setting up the New Three Amigos as patsies by entitling her podcast “Only Murderers in the Building.”  That has to hurt; someone steals your podcast idea and rips off the name too.  But Tye-Dye Guy has to be the guy who was just released from prison. 

 

But really, all the Sting related jokes were just hilarious.  I loved how Martin Short was being coy about the celebrity in their building, but when Tina Fey could not get the puns, just finally blurted out, “Sting, I’m talking about Sting.”  I laughed so hard at that bit, I had to pause and rewind because I could not stop laughing.  Then I was laughing and deeply offended at the same time when Selena Gomez was trolling the old dudes about not knowing who Sting was.

 

Stargirl:  Well, the good episode streak ends at two.  I really did not care about the weird teacher or Stargirl’s crush who seemingly is a different person now.

 

Nine Perfect Strangers:  The show just completely went off the rails this week with everyone just tripping hard.  But I cannot decide what was the weirder hallucination, the Cabaret on the toilet or the nose falling off.   Just as wild was Nicole Kidman telling Regina Hall that she knows Hall knows she was forking her husband.  But is he the father of Kidman’s daughter?  It is hard to figure out the timeline on this show to decide if that is a possibly or not.

 

Wu-Tang: An American Saga:  Finally some of the Wu members are getting their Wu-monikers.  I spent too much time the first season consulting the internet on what their government names were.  But what was with the weird ODB scene where he turned into Jon Wick all the sudden?  Did he just tell that story and everyone just took it as fact?  I am kind of into them just presenting the stories he told as fact and filming them that way no matter how outrageous they are.

 

The Challenge: Spies, Lies, and Allies: I cannot decide who is more annoying, Hughie or Emy.  It is really disturbing that Josh is somehow not the most annoying, or even the second most annoying person this season.  As much as I am ready for the vet alliance to implode, I would be perfectly okay if those two get sent in next week.

 

In the Dark:  I scoffed when I saw how managed cops they brought to arrest the blind chick, but it turns out they needed more because she still managed to escape custody.  Just how can an incompetent blind chick be able to get out of a police station and avoid a police manhunt in her neighborhood without being caught?

 

Titans:  Ha, evil crime boss just murdered her son.  Maybe that is why Nightwing does not work with crime bosses.  But that was a bit much for Starfire to just burn her from the inside.  But after they shut down Scarecrow’s plan, now what?  I have a feeling Blackfire will break bad again soon.  Or maybe we could finally find out what Raven is up two.  We are now officially more than half way through the season.