Around the Tubes: December 17, 2022

  

 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 Extraordinary, Your Honor, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, How I Met Your Father, Yellowjackets, How I Caught My Killer, UMe's Christmas Music playlist, Joy Oladokun, 7D7D, Sammy Davis Jr., Megadeth, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, and Adult Swim Yule Log.

- That awkward moment when everyone has a superpower except you.  Hulu has released the official trailer for new comedy series "Extraordinary, a hilarious new spin on superpowers from debut writer Emma Moran and the producers of "Killing Eve."  All eight episodes will launch on Wednesday, January 25th.  “Extraordinary” is set in a world where everyone develops a power on their 18th birthday… everyone, that is, except for Jen. She’s turning 25 and is still waiting to get hers. She’s not even fussy about what that could be: super speed? Laser eyes? The ability to plug in a USB the right way every single time? She’ll take it. Like a caterpillar surrounded by butterflies, Jen feels unable to move forward, stuck in a dead-end job in a party shop and occasionally hooking up with Luke, a flaky young man with the irritatingly cool ability to fly. Luckily, Jen has Carrie to stop her from wallowing in her own self-pity. Inseparable since school, their relationship cycles between sister, parent, and wingman. Together they share an East London flat with Carrie’s long-term boyfriend, Kash. Carrie has the power to channel the dead but feels she’s been overshadowed by her own party trick: doesn’t anyone care about what she has to say? Kash takes his power – the ability to turn back time – very seriously, but he’s not above using it to undo minor embarrassments, or moments when he says exactly the wrong thing to long-suffering Carrie. The fourth member of the flat is a stray cat, named Jizzlord by the gang, who’s harbouring a surprising secret: turns out even cats have more power than Jen.  Adrift in a big, confusing world and armed with nothing but a bit of hope and a lot of desperation, Jen begins her journey to find her maybe-superpower. But in doing so, she might discover the joy of being just kind of ok.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for season two of YOUR HONOR, starring and executive produced by Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad). The 10-episode season will debut on demand and on streaming Friday, January 13, 2023 and on-air on Sunday, January 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The first season of YOUR HONOR ranks as the top debut season ever on SHOWTIME. In season two, some will seek salvation in response to the tremendous loss they suffered, while others will seek revenge and they will all be pursued by their enemies at every turn. Ultimately, the question remains: How far are you willing to go to protect what matters most to you?

- The Hulu Original series "Wu-Tang: An American Saga" returns for its third and final season with three episodes on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. New episodes will follow every Wu-Wednesday, with the finale dropping on April 5, 2023.  Off the release of their debut album and their continued rise to fame, we follow the Wu-Tang Clan over the course of their five-year plan as they face and overcome different challenges. While each of the members go on separate journeys to figure out where they fit in the music world, RZA struggles to stay on top of things in order to fulfill the promise he made to his Wu brothers. As money, fame, ego, and business threaten to tear the group apart, they must find a way to come together and cement their legacy.

- The Hulu Original series "How I Met Your Father" returns for its second season with one episode on Tuesday, January 24. New episodes will follow weekly, only on Hulu. In the near future, Sophie (Duff) is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the present where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options.

- SHOWTIME announced today that the Emmy-nominated drama YELLOWJACKETS has been renewed for a third season ahead of the highly anticipated second season, which premieres starting Friday, March 24 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season one, which has a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received seven Emmy nominations, averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in SHOWTIME history. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.  “With YELLOWJACKETS’ runaway success in season one and the pent-up anticipation for season two, we wanted to maximize the momentum by fast tracking season three now,” said Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media Networks.  “The show’s ambition is only exceeded by its execution, and I thank the incredible creative team behind it, including Ashley, Bart, Jonathan, eOne and the SHOWTIME team, for turning this into such a success.”

- The Hulu Original docu-series "How I Caught My Killer" premieres Thursday, January 12 with all nine episodes, only on Hulu. FIRST LOOK CLIP: HERE.  SYNOPSIS: “How I Caught My Killer” is a true-crime docu-series that highlights the real-life stories behind unique homicide cases with in-depth interviews, authentic archival material and cinematic recreations all packaged together into a fresh spin in the genre.

-  From brand new holiday albums from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Lorenna McKennitt, Neil Diamond and the Nelson Family, to reissues of beloved Christmas collections, an expansive and ever-expanding hours-long playlist, dynamic video content, inspired festive remixes and reimaginings, immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of some of the biggest songs in the Christmas canon, a variety of helpful gift guides for the music lover on your list, and much more, UMe once again has an overflowing Santa’s bag of yuletide offerings to help you turn up the joy this holiday season, however you enjoy music.  Available for your streaming pleasure is UMe's Christmas Music playlist, featuring some of the most popular songs and artists across the holiday music canon, pairing timeless classics with contemporary favorites. The hours-long–and ever-expanding– playlist is available now for streaming on Spotify and Apple.  Listen here: https://stream.lnk.to/ChristmasPR

- Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun performed her songs “sunday” and “jordan” at the White House yesterday as part of the Respect for Marriage Act signing ceremony.  Of the performance, Oladokun shares, “I’m extremely grateful for the chance to perform at the White House yesterday. The signing of the Respect for Marriage Act means a lot to me as a queer human. Yes, it means I have the ability to marry someone I love, but I think it also serves as a reminder that the loving and accepting world I longed for as a queer kid is not a myth. It’s a reality that we have to build brick by brick every single day. Grateful for President Biden and Vice President Harris for helping build that world and protect that reality.”

- Misinformed" is the second single from 7D7D (Tim Commerford, Mathias Wakrat and Jonny Polonsky) is now available on Mad Bunny Records across all streaming platforms, listen here. They released their debut "Capitalism" on Black Friday, hear it here. The band plan to continue releasing their music one track at a time.  Tim recently discussed the music and more in a powerful and personal article in SPIN, read here.

- On December 8th, 2022, the Estate of one of the most influential and legendary American entertainers of all-time—Sammy Davis Jr.—orchestrated an homage in honor of his 97th birthday at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, by hosting a very special and intimate private ceremony.  The commemoration began at 1:30pm, and the proceedings included a flower-laying service and open dialogue where attendees shared their memories and stories about Sammy. Additionally, Estate Manager Krystle Hartsfield shared heartfelt comments and memories received via social media from fans all across the world. During the ceremony, the late legend’s son Manny Davis revealed that his father’s gravesite will finally be open to welcome the public in 2023. The gravesite has been closed to the public and for the first time in 32 years will begin to receive visitors.

- hrash Metal titans MEGADETH unleashed Killing Time: Chapter V, the next installment of their epic multi-part short film being released alongside the track “Killing Time” from their new studio album The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! (UMe). The new album also features the GRAMMY® nominated song "We'll Be Back."  Watch Killing Time: Chapter V, HERE.  Stream/Order The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!, HERE.

- Check out the trailer and key art for Hulu's upcoming Original docu-series, "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence." All three episodes premiere on Hulu February 9.  TRAILER: HERE  With unprecedented access, STOLEN YOUTH: INSIDE THE CULT AT SARAH LAWRENCE excerpts striking first-hand interviews with conman Larry Ray’s victims and incorporates personal audio tapes and video recordings to tell the story of his grim 10 year influence over a group of young people. The series follows the story from the cult’s origins in 2010 on the Sarah Lawrence campus until its recent demise, when the last members find their own paths to survival.

- Adult Swim fans received an early holiday gift last night with the reveal of a new feature horror film from Casper Kelly, the acclaimed writer/director behind the viral Adult Swim short “Too Many Cooks. ” Fans who stay tuned for the “Adult Swim Yule Log” after last night’s Season Six finale of “Rick and Morty” witnessed a traditional holiday fireplace video transform into Adult Swim’s first-ever live-action feature. After last night’s surprise airing on Adult Swim, a must-see uncensored version of “Adult Swim Yule Log” is now available to stream on HBO Max and to purchase digitally.  “At this time of year, it’s nice to recognize the people important to you, and for us, that’s Adult Swim fans,” said Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. “We hope they enjoyed this gift that literally no one knew they wanted.”

57 Channels and Only This Is On: December 11, 2022

 

 The White Lotus:  So Greg is the “rich” gay’s cowboy?  I guess that is who he was talking to on the phone earlier this season.  Though should Greg not be back by now?  I was also ready to lock the “rich” gays into my who died pick, then the promo monkeys had and go show the college bros fighting in the ocean.  Would they really make it that obvious though?  I think I still have the “rich” gays one, the college bros two, and the prostitutes three.  

 

Let the Right One In:  Oh my, I was not expecting the henchman to die so soon.  But with him out of the way, what are Mark and Claire going to discuss?  Are they going to get rid of the cop so they can work on their vampire cure without her looking into them?  Did the cop put two and two together and figure out that Mark is the on INTERPOL is looking into as the mass murderer? 

 

His Dark Materials:  The show is so convoluted that such a long layoff really hurts this show.  Forgot the girl is Eve.  Forgot there is some evil dude that looks like Cristen Cole.  And I just do not understand in the first place how or why the knife broke.  Can it be fixed?  Seems like it will be needed.

 

Leverage: Redemption:  So Eliot has a black dad.  Oh course he does.

 

Survivor:  How the fork do you give back your Idol after taking it from someone?  Not quite Ice Cream Scooper level of stupidity, but definitely in the second tier.  So basically all Jesse has to do is win fire making challenge to win this season given he still has another Idol in his pocket.  That is going to be anti-climactic.

 

The Challenge: Ride or Dies:  So the Ride or Dies are no more.  And in a cruel twist, they are stuck on separate teams.  Unfortunately I guess this means we will just be eliminating one person from her on out which will just prolong the season.  The last couple seasons have hovered around 20 which means we are probably just at the half way point.  Even more unfortunate is that now when Nany is medically pulled from the game, that means Johnny will not have to go with her.  Though the promo makes it look like someone is going to get the boot without losing in elimination.

 

Stargirl:  So the mom went to get Artimas and just came back with a crossbow?  She really could it helped.  I guessed they were just saving her for the Icicle kill.  I wonder if old Flash showing means the JSA will pop up on the season finale of The Flash sometime.

 

Doom Patrol:  How do you improve on Butts with Teeth?  Well, just do a Butts with Teeth song and dance number.  I was a bit disappointed that the time machine is still working; hopefully it does not get as confusing as lost season. 

 

 

Around the Tubes: December 9, 2022

 

 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 Yellowjackets, Letterkenny,  Koala Man, Favorite Daughter, Al Jardine, Sabrina Song, POV, and The D’Amelio Show.

- SHOWTIME announced that the Emmy-nominated drama YELLOWJACKETS will return for its highly-anticipated second season starting Friday, March 24 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season one, which has a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received seven Emmy nominations, averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in SHOWTIME history. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.

- LETTERKENNY Season 11 premieres on Hulu, WATCH THE NEW TRAILER HERE!  The residents of Letterkenny belong to one of three groups: the Hicks, the Skids, and the Hockey Players, who are constantly feuding over seemingly trivial matters that often end with someone getting their ass kicked. In Season 11, the small town contends with the best chip flavors, lost dogs, an influencer invasion, Skid business, a mystery at the Church Bake Sale, unwanted guests at beer league, and the Degens stirring up trouble. And that’s just for starters.

- We are excited to announce the Hulu Original animated series "Koala Man" starring Michael Cusack, Hugh Jackman, Sarah Snook, Jemaine Clement, Demi Lardner and more, will premiere Monday, January 9th on Hulu.  "Koala Man" follows middle-aged dad Kevin and his titular not-so-secret identity, whose only superpower is a burning passion for following rules and snuffing out petty crime in the town of Dapto. Though it may seem like any other Australian suburb, forces of evil both cosmic and man-made lie in wait to pounce on unsuspecting Daptonians. On a quest to clean up his hometown, and often roping his frustrated family into his adventures, Koala Man stands at the ready. He’ll do whatever it takes to defeat villainous masterminds, supernatural horrors, or worse: jerks who don’t take their rubbish bins down on the proper days.

- FAVORITE DAUGHTER is an intimate portrait of the director's grandmother Sylvia Weinstock and mother Janet Isa, sheltering in place together in a lower Manhattan apartment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sylvia was living alone for the first time in her life when after her partner of 69 years, my grandpa, Ben, passed away. Then her youngest daughter, Janet, moved in.  This short documentary is both raw and charming, melancholy and funny—a portrait of two women with vastly different experiences coming together and supporting one another through the uncertainty of spending the next chapters of their lives “alone,” without a partner.  Watch the Trailer Now - Just Released

- Al Jardine’s acclaimed debut solo album, A Postcard from California, is now available on CD once again via UMe. The album was recently reissued digitally for streaming and download, just ahead of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and legendary co-founder of The Beach Boys’ 80^th birthday on September 3^rd. Originally released in 2010 on CD and again in 2012 with two bonus tracks, “Waves of Love” and “Sloop John B (A Pirate’s Tale),” the much-sought-after record hadn’t been available digitally for several years before making its streaming debut in September. The album quickly sold out when released on limited edition translucent blue vinyl for Record Store Day in 2018. Purchase or stream A Postcard from California here: AlJardine.lnk.to/APostcardfromCaliforniaPR  “I can’t believe it’s been twelve years since Postcard came out and I thank everyone involved in the production and creation of this album to help me get my songs out there,” says Al Jardine. “Brian’s advice to aspiring young songwriters has always been ‘finish your songs’ so I took it to heart and I hope everyone who has listened to A Postcard from California feels my excitement and enthusiasm for this great land and sea of ours and our need to protect it forever. Thank you for all your support over the years, it is greatly appreciated and I will continue to dedicate Postcard to all the pets we love and who love us back!”

- Brooklyn-based alt-pop singer-songwriter Sabrina Song shares her long-awaited, delicate third EP When It All Comes Crashing Down, produced, written and engineered by Song herself, out everywhere now. Alongside the full release, Song shares the latest melancholic, piano-driven single & accompanying stirring video, "Down" out now. The dark, weighty tune sees Song earnestly wrestling with the fears that come with falling in love.  The four track collection from Sabrina Song is a tender, observational glimpse at the artist's assessment of relationships in her life where she discovers her own strength as she learns to advocate for herself, further solidifying both her sound and sense of self. Song explains, "'When It All Comes Crashing Down' represents a personal and musical evolution for me. The majority of my songwriting prior to this project was extremely inward-facing, working through my internal issues, insecurities, doubts, and streams of consciousness. I began writing this project at the end of college, and finished writing it through the end of last year. It was a period of rapid growth and transformation for me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt real security in who I am as a person and artist. I found the ability to turn outward, and begin evaluating my relationship dynamics, holding people accountable that I’ve let walk over me in the past, and being the best person I can be in the friendships and relationships that I hold dearly in my life. The result is four songs that find me trying to advocate for myself in my romantic and platonic relationships, and find a stronger sense of self and happiness."

-  POV takes a look at the dynamic between parents, educators, and students embroiled in a battle over closing a top-ranked elementary school with a predominantly Black student population in a gentrified Chicago neighborhood in the inspiring documentary Let The Little Light Shine, directed and produced by Kevin Shaw (America To Me, The Street Stops Here), produced by Rachel Dickson (‘63 Boycott, Hard Earned) and executive produced by Academy Award® nominee Steve James (Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, Hoop Dreams).  Let The Little Light Shine makes its national broadcast premiere on POV Monday, December 12, 2022 (check local listings) and will be available to stream with no PBS Passport membership necessary until March 12, 2023 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app.

- Hulu Original docu-series “The D’Amelio Show” has been renewed for a third season with 10 episodes.  The second season premiered on September 28th and all ten episodes are now streaming on Hulu.  Season Two Synopsis: From public relationships, to private struggles, to new pursuits, with millions watching their every move, each decision The D’Amelio family makes comes with unfathomable pressure and scrutiny, in an era when comments and opinions are hard to tune out.  Dixie and Charli struggle to separate their own self-love and identity from their online presence.  Marc and Heidi parent in uncharted territory, as they try to protect their family from new pitfalls at every turn. With their spectacular rise comes one-in-a-lifetime opportunities from business to personal relationships, but can they hold on to what matters most–staying together as a tight-knit family?

57 Channels and Only This Is On: December 4, 2022

 

The White Lotus:  The “rich” gays really shot to the top of my whose gonna die power rankings.  But who pushes them off their boat is the real question now.

 

Let the Right One In:  At first, I thought it was Mark that knocked out the new vampire, but I guess he did not get there in time.  But where was the henchman that whole time?  Was he following Mark?  Now what?  Will Mark tell Clair his sympathetic story and start working together?

 

Survivor:  While possibly not the first time, you can say the time was when the dude voted out fourth won, but awarding the Immunity Necklace to two people really feels like a jump the shark moment.  Seriously, how does this happen?  It feels like every other time they have done this, they contestants would be fully submerged and just became a who can hold their breath the longest.  Did they not have the grates low enough?  Did they think the tide would get higher?  Then actually it was not just two people immune in the group of seven, because the latest dumb twist made Cody immune.  But to make the dumb twist even dumber, only Cody knew if he was immune or not.  With three Idols still in play and the shot in the dark, they could have had everyone immune.  Just poor planning.  Speaking of shot in the dark, I believe that was the seventh attempt at a one in six chance.  So that twist is becoming a bust too.

 

The Challenge: Ride or Dies:  Once again, a team wins mostly because of the peanut gallery.  And the peanut gallery is just making sure the same boring people that are dragging down this show stay in the game while the few interesting people go home early.  Seriously, either stop letting people help during elimination or have it happen in an empty arena.  It is horrible television when you know the people who get the most help are always winning.

 

Stargirl:  Those scenes with Starman last season were really weird and a few times this season I wondered why he was getting irrationally mad many times this season, but I was not ready for him to end up being the Ultra-Humanite.  Though I do have to wonder why he helped the JSA at all and why he was really against former allies Sportsmaster and Tigra.  Then why tell Artimis he was going to kill Icicle if he is working with him.  And just what his, Icicle, and Dragon King’s plan?  And how did the dead Dragon King’s brain get into the gorilla?

 

Big Sky:  So the husband is the Broken Heart Killer.  It seems like he has more in common with his wife’s other kid than the one he had with her.  Though I missed how the step father with the diary pages knows the evil gangster trying to find it.

 

Titans:  Um… what the fork just happened?  Where did everyone go?  Did they transport somehow?  But putting two people back together is bad, how wrong can putting six people back together.  And if Jinx said, “Not again,” does that mean that was not the first time she has been fatally stabbed and will be likely back again?

 

 

Around the Tubes: December 3, 2022

 

 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 Tell Me Lies, Louis Armstrong, The Beach Boys, Quinn XCII, Game of Thrones, Joy Oladokun, and Game Show Network.

- Hulu Originals drama series “Tell Me Lies” has been renewed for a second season.  “Tell Me Lies” follows a tumultuous but intoxicating relationship as it unfolds over the course of 8 years. When Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco meet at college, they are at that formative age when seemingly mundane choices lead the way to irrevocable consequences. Although their relationship begins like any typical campus romance, they quickly fall into an addictive entanglement that will permanently alter not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.  The renewal comes as Hulu Originals prepares to launch several other book-to-television adaptions including “Tiny Beautiful Things,” “Washington Black,” “Saint X,” and “Interior Chinatown.” 

- More than 50 years after his passing, the legendary Louis Armstrong is back on the charts with the release of his first-ever Christmas album, Louis Wishes You A Cool Yule (Verve/UMe). The collection debuted in the Top 10 across multiple Billboard charts (dated Nov. 26), including Top Holiday Albums where it bowed at No. 9 and launches in the top 10 on Jazz Albums (No. 4), Traditional Jazz Albums (No. 4), Top Album Sales (No. 7), Top Current Album Sales (No. 6) and Vinyl Albums (No. 7). It debuted at No. 122 on the Billboard 200, becoming Armstrong’s highest charting album since Hello Dolly spent six weeks at No. 1 in 1964.  “Louis Armstrong’s first album of holiday-associated songs is an auspicious aural example of why he was a man for all seasons, singing and playing his Promethean trumpet in the cause of happiness,” said Wynton Marsalis, president of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation (LAEF). “Whether you’re seven or 70, these evergreen selections featuring the great composer/arranger Benny Carter, and the incomparable vocalists Ella Fitzgerald and Velma Middleton are illuminated by Pops’ down-home vocals. His reading of ‘The Night Before Christmas,’ with my New Orleans homeboy, Sullivan Fortner on piano, is a swinging Crescent City Christmas card. If anybody can bring joy to the world, Louis Armstrong can!”  “A Visit From St. Nicholas” has been vividly brought to life with a beautiful animated video to usher in the holiday season. Produced and directed by Tom Readdy and Lucy Dawkins at the award-winning creative house Yes Please Productions, the video was animated in a vintage storybook style by animators Sam Shaw, Jac Clinch and Chris Bowles. Watch “A Visit From St. Nicholas” here: https://louisarmstrong.lnk.to/VisitFromStNicholasMV

- Selected by Uncut as their “Reissue of the Month” and garnering rave four- and five-star reviews from MOJO, Record Collector, Goldmine, Shindig! and others, The Beach Boys expansive new box set, Sail On Sailor – 1972, available now via Capitol/UMe, is the latest acclaimed chapter in the Beach Boys archival series. The set documents and dives deep into their transformative and fruitful 1972 era, which bore the landmark albums, 1972’s Carl and the Passions – “So Tough” and 1973’s Holland.  In addition to the 6CD Super Deluxe Edition, Sail on Sailor - 1972 is available as a 5LP+7-inch EP vinyl box set, which includes the entire Carnegie Hall concerts, a variety of bonus material (also found on the Super Deluxe), and for the first time ever, a reproduction of Brian Wilson’s EP, Mount Vernon and Fairway (A Fairytale) on 7-inch, the format it was originally released on as a companion to Holland. The vinyl box is available on its own or as a limited edition set with lithographs. A variety of abbreviated versions are also available, including a 2LP+7-inch EP set, available with or without a limited edition reproduction of the original Holland promotional book telling the story of the making of the album; a 2CD deluxe edition; and digitally. For more information about the formats or to purchase visit: https://TheBeachBoys.lnk.to/SailOnSailorPR

- Following the recent announcement of his upcoming new album The People’s Champ out January 27^th, today, Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler team up once again for his new single “Let Me Down”—listen HERE. “Let Me Down” marks the sixth collaboration between the dynamic singer and songwriter duo, as they continue to make the most of their longstanding creative partnership.  Together on “Let Me Down,” Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler paint a picture of relatable relationship regrets against a New York City backdrop. The song’s airy synths underscore their unshakable back-and-forth, with fans anticipating the release for months following the artists teasing the track online. Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler have previously joined forces on the Gold-Certified “Flare Guns” and “Stay Next To Me,” in addition to “Calling All Angels,” “Giving Up Ground,” and Louis The Child’s “Little Things.” Stay tuned for the arrival of the music video to accompany the song soon!

- For one night only, the critically acclaimed Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience featuring two-time Emmy® Award-winning composer Ramin Djawadi will return for a special encore event at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA. Come relive this incredible concert on Saturday, May 13, 2023, the immersive live concert produced by Live Nation will have Djawadi conducting The Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra as they perform the iconic live music from all eight seasons from the blockbuster hit HBO® series including the “Main Title Theme,” “Light of the Seven,” “The Night King” and more. Complete with an array of big-screen visuals and dazzling bursts of pyrotechnics and fireworks, the concert will transport viewers to the world of Westeros once again while bringing to life one of the most memorable scores in television history. 

- Singer, songwriter, and voice for change Joy Oladokun shares a timely new anthem entitled “Power.” Listen to “Power”—HERE. The song notably serves as the end credits theme for the documentary LOUDMOUT about the life and battles of Reverend Al Sharpton. The film opens in theaters nationwide on December 9 and premieres on Amazon and Apple TV January 13, 2023. It was directed by Josh Alexander and executive produced by EGOT® winner John Legend. Watch the LOUDMOUTH trailer —HERE.  “Power” illuminates the power of Oladokun’s songcraft and delivery. Inspired by Reverend Al Sharpton’s historic journey crusading for Civil Rights, Oladokun wrote this potent anthem alone specifically for the film. It stretches from moments of vulnerability into a gospel-style crescendo with a skyscraping chorus meant as a call-to-action, “Power, help me use it. All of the people got it.”

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, is running a holiday block of classic game shows! The block will run Monday Dec. 5 through Friday Dec. 30.  The throwback shows running in the block include time-honored favorites such as: Press Your Luck, Super Password, Card Sharks (hosted by Jim Perry), Family Feud (hosted by Richard Dawson), Password Plus, To Tell The Truth, Match Game, I've Got A Secret, and What's My Line. Episodes airing from 1p - 3p are holiday themed episodes, featuring decorated sets, themed questions, and holiday sign offs. 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: November 27, 2022

 

The White Lotus:  So did Albie get a freebie or will Lucia expect payment for that?  Or does Lucia have something more nefarious going on where she will use that performance to blackmail the father?  And just how far will that condom misunderstanding go?  Will Harper try to get back at Ethan by hooking up with Cameron?  I always felt there was going to be some wife swapping, or at least offers, between those two couples.

 

The Walking Dead:  We have seen Glen fall into a crowd of zombies only to crawl under a trash bin to survive.  I thought that was going to go down as the most eye rolling moment in the show’s history, but they were saving the best (worst?) for last.  C’mon, Rosita, falling into the crowd, gets swarmed, breaks out like a pro wrestler in a dog pile, climbs on the truck, jumps from the truck to grab a pipe with a baby strapped to her, and then was able to climb on the second try was the most absurd thing ever thing ever.  A week later, I do not remember anything else that happened.

 

Let the Right One In:  Well, that was sad; they faked out the mother getting attacked early in the episode only for her to sacrifice herself later.  But why?  That was only a quick fix.  Now the father is alone and had to find the next fix all by himself.  But I guess the stargazer club was not the target of vampires, it was just random that Eleanor was attacked.  But that still begs the quest, why was the son targeted at that stargazer thing last week?  Now I am left wonder how the restaurant owner knows so much about vampire lore.  He knew the kid was going to attack her mother and that she needed to be allowed in the house.

 

Andor:  I am pretty sure the Stormtroopers killed more people in this episode than in the previous eleven movies and three shows previously combined.

 

Survivor:  I was really waiting for Gabler to blow up that plan.  This was the way to do it.  You have the two pairs and the four island of misfit toys.  If not now, when?  Time is dwindling.  Plus those two pairs have three Idols between them.

 

The Challenge: Ride or Dies:  Oh Nelson, maybe it was best you never won a daily challenge because he keeps on making dumb decisions.  And this would have been a great elimination to get Jordan out because Anissa is not climbing up that contraption.

 

Titans:  I just called the Rosita scene the most absurd thing ever, but Beast Boy morphing into a virus to infect a snake inside Super Boy gave it a run for its money.  But why leave Star Labs?  You had Super Boy in kryptonite cuffs.  Seemed like the threat was neutralized.  If Constantine could not get into Star Labs, would Mother Mayhem be able to?  Clearly the backup plan did not work.

 

Pennyworth:  So they are ending another season with London in chaos?  Of course last time that happened, they just yadda yaddaed what happened yet and just jumped five years in the future with the city back to normal, mostly.  But this time the city was bombed and the Prime Minister is presumed dead.

 

Fleishman Is in Trouble:  The music cues messed got me confused.   I thought they were in their late thirties / early forties (which is where the main actors are) but if they were listening to Hip-Hop Hooray, big in 19 Naughty 3, in college, that would make them late forties.  But then Tonight, Tonight, released in 1996, came on next which would put them more in the mid-forties range.  But then I realized, oh yeah, this show is sort of a period story taking place in 2016 making thing even more confusing.  But I guess hats off to any college party in the mid-nineties that transitioned from Naughty by Nature to the Smashing Pumpkins.  But after this episode, I realize I really did need anymore backstory to the relationship.

 

Around the Tubes: November 26, 2022

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, The Black Beauty Effect, Back in the Groove, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

- You’ll be on the edge of your seat with HBO Max’s new generation of liars in the secretive and suspenseful drama series that has captivated audiences everywhere as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin: The Complete First Season on Digital today November 21,2022, and on DVD February 28, 2023. Follow all 10, one-hour episodes from the series, plus almost one hour of bonus content that goes behind the scenes of the series for the ultimate fan! Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin: The Complete First Season is priced to own at $24.98 SRP for the DVD ($29.98 in Canada). The series is now available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers and to stream on HBO Max.  Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the blue-collar town of Millwood apart. Now, in the present day, a group of disparate teen girls — a brand-new set of Little Liars — find themselves tormented by an unknown Assailant and made to pay for the secret sin their parents committed two decades ago...as well as their own. In the dark, coming-of-age horror-tinged drama, we find ourselves miles away from Rosewood, but within the existing Pretty Little Liars universe — in a brand-new town, with a new generation of Little Liars.​

- UMe releases Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin (Music From The Peacock Original Series) digitally. Its 16 tracks serve as the perfect digital audio companion to Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, the new original six-episode Peacock series starring Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland, Flula Borg, Jameela Jamil, and executive-produced by Elizabeth Banks, which premieres on the Peacock streaming service today. The digital-only album is available now in superior Dolby Atmos/Spatial Audio. Click HERE to listen to or order Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin (Music From The Peacock Original Series).  In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the acclaimed musical comedy film series Pitch Perfect, Bumper in Berlin follows the revived career trajectory of Bumper Allen (Adam Devine), who moves to Germany to capitalize on the explosive popularity of his epic TikTok mashup of a pair of indelible hits from the Eighties, “99 Luftballoons x Take On Me.” Listen to Bumper’s unique a cappella take on this pair of classics from Nena and a-ha HERE. 

- Comcast and FaceForward Productions will premiere the new three-part docuseries, The Black Beauty Effect  on Friday, November 25 on the Black Experience on Xfinity channel, a first-of-its-kind destination of Black entertainment featuring the ultimate in Black storytelling. The docuseries spotlights the social change that has taken place in the beauty industry, as told from the perspective of the successful Black women who galvanized it.  Each hour-long episode of the docuseries features candid conversations on the impact influencers have had on the industry’s changing perception of beauty from Black beauty influencers, celebrities, and entrepreneurs including (but not limited to):  Actress, Filmmaker, Series Creator and Executive Producer Andrea Lewis, Executive Producer and Emmy-nominee CJ Faison, Executive Director, Multicultural Entertainment at Xfinity Keesha Boyd, Fashion expert and influencer Kahlana Barfield Brown, Acclaimed Actress Meagan Good, Actress and singer Amber Riley, Former editor-at-large at Essence Magazine Mikki Taylor, Co-Founder, Melanin Haircare; Natural Hair Influencer and Enthusiast Whitney White, Beauty Influencer Ellarie, Beauty Influencer and activist Nyma Tang, Beauty and Fashion Influencer Shalom Blac, and more.

- Check out the trailer for the upcoming Hulu Original unscripted series "Back in the Groove" with Host and Executive Producer Taye Diggs. The special four-night event kicks off Monday, December 5 with two episodes, on Hulu. Two all-new episodes available to stream daily through Thursday, December 8.  TRAILER: HERE

- For a record-breaking fourteen seasons and 435 episodes, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet™ aired on ABC-TV from 1952 through 1966, becoming one of the most cherished cultural touchstones of the twentieth century. The gentle humor of the prolific and popular sitcom was brought to the screen by the real-life Nelson family: Ozzie and wife Harriet with their sons David and Rick, all portraying themselves in a trend-setting blend of fact-meets-fiction comedy decades before Seinfeld and other semi-reality based shows.  The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet™ comedically chronicled the daily lives of the Nelson family as David and Ricky grew up before millions of weekly viewers. For the very first time, in association with the Nelson family, the entire series has been digitally restored with complete episodes from the original film negatives for superior picture quality.  Comes to DVD on December 6th

57 Channels and Only This Is On: November 19, 2022

 

The White Lotus:  How long until that one dude tells his wife about the prostitutes.  He does claim he does not lie to her, unless this is a story about how he gets corrupted by the other guy.  But where do the hookers go from here?  Will they carry on with those two?  Go back to the Italian?  Try to get money from his father?  Or son?

 

The Walking Dead:  So why, covered in zombie guys, did that chick still get bit?  Seemed like it would have been a lot smarter to just go off into the woods instead of trying to get in that trailer that is now surrounded by zombies.  And who is directing the horde?  They were being directed by Stormtroopers but it does not seem like anyone in the Commonwealth wanted this. 

 

Let the Right One In:  Wait, were vampires targeting a stargazer convention?  Why?  Another question I have with the human trials is just how do they expect to control humans with super human strength?

 

La Brea:  So what exactly happened in the warehouse?  They dance around the subject of how and why that dude got shot but never gave us an exact answer.  How exactly did he get shot and how did everyone else get out unharmed if someone with a gun was shooting at them?  Then why was he the only one that stayed in the 80’s.  I think I would rather go back to 10,000 BC with people I know with an outside chance of making it back to present day than stuck alone in 1988 with no one and no internet.

 

Andor:  That was sad, why did they program droids to have feeling?  But anyway.  Seems like another transition episode which is a little weird since there is only one episode left and there have been three, three episode arcs.  To end with one episode kind of by itself, not building like the previous arc, just seems off.  I guess the finale will just be a coda to the season and possibly a transition to season two.

 

Survivor:  The Knowledge Is Power advantage shows that the real power is with those that have the knowledge exists.  Noelle just used her advantage to keep him from using it and secretly used it against him.  Though that plan almost backfired because Sami was dumb enough to tell that guy’s one ally on the tribe.  I am not sure why she turned on him.  Tell him to steal Noelle’s Steal a Vote, then steal Owen’s vote and vote out Sami 3-2 out of spite.

 

The Challenge: Ride or Dies:  Eesh, Michele just cannot get things right.  But hey, at least she got laurel out, but no psychopath Jordan is out for blood.

 

Stargirl:  So what exactly is Icicle’s endgame?  He clearly is lying to everyone that his has changed, but why is he with the Ultra-Humanite?

 

Big Sky:  Oh my, Hootie just straight up murdered a cop.  But what happened to Lyle Lovett?

 

Titans:  Um… where did zombie Deathstroke come from?  Was that a Stay Puff Marshmallow Man situation that he appeared because someone thought about him?

 

Pennyworth:  Oh yeah, Bet’s sister is still around.  I guess I just assumed she had died.  I never though Bet did.  But how did she make it to the PWE place?

 

Fleishman Is in Trouble:  I cannot say this show is good, yet I still kind of find it entertaining.  Though the constant voiceover is a bit much.  And kind of weird that it is by the leads friend that he just reconnected with.