View From the Peak - Everything Coming to Paramount+ in July 2024

 

We hope this edition of View from the Peak finds you poolside with an umbrella drink and an appropriate amount of SPF. When it’s time to come in from the sun, we’ll be serving up brand-new seasons and series for you to stream. Coming in July, we have SpongeBob’s exciting return to Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, the heartwarming music documentary Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken, the thrilling espionage docuseries Mafia Spies, a 24/7 stream of Big Brother and more. For a closer look at everything coming to Paramount+ in July, check out the latest edition of View from the Peak.

PEAK CONTENT

Idris Elba (voice) in Knuckles We’ve always known Sonic the Hedgehog was a star, but his friend and former rival, Knuckles, is finally having his moment. The special event series—which follows the feisty echidna voiced by Idris Elba—broke a new global record as the most-watched Paramount+ Original series, with more than 4 million hours streamed over its premiere weekend and 6 million hours streamed in the first seven days. Now in its first month on the service, Knuckles has garnered over 11 million hours globally, becoming the #1 Paramount+ Original Kids & Family series ever in terms of hours. Building on one of Paramount’s most successful franchises, the original series generated a halo effect across other Sonic titles on Paramount+, with a 278% jump in viewership globally over the daily average. Not too bad for a marsupial! Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show is a second term we can all get behind. With the Emmy winner back at the desk alongside The Daily Show News Team, we’ve seen a staggering 1300% increase in viewership for the series on Paramount+ while soaring to become #1 in late-night across broadcast cable on Mondays.

BEHIND THE STREAMS

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? It’s been 25 years since SpongeBob SquarePants first made a splash and we all got swept away in his underwater hijinks. Come July there are brand-new adventures in store for the seafaring superstar and the residents of Bikini Bottom when the Paramount+ Original series Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years returns for a second season. Kamp activities include staying up all night, monster lessons, digging up a prehistoric creature and, most importantly, having the best summer ever! We’re marking Mr. SquarePants’ silver anniversary in style on Paramount+ with several special activations. In July, audiences can customize their profiles with over 15 new SpongeBob avatars, explore the refreshed SpongeBob Universe collection along with special carousels curated for the franchise’s most beloved characters, and check out the SpongeBob takeover on the Paramount+ app. Stay tuned for more surprises to be announced throughout the year. To keep the festivities going, we are also welcoming season 13 of SpongeBob SquarePants and season one of The Patrick Star Show to our extensive animation library. Attention, campers! Please report to Paramount+ when season two of Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years premieres July 10.

UNSCRIPTED SUMMER

Julie Chen Moonves in Big Brother This summer, we invite you to say yes to spontaneity. Break out of your routine and embrace the always entertaining unscripted options across Paramount+. We are home to more than 120 reality series, including some of the longest running series in television history: Big Brother, The Amazing Race, Survivor, Real World and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Our slate delivers all the uninhibited thrills of summer.  This month, audiences are gearing up for the return of the 26th season of CBS’ iconic reality competition series, Big Brother. Hosted by Julie Chen Moonves, this season will kick off with a special two-night premiere on CBS and Paramount+ on July 17 and 18 (9–10 PM ET). Following its special two-night premiere, the series will air Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (9–10 PM, LIVE ET). Super fans looking for maximum access can tune into Paramount+’s Big Brother Live Feed for 24/7 drama. The competition is always hot across our entire reality lineup.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Melissa Etheridge in Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken  Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken tells an inspiring story about addiction and redemption as the titular rockstar and activist composes, “Burning Woman,” a new song based on her relationship with five women incarcerated in Kansas, and then performs a special concert inside their Topeka prison. We connected with the docuseries’ directors, Brian Morrow and Amy Scott, to learn more. Q: Tell us about the origin of the docuseries. A: Our executive producers Kathy Rivkin-Daum and Deb Klein, Melissa's manager, approached us about this idea that Melissa had for a while about doing a concert at a prison. She wanted to bring music and hope to incarcerated women, and her home state of Kansas held special meaning for her. Q: Can you share a little bit about how the documentary explores the relationship between music and the healing process? A: First is the concert itself, in witnessing incarcerated women react to the music, you can see it on their faces. One of the women at the end of the film tells a camera operator, "That was my first concert ever. You did a badass job, Melissa." And while the joy and exuberance you witness in the crowd is powerful, Melissa brings up heavy themes and topics during the show that you also feel deeply resonate with the audience. You can literally see women go from supporting each other and crying at the beginning of a song to singing along by the end. Secondly, Melissa explains that she writes music to deal with her own loss and grief. Her song "Shadow of a Black Crow" was written about her son who she tragically lost to opioids. The cathartic and transcendent power of music is presented in these ways and more. Q: Given the very sensitive nature of the topic of addiction, how did that impact your approach to interviews? A: Our approach with talking about addiction is to remove any notion of shame from the conversation - right down to the tone. Melissa mentions it in the film, but these stories could just as easily come from your sister, your mother, your child. The opioid epidemic serves as proof that addiction is a malignant force that touches every facet of American life. Q: What do you hope audiences will take away from the experience of this doc? A: We just hope that people remember and consider incarcerated people. We lock more people up in this country than anywhere else on Earth, and women's incarceration rates are skyrocketing. They're human and, while they have made some mistakes, it does not define them as people. They're not broken. Tears and tunes will flow when Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken premieres July 9.

WATCH THE TRAILER

HIGH SCORE

Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever) and Dijonai Carrington (Connecticut Sun) in WNBA action The WNBA takes center stage on July 6 when rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever host reigning MVP Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty, live on Paramount+. On June 16, Clark and the Fever broke records when they took on the Chicago Sky on CBS and Paramount+. The game was the most-watched WNBA game on any network in 23 years and the most-streamed WNBA game ever on Paramount+. Tune in for the chance to witness another milestone when Indiana and New York go head to head on July 6.

STREAMING SOON

Justin Hartley in Tracker When you need something to stream to keep those summer vibes chill, check out the CBS Summer Binge on Paramount+, which brings together complete lineups of many of our most popular titles. You can start a comfort watch that will last you through Labor Day with big new hits like Tracker and Elsbeth and perennial favorites such as Ghosts, NCIS, FBI, Blue Bloods, CSI and more.

ORIGINALS, EXCLUSIVES & PREMIERES 7/1: Memory* Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) is a social worker who leads a simple and structured life. But all of that gets blown open when Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows her home from their high school reunion and a surprise encounter opens a door to the past. 7/9: Melissa Etheridge: I'm Not Broken premiere This two-part docuseries tells a story of music’s power to heal and transcend. Melissa Etheridge finds inspiration in five incarcerated women and performs an original song for them at their prison. 7/10: Kamp Koral: Spongebob's Under Years season two premiere Ten-year-old SpongeBob and his pals spend their summer catching wild jellyfish and swimming in Lake Yuckymuck at the craziest kamp in the kelp forest. 7/16: Mafia Spies premiere In this docuseries, real-world spies, gangsters, honeypots and mistresses unravel a hidden conspiracy between the CIA and the Chicago mob to assassinate Fidel Castro. LIBRARY SHOWS July 3 The National Parks July 4 CBS Reports: America Unfiltered: The Voices Behind the Polls July 10 Beavis and Butt-Head Classic (Seasons 2, 4-6) Ice Airport Alaska (Season 4) Ridiculousness (Seasons 11-12) SpongeBob SquarePants (Season 13) The Patrick Star Show (Season 2) July 17 Basketball Wives (Season 11) July 18 Big Brother (Season 26)** July 22 PD True (Season 1) July 24 RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 16) RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (Seasons 14-15) July 31 Help! I'm in a Secret Relationship (Season 2) LIBRARY MOVIES July 1 A Good Day to Die Hard* A Perfect Day* A Thin Line Between Love and Hate American History X Apache Junction* Big Top Pee-Wee Biker Boyz* Blades of Glory Blue Chips Boyz N' The Hood* Caddyshack Catch the Bullet* Charlie's Angels Charlie's Angels Full Throttle Charlotte's Web Copycat Defiance Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star* Die Hard* Die Hard 2* Die Hard with a Vengeance* Drag Me to Hell El Dorado Enemy at the Gates* Fear Freedom Writers* Funny Face Gone Baby Gone* Good Mourning* Grease Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Hamburger Hill Heat* Heist* Identity Imagine That John Grisham's The Rainmaker Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life Legends of the Fall* Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Live Free or Die Hard* Love The Coopers* Martha Marcy May Marlene Miss Sloane* My Left Foot Necessary Roughness New Jack City Outlaw Posse* Paid in Full* Pawn Sacrifice* Private Parts Rounders Rudy* Rules of Engagement Rushmore RV* Sahara Set It Off: Director's Cut Sexy Beast Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek III: The Search For Spock Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek: First Contact Star Trek: Generations Star Trek: Insurrection Star Trek: Nemesis Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition Stephen King's Thinner Stop-Loss Summer Rental Summer School* Sunset Boulevard Superstar Swingers Terms of Endearment The Baby-Sitters Club The Babysitter The East The Love Letter The Mechanic The Running Man The Saint* The Silence of the Lambs* The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie The Truman Show The Yards Timeline Tom & Jerry Top Secret!* Total Recall Trainspotting Uncommon Valor Universal Soldier* What Men Want* Without a Paddle World Trade Center Yours, Mine & Ours Zero Dark Thirty July 8 Anesthesia* July 13 Arthur and the Invisibles* July 15 Fifty Shades of Black* The Current War* July 24 Weiner* July 27 Hannibal Rising* SPORTS 7/6: WNBA – New York Liberty @ Indiana Fever* 7/6-7/7: PGA Tour – John Deere Classic (Third and Final Round Coverage)* 7/7: BIG3 Basketball* 7/7: NWSL – Seattle Reign FC vs. Utah Royals 7/13-7/14: PGA Tour – Genesis Scottish Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)* 7/13: PGA Tour Originals: One Shot Away* 7/13: WNBA – Los Angeles Sparks @ Dallas Wings* 7/14: BIG3 Basketball* 7/20-7/21: Formula E – 2024 Hankook London E-Prix* 7/20: PBR – Professional Bull Riders American Bucking Bull Million Dollar Futurity* 7/20: 2024 World’s Strongest Man* 7/20: Sail GP – Season 4 Grand Final San Francisco* 7/20: BIG3 Basketball* 7/20: NWSL – Angel City FC vs. América 7/21: NWSL – Washington Spirit vs. Chivas & Portland Thorns FC vs. Tijuana 7/21: Beyond Limits* 7/21: LPGA – Dana Open (Final Round Coverage)* 7/21: United Soccer League – Oakland Roots SC vs. Sacramento Republic FC* 7/26: NWSL – Chicago Red Stars vs. Chivas & San Diego Wave FC vs. América 7/27: NWSL – Orlando Pride vs. Rayadas & Kansas City Current vs. Pachuca 7/28: NWSL – Houston Dash vs. Tigres & NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit 7/27: 2024 World’s Strongest Man* 7/27: Course Record with Michael Breed* 7/27-7/28: PGA Tour – 3M Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)* 7/28: PBR – Professional Bull Riders Camping World Team Series Duluth* 7/28: BIG3 Basketball* 7/31: NWSL – Portland Thorns FC vs. Seattle Reign FC & North Carolina Courage vs. Rayadas Throughout July: Argentina Liga Profesional de Fútbol competition Throughout July: NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup *Title is available to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers. **All Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers can live stream CBS titles via the live feed on Paramount+. Those titles will be available on-demand to all subscribers the day after they air live. Dates for library titles are subject to change.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 23, 2024

 

House of the Dragon:  Child murder in the first episode?  Welcome back to Westeros.  But I have to say, this episode actually felt more… fun than the first season which seemed to be humorless and a bore.  This felt more like Game of Thrones at least in tone.  Going back to the wall also Helped a little.  Hopefully we get more non-Targaryen this season to break up the monotony.

 

The Acolyte:   So Jason Mendoza is definitely the Master and they are barely even trying to hide it.  Though did he really have time to cut himself down, beat the evil twin to the Wookie and double back so he could surprise everyone?

 

The Challenge All-Stars 4:  You would think with all the stupid carnival games, Ace would have had an advantage, except he still came in last.  Oh well, ho home ending like much Challenges end.

 

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School:  Wait, did this show actually come up with a competent ending?   And I did not realize how much that dude looked like Skeet Ulrich until he pulled off that mask.  But they had to ruin the competent ending with the stupid postscript.  The undead serial killer is just way too clichéd

 

The Chi:  I looked at the clock with just moments to go and thought to myself, literally nothing has happened in this episode yet… and moments later they blew up a kid.  Oh, wait, that was just a fake out.  Oh well, at least we had one child murder this week on television this week.  But they have to finally take down Douda for that in the finale, right?

Around the Tubes: June 22, 2024

   

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs Only Murders in the Building, Ariana Grande, Bob Marley, The Tragically Hip, and Gina Alice.

- In the upcoming season of "Only Murders in the Building," our trio’s investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast featuring Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria (playing themselves) in the roles of Charles, Oliver and Mabel. Check out a new BTS photo of both trios here!  Season four of "Only Murders in the Building" premieres on Hulu on August 27, with new episodes weekly! 

-  Today, GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist, and international superstar, Ariana Grande releases new remix of “the boy is mine” with the iconic Grammy Award winning singers, Brandy and Monica.  Listen HERE via Republic Records.  The 1998 single, “the boy is mine” by Brandy and Monica, won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1 for 13 weeks, becoming the best-selling song of the year and the best-selling female duet of all time.  Earlier this month, Ariana premiered the official music video for “the boy is mine”, directed by Christian Breslauer, starring Penn Badgley with special appearances from Brandy and Monica.  Watch the official music video HERE.

- GRAMMY® nominated, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and his mental health initiative The Busyhead Project announce “Live From Fenway Park: Official Livestream” for Kahan’s upcoming sold-out shows at Boston’s Fenway Park on July 18th and 19th. A portion of all proceeds from each livestream ticket and merch bundle will be donated to The Busyhead Project and support local New England organizations that provide access to mental health care, including: Hannah’s House (Waitsfield, VT), Shine Initiative (Worcester, MA), KyleCares (Attleboro, MA), Connor’s Climb Foundation (Exeter, NH), and The Yellow Tulip Project (Portland, ME). Fans can get more information and purchase tickets HERE.  The Fenway Park Livestream is the latest initiative from Kahan and The Busyhead Project. Last month, they revealed a full slate of activations and partnerships during his ongoing “We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour.” On every date of the sold-out tour, Noah is welcoming fans to connect with local mental health organizations at The Busyhead Project Action Village. Visitors can learn more about organizations, share a positive message to The Busyhead Project Community Wall, and even prepare to vote with actions courtesy of HeadCount. Kahan and The Busyhead Project have also cemented a partnership with Backline, and created a fund, to provide tour-wide access to licensed mental health care providers for the entire band and crew on the road. Not to mention, Kahan recently announced a benefit concert in Vermont on September 19th, with its proceeds going towards local Vermont-based organizations to give back to his home state.

- Island/UMe shares a new music video for Bob Marley’s “Punky Reggae Party.” Watch HERE. Originally released as the B-side of “Jamming” in 1977, the song remains a sought-after fan favorite. It also notably appears in its extra-rare 12-inch dub version on the 2024 limited edition of Bob Marley’s Exodus—available HERE.  Cameroonian graphic artist Maxime Manga directed this captivating visual. Bringing the song to life, the clip threads together classic photos of Bob Marley with stunning performance footage culled from a Boston concert in 1978. Animation accents these vignettes as the editing matches the flow of the vocals and groove over the course of almost seven breezy and blissful minutes. Kicking off the summer, it seamlessly translates the vibe of “Punky Reggae Party” to the screen.

 

- The Tragically Hip announces a commemorative boxset of their Diamond-certified debut album, Up To Here, the latest installment of special deluxe packages, set to release on November 8 via UMe. Up To Here was originally released on September 5, 1989, as The Tragically Hip’s first full-length studio album, an introduction that brought them breakthrough success, including two Canadian rock radio #1 singles, “Blow at High Dough” and “New Orleans is Sinking” as well earning the band a JUNO Award for “Most Promising Artist” in 1990. Fans can pre-order the boxset today here.  The expanded reissue of Up To Here is a must-have for collectors, presented as a four-LP set on 180g vinyl alongside a book documenting the history of the debut album era. The reissue includes a 2024 remastering of the original album and four previously unreleased songs that didn’t make it on the original Up To Here album - “She’s Got What It Takes,” “Get Back Again,” “Rain, Hearts And Fire” and “Wait So Long” – that are also shared as part of this expanded package, are remastered and mixed in Atmos. A recording of Live at Misty Moon, the special filmed for MuchMusic in 1990 from the Misty Moon Cabaret in Halifax, with an accompanying 1-hour concert film, is also included on Blu-ray. The package also contains demos from 1988 recorded before the Up To Here recording session. The package will be available as a three-disc CD format.

-  International star, accomplished pianist, and dynamic vocalist Gina Alice shares her debut single “Slo-Mo” available now. It stands out as her first release for Republic Records, following her recent signing to the label. Listen to “Slo-Mo” HERE.  Known worldwide for her impressive instrumentation, the track illustrates another facet of her artistry for the first time as she leans into a seductive blend of pop, R&B and cinematic soul. Meanwhile, she showcases her range on “Slo-Mo.” Handclaps accent the synth-laden production, while her voice hovers over the soundscape. She opens up without filter, and she issues a flirty invitation on the chorus, “Turn the lights low, love me slo-mo.”  LISTEN HERE.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 16, 2024

  

The Acolyte:   Not that the first two episodes were barnburners, but this episodes just ground the momentum to a halt.  And I am confused.  Just how were the kids created?  Why was the evil twin so mad at the Jedi since she started the fire?  What happened to the witched?  And where the fork was Jason Mendoza?!?

 

The Challenge All-Stars 4:  Poor Flora, had to limp away from the challenge.  Even TJ could not give his usual vitriol for quitters.  But they really need to do more carnival/backyard games so they do not kill one of these contestants that are closer to AARP than college.  In an ideal world, there would be a 40 year old minimum so people like Flora can have a chance.

 

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School:  So they are really going to wait until the final to confirm if Bloody Mary is actually Imogen’s mother or not.  Way to drag that out.  Meh. 

 

The Chi:  Wait, Douda and Dwayne Wayne know each other?  Did we know that?  But Victor getting off on a technicality was a little silly.  I wonder if his political career will have blowback from the arrest.  But even sillier was that one chick wants Douda dead, had a gun to the back of his head, but just walked away.  They are really going to drag this out as long as possible.