2018 Summer Preview

For a couple straight years I did not do a Most Anticipated list for my upcoming music round up post because I was finding it hard to come up with five albums to get remotely excited about. So last spring I was excited to actually have five worth talking about. I thought this may be a turning point for the music industry who had been decimated by low revenues for years. But streaming was finally starting to turn a profit which in turn record labels were spending more money on diverse artist. Then I started to compire my summer preview... and the album outlook is pretty dire again. Seriously, there are only five albums that I will even give one listen two listed listed to be released in July right now and even then one of them is a live album by a two hit wonder from the eighties. Even January is not that dire for music.

Granted we did get some surprise late spring releases. For the past month Kanye West has put out an album each week with little notice. Sure if you cherry picked the best tracks from each of the for albums and you would still get a pretty mediocre compilation. I do not even care for the last one coming this week. Then Saturday, Jay-Z and Beyonce released a joint album under the name The Carters stealing a little of Kanye's thunder. Granted that album was received only slightly better than the G.O.O.D. albums. So maybe we will get a few more surprised albums this summer though after Kanye, Jay-Z, and Beyonce, there are very few artist that most people could get excited for a surprise release. But here are the albums I will at the very least give one spin on Spotify this summer. Click on the album for an Amazon pre order or click on the band's name to be taken to their iTunes page.


June 22
Passwords - Dawes
Bad Witch - Nine Inch Nails
All o This Life -The Record Company

June 29
High as Hope - Florence + The Machine
The Now Now - Gorillaz
Greetings from the Neon Frontier - The Wild Feathers
Uniform Distortion - Jim James
Our Country: Americana Act II - Ray Davies

July 6
Ascension - A Flock of Seagulls

July 13
Wide Awake - Rayland Baxter
Love Monster - Amy Shark

July 20
Take Me to the Disco - Meg Myers
All Ashore - Punch Brothers

August 10
Know. - Jason Mraz

August 17
Thank You for Today - Death Cab for Cutie

Agust 24
Parallel Universe - Plain White T's

August 31
My New Moon - Amos Lee
Runaway - Passenger
Villains - Emma Blackery

August 17
Sweetener - Ariana Grande

September 7
Raise Vibration - Lenny Kravitz
Egypt Station - Paul McCartney
Ruby - Macy Gray

September 14
Cry Pretty - Carrie Underwood

September 21
Piano and A Microphone: 1983 - Prince

TBA
Weezer (The Black Album) - Weezer
The 1975
Avril Lavigne
blink-182
The Doobie Brothers
Grimes
Robyn
Slick Rick
Taylor Swift
Tenacious D

And of course this could be the quarter that Dr. Dre releases Detox.

I Want My Music television: 6/18/2018

Fall In Line - Christina Aguilera feat. Demi Lovato


Were those children in the beginning supposed to be young Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato because the former has to have a decade on the latter. It is kind of weird to have this female empowerment song and video that ends with: directed by a dude. As for the song itself, meh.


Lost My Mind - Lily Allen


When Lily Allen released her last album, songs went into two categories, her usually bratty songs that she did on her first two album while the other half were more adult sounding. At the time I said I wished Lily would dump the bratty persona and just do grown up songs. Her new album is mostly adult sounding, unfortunately it is mostly boring.


Rocket Man - Little Big Town


Elton John was made for MTV. Too bad most of his best songs predated the music video format. Weird that \Little Big Town went with a Phantom Zone look for their version of Rocket Man.


Give Yourself A Try - The 1975


Is the lead singer of The 1975 transitioning into Haley Williams?

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 6/17/2018

Billions: So did anyone associated with the show actually think the big showdown between Axe and Taylor would have anything near the weight of Axe vs. Chuck? Actually Wendy vs. Taylor was more interesting. But was this Taylor’s play the whole time? There was a point in season one where Taylor had a choice to stay with Axe or flip on him when Connerty offered it. Did Taylor know then (s)he could do this to Axe?

Much more interesting was Chuck. I was thinking that Chuck was going to take the Attorney General deal and give up the witness for cover for the rest of the term. Instead everyone turned on Chuck who gets fired while everyone he screwed got to watch. So Chuck and Ax team up to saved them selves in the middle of the season only for both to end the season at their lowest. I always though the series would best end with those two sharing a prison cell, this this was almost satisfying. Until you realize there is a next season where they will undoubtable fight back (and probably prevail) against the AG and Taylor. And as the final scene showed, they will probably help each other even though thwy are better antagonists than partners.

Fear the Walking Dead: Meh, I hate this duel storytelling gimmick. I spent most of the episode wondering if I missed something, Madison was at the ballpark when it fell and then she starts this episode she runs into Al and I am thinking this was after what happened last week. But no, that happened in between the season. They were cute with that but they were teasing Madison being dead all season, making it so obvious that I was thinking that was a fake out, except it finally came she was, in fact dead. And it seemed pretty flimsy why Alicia blamed Dharma for her mother’s death. And why exactly did Madison die? Couldn’t she just run out the other end after leading the walkers inside? Hopefully now that we are caught up, that is it for this duel timelines.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

I’m Dying Up Here: Why is it every time a woman flippantly swears off men, a chick tries to kiss her? I wonder if lesbians stir things up just so they can convert more women to swear off men. And then we learned why Nick is so messed up. Oh geez. Nothing like beating someone with a lamp and then they just laugh at you.

Supergirl: Just how slow is that Asian dude? Alex tells him to get the Worldkillers blood before Alex starts fighting the Kryptonians. Yet after trapping them in the net, one of the Kryptonians was able to get to the lab before the Asian dude did. Alex was able to get the Kryptonite gun, fight another Krptonian and still got to the lab seconds after the Asian dude. But most inexplicable moment goes to Kara who tossed the blood to the bad guys thinking she could destroy it in midair but was late. Why didn’t anyone smash the tubes under their boots?
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

The Bold Type: So Jane already loses her job in the first week back? So I am guessing she will back at Scarlet by the end of the next episode. Or is Jacqueline going to make her sweat for the betrayal.
You can download The Bold Type on iTunes.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars II: I cannot believe they spent so much time with whether CT/Tony would save Wes or Kailah only for them to have to deceide between Wes and Louise which was an obvious choice. All that time wasted and they did not even finish the elimination in this episode. Meh. You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Waterfords in Canada. Though I was hoping more with a confrontation with Luke. But we did get a meeting of the baby daddies. Except the driver could not tell the truth about the paternity her current gestating kid (at least he did not lie or leave anything out to june). But the most interesting part of the trip was our introduction to the first modern day American on the show. I would be interested to see a map. I believe they said the new capital is in Alaska and now we know Hawaii is also still a state. But I do wonder if Serena will ever take them up on their offer. The prospect of having her own baby has to be a very powerful bargaining chip. She definitely does not look like the strong and stoic woman she was in the first season anymore. Back in Gilead, weird for Aunt Lydia say the death of her four day old goddaughter was not her fault without any prompting or explanation. Kind of makes me think it was her fault. And after a couple of episode of being subservient after being caught escaping, is June finally ready to resist again?
You can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger: Another episode where Cloak and Dagger barely spend any time together. Unless you count the weird dream land place. And what was with the creepy 3-D printer figure? Voodoo priestesses have apparently gone high tech.
You can download Marvel's Cloak and Dagger on iTunes
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Around the Tubes: 6/15/18

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Turner, EPMD, Sheppard, Dagny, French Fries, Black Monday, Black Monday, and BIG3.


- What streaming in June on tntdrama.com, the TNT App, tbs.com and the TBS App: The Hunger Games saga and the Ocean’s trilogy will be available all month on TNT. Don't miss Keanu from TBS' own Jordan Peele (The Last O.G.).

- Hailing from Brentwood, New York and armed with a vibrantly original sonic vision, the pioneering duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith, collectively known as EPMD, arrived on the hip-hop scene in the late 1980s and quickly became an influential force in that heady era. UMe honors EPMD's contributions to the art of hip-hop with new two-LP vinyl reissues of the duo's first two seminal albums, 1988's Strictly Business and 1989's Unfinished Business. These classic albums have been unavailable on vinyl for decades, and these reissues mark their long-awaited return to the format in which fans first came to know them. Both albums have also been released in colored-vinyl editions that are available exclusively from the online retailer Urban Legends.

- Multi-platinum recording artist Sheppard is thrilled to release their sophomore album Watching the Sky last week, June 8, 2018 via Empire of Song/Decca Records/Republic Records. The album is available HERE. Watching the Sky has already spawned several hits for the Brisbane band with international single “Coming Home” leading the way. Amassing over 21 MILLION streams, radio success around the globe and platinum certification in Australia, “Coming Home” debuted on US television on the TODAY Show and been featured in American Ninja Warrior, American Idol, Champions, Bose’s latest ad campaign, and Lionsgate’s animated hit comedy Early Man. “Coming Home” is joined by GOLD hit “Keep Me Crazy,” Latin American Top 10 single “Edge of the Night,” summer singalong “Riding the Wave,” and most recently, “Hometown,” which was added by 100 Australian Radio Stations in just one week.

- Critically acclaimed Norwegian pop art-songstress Dagny has released her new soon to be hit track “Used To You” last week! Get it HERE via Republic Records. The song is the second banger Dagny has released in the past few months as she recently released “That Feeling When” which was praised by Idolator, Baeble and more! The video was shot in Dagny’s hometown of Tromsø and the live performance footage was taken from a special performance in Oslo. Check out the video here!

- On Sunday, June 17, TNT will air French Fries, the first short film in the Shatterbox Anthology, a series from Refinery29 and TNT dedicated to spotlighting the voices of female filmmakers. From Claws Executive Producer Janine Sherman Barrois, French Fries explores a young, hip African-American foodie couple’s fight to resolve communication problems in a modern marriage of six years, four months and three and a half days.


- Showtime has ordered the comedy series Black Monday, starring and executive produced by Emmy® nominated and Golden Globe® winning actor Don Cheadle – returning to Showtime after a five-season run as star and executive producer of House of Lies – with two-time Tony Award® nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Girls Trip) also leading the cast. The series was created by David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl), who will serve as executive producers and showrunners. Emmy nominees Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (Preacher, Superbad), who will also executive produce, directed the pilot. With an 10-episode order, Black Monday, a co-production between SHOWTIME and Sony Pictures Television Studios, will premiere in 2019.

- FOX Sports announced this week a multiplatform distribution plan for the 2018 season of BIG3. Each week, a game will stream live exclusively on Facebook, leading in to three additional games which will air exclusively on FOX or FS1 (simulcast live in the FOX Sports app) during the regular season and playoffs. The first BIG3 game to stream on Facebook will feature a match-up between 2017 BIG3 MVP Rashard Lewis’ 3 Headed Monsters and Mike Bibby’s Ghost Ballers on June 22 from Houston, TX, followed by Chauncey Billups’ Killer 3’s and Dermarr Johnson’s 3’s Company; Corey Maggette’s Power and Brian Scalabrine’s Ball Hogs; and Kenyon Martin’s Trilogy and Jermaine O’Neal’s Tri-State on FS1.

Previewing The Affair: Season Four

The Affair started out weird with its split storytelling and inconsistent narrators. Sometimes you would even forget about the murder mystery. Then they unveiled the murderer in the second season and then things got weirder. All four of the main characters went their separate ways (yet would stillfind themselves running into each other). Two got married, and the two that were married to each other and were part of the titular affair got divorced. And that led Noah to a weird trip to France that dominated the last half of last season.

And that is the thing, Noah dominated so much of last season, I barely remember what happened to the other three main characters last season. From the “Previously On” segment, I vaguely remember Cole hooking up again with Alison and her kid with Noah is actually Cole’s. Then Helen ended up getting married to a doctor. But still, Noah getting stalked by a corrections officer (or so he thought, he may be the least reliable of all the narrators) before following his lover to Paris where things got weirder than usual.

But it looks like they are bringing it back to more of an ensemble as the fourth season. The season weirdly starts with Noah and Cole in the same vicinity vaguely taking about someone who we are led to believe is Alison but since that is so obvious and her name is never spoken I think there is a twist coming. Remember Helen was randomly the person who ran over Scotty Lockhart. Then after about a minute we get a weeks ago title card and a tradition “Act 1” title alert.

The new season sees Noah move to Los Angeles to follow his kids after Vic took a job there. Helen and Vic are living in a beautiful house in the hills next to the daughter of a starlet (who is a recognizable starlet herself) with the youngest kids. The two eldest are off at college and though she is still in the title sequence the oldest is nor seen in the first six episodes. The second eldest is not seen but we do get to hear his voice on the phone. In their absence, Trevor more screen time in the season premiere

Noah inexplicably gets another teaching job, this time teaching English to inner city youth at a charter school despite being a convicted felon for that Lockhart murder. The trademark wildly different narratives are back. Noah thinks Helen pulls him into the women’s bathroom while Helen believes they went into the men’s restroom to talk.

Of course you will have to wait until week two to learn what is going on with Cole and Alison. Cole is still in Montauk running the restaurant with Alison. Though Cole does not think Alison wants to sell the Lobster Roll, Alison thinks Cole doesn’t want to sell. Then by the middle of the season both find their way out to the West Coast, not necessarily together.

The show sticks with its traditional Noah/Helen, Cole/Alison episode structure that seems to be the norm since season two. They start mixing things up later in the season with someone outside those four getting their own act. I do wonder if there is a The Affair analytics page to show which character gets the most featured acts and who randomly shows up in other people’s acts.

The Affair airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

I Want My Music Television: 6/11/2018

Back To You - Selena Gomez


I used to wish Selena Gomez would spend more time acting than singing. Then she made Bad Liar, one of the greatest songs in recent memory and know I get excited whenever she releases something new. Unfortunately the two songs she has released since are vaguely EDM pop songs, including this one. But hey, at least the music video is fun.


Babe - Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift


Oh hey, boring Superman. And redhead Taylor Swift. Wasn’t redhead Taylor Swift the antagonist of the You Belong with Me video? I guess this is more Mad Men. Although Betty Draper left Don because she was cheating and do not believe she ever caught him.


New Light (Premium Content) - John Mayer


No I.D. produced Jay-Z’s entire last album and what better way to follow that up by producing what is probably John Mayer’s cheesiest song ever. It is either that or the duet with Katy Perry, but the this video maybe put it ahead.


Girls Like You - Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B


I have been jibbing Maroon 5 for a decade and a half that they only make music videos so Adam Lavine can make out a new hot chick. So it is weird that they are now making some women empowerment music video with women of every stripe and Adam does not make out with any of them.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 6/10/2018

Patrick Melrose: How apropos that the series started with Poppa Melrose dying and ended with Momma Melrose’s funeral. But it was weird with every previous episode spent the majority of the time on a single day with the last one kept jumping around. Nicholas

Billions: The penultimate is usually the big one with all the cards on the table (or at least most of them) but ever since Chuck and Axe joined forces to beat their cases, it just feels the show has been treading water. Sure there were three storylines that came out of that, Chuck vs. the AG, Axe vs. Taylor, and Connorty trying to revive the cases against Chuck and Axe, but none have the same verocity of Chuck vs. Axe. Hopefully something in the finale reignites that feud.

Fear the Walking Dead: The mounting evidence that Madison is not alive is mounting. If she is not with Alicia and Stand and the stadium is overrun with zombies, then where is she? Unless she is stuck with the medical supplies unbeknownst to everyone else. Although this begs the question, where did everyone else at the ball park go? Were they all killed by the fire zombies?
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

I’m Dying Up Here: Ron really is trying to do everything he can to get fired. Bad mouthing his show on Carson? You would think the only thing that getting the couch on Carson is to start out on the couch. Of course this is the seventies so there is good damage control. Imagine if the comic store owner trashed The Big Bang Theory on Kimmel. Speaking of self-destruction, Cassie does not get SNL because she was forking another dude. Man, these comics are incompetent.

Supergirl: Wait, Miss Teschmacher went to Yale and knows nuclear physics? Why has she been a secretary for the past fout year. I know the economy is not great, but it should not take that long for a highly skilled person to get a good job. Almost as shocking was Supergirl being able to defeat Reign that easy and three episodes left. Though it seems like the high council chick helped Kara defeat Reign so she can be the new Worldkiller. But why is Kara going back to Argo with Mon-El? Um, doesn’t she think that maybe Clark would want to meet his aunt for the first time?
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars II: Vertical Twister is one of the greatest challenges in Challenge history right up there with the challenge where they had to melt a block of ice with their butts.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Wait, Serena likes The Commodores? You would think she would like something classical or at the very least secular. Though I guess how a Gileadian would like being easy like Sunday morning. Well as long as you ignore the double entendre. I wonder after getting whipped if Serena will join the Resistance and help the Handmaid’s or if she will take that and never resist her husband again like the Bible tells her too. But One Eyed Ofwillie’s baby being saved by true loves kiss was a little too Once Upon a Time for me.
You can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Reverie: I realized I like this episode much more at the start before Mara showed up. A real shame when your lead character is a wet blanket.
You can download Reverie on iTunes.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger: Well that was boring. The titular characters spent less than five minutes on screen together.
You can download Marvel's Cloak and Dagger on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 6/8/2018

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Challenge: Final Reckoning, Minding the Gap, QUEST, Ballet Now, Shameless, Kidding, BIG3, Roger Daltrey, Meg Myers, Alicia Witt, Mallrat, and The Fourth Estate.

- MTV today announced that The Challenge: Final Reckoning will premiere on Tuesday, July 10 at 9:00. Final Reckoning marks the conclusion of the series trilogy, which kicked off with XXX: Dirty 30 followed by Vendettas. The Challenge franchise is the #1 unscripted cable series on Tuesdays and is a top 10 unscripted property on all of cable (L3). The newest installation travels players to South Africa to face the consequences of their actions from the past two seasons. All of the recent betrayals, regrets and wrongdoings will rise to the surface as the competitors pair-off for their fiercest vendetta yet. Will they be able to put aside their issues, settle the score and work together to take home the $1 million prize?

- Hulu announced that the company has acquired the rights to Minding the Gap, a moving documentary from director Bing Liu about three young men who bond across racial lines to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. Ten years later, while facing adult responsibilities, unsettling revelations force them to reckon with their fathers, their mothers, and each other. The film will be released as a Hulu Documentary both theatrically across key markets in the US and on Hulu on August 17th.

- For his debut documentary, QUEST, director Jonathan Olshefski spent nearly a decade chronicling the daily triumphs and tragedies of the Raineys, a working class African-American family in North Philadelphia. The vérité film opens with a shot inside the family’s modest North Philly row home. PJ, who wants to follow in the musical footsteps of her Dad, is drumming on the windowsill. It’s election season in 2009 and while frying bacon for breakfast Mom Christine’a is telling the story of how someone in the neighborhood yelled out, “Vote for McCain!” “You know he didn’t say that around the polls,” she adds. Chris, on the phone with a friend, asks, “You vote for Obama? We know where you live at.” In the next scene, Chris is returning from the polls, and in another phone conversation he happily reports, “There was a line for the first time in umpteen years down here.” The acclaimed documentary feature film QUEST will have its national television debut on PBS series POV on June 18 at 10 PM opening the historic 31st Season of the longest-running independent documentary series on American television.

- Ballet Now will launch Friday, July 20, only on Hulu. Ballet Now provides a rarely seen, unfiltered glimpse into the world of ballet and what it takes to create a one-of-kind dance extravaganza. Featuring New York City Ballet’s Prima Ballerina Tiler Peck - the first ever woman to be asked to curate The Music Center’s famed BalletNOW program - and a diverse cast of world-class dancers from around the globe, the film follows Tiler as she tries to execute her groundbreaking vision of mashing together the worlds of tap, hip-hop, ballet and even clown artistry. With less than a week to pull it all off, Tiler faces the mounting pressures of not only dancing in multiple pieces, but also producing and directing this high profile event. The success of the performances rests squarely on her shoulders. Will she pull it off? Directed by Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor, featuring New York City Principal Ballerina, Tiler Peck. Emmy Award-winning actress Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, Mad Men) serves as Executive Producer.

- Showtime has announced its new fall comedy line-up with the ninth season of its hit series Shameless, starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® and SAG Award® winner William H. Macy and Golden Globe® nominee Emmy Rossum, premiering on Sunday, September 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the series premiere of the new half-hour comedy series Kidding, starring Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey in his first series regular role in more than two decades and reuniting him with Oscar winner Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), at 10 p.m. ET/PT. To watch and share the official trailer for Kidding, visit: https://youtu.be/OzwU7dbmAyY. For a special video announcement from the cast of Shameless, go to: https://youtu.be/lB1tAqfiht4.

- FOX Sports exclusively presents BIG3, the highly anticipated professional 3-on-3, half-court basketball league founded by Ice Cube. The league's eight teams travel to 10 different cities including new stops at Houston, Oakland, Detroit, Miami, Toronto, Boston, and Atlanta. All stops will feature four back-to-back games on Friday evenings with star players including Amar’e Stoudemire, Baron Davis, Kenyon Martin, Stephen Jackson, Chauncey Billups, Metta World Peace, and Nate Robinson and legendary Hall of Fame coaches including Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving, Gary Payton, Nancy Lieberman and George ‘The Iceman’ Gervin. Season two returns to FOX Sports on Friday, June 22 at 7:30 ET/4:30 PT.

- As Long As I Have You the critically acclaimed new album from legendary Who frontman Roger Daltrey is released today. During his career spanning five decade Daltrey has sold over 100 million records including 9 US & 10 UK top ten albums and 14 UK top ten singles. He’s played over well over 2000 gigs in a career spanning over 50 years including venues such as Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Glastonbury (twice), Hyde Park (four times), The Isle Of Wight (three times), Desert Trip, Shea Stadium, The Superbowl half time show and Live Aid to name but a very few.

- Meg Myers has released Take Me To The Disco, the haunting title track from her forthcoming album of the same name, out 7/20 on 300 Entertainment. The album opener is subtly arresting - a sweeping, ethereal song about feeling untethered and wanting to escape. Listen here.

- Accomplished Singer/Actress Alicia Witt announces 15,000 DAYS, her EP set for release on August 24. Billboard recently premiered Younger, the first single off the album. Witt reflects on the track, “When we are younger, when we are 17 or 18, we kind of know exactly who we are. I think I’m a much more similar person to that version of me now than I was a few years ago. So I wrote the song, thinking of how to appeal to that side in somebody else and to have that little child version of you connecting, and letting that be your authentic self, as you go out into the world as an adult.” Listen and purchase “Younger” here.

Having garnered attention from The New York Times and NPR, it’s quickly becoming apparent that 2018 is the Year of the Mallrat, with the release of her highly anticipated sophomore EP, "In The Sky" via Nettwerk Records. Her refreshingly honest observations of day-to-day life, her relatable and confessional lyrics, and her penchant for writing sticky melodies that you just can’t shake have all shaped 19 year old Grace Shaw into the kind of artist that is perfectly positioned to be Australia’s next big name in pop music.

- Turning to Charlottesville and its tragic aftermath, the next episode of the Showtime documentary series The Fourth Estate airs this Sunday, June 10 at 8:00 on Showtime.

Previewing Claws: Season Two

Claws was a pleasant surprise last summer with a decent mix of humor, action, and about one huge plot twist per episode. Seriously, do not ask me how Roller was able to survive being drowned, shot, set a fire, and being some weird od lady’s sex slave. But those elements did a good job at hiding some of its flaws like how Uncle Daddy goes way over the top every time he opens his mouth and maybe there was one too many plot twists. Sure, the funeral he arranged for Roller was great mostly because it was over the top but he could have toned it down in pretty much every other scene.

So the gist of the first season was Desna trying to get out from underneath the Dixie Mafia but ended the season under the thumb of the Russian mob. And if you thought the lady who was running the Russian mob last season was scary and ruthless, wait until you meet her family, notably Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) who wants to expand Desna’s opiate money laundering business and start a Magic Mike type review in South Florida. Oh yeah, and the season ended with Uncle Daddy buddying up to the Haitian mafia to battle the Russian mafia and the Haitian mafia just so happened to be run by Desna’s boyfriend.

And Desna is not the only one with problems, Desna’s autistic brother knocked up Virginia, Jennifer got caught hooking up with a rabbi, and it has not yet, but you know Polly banging the guy who runs the clinic will end badly. And things are set for a just as wild, or wilder in the seconds season. I am not sure what will make Desna go into a rage more, Virginia’s pregnancy or her boyfriend’s secret life (we do learn the answer to one of those pretty quickly and an annoyingly close call to the other). Then Potente just set everything aflame (literally in one scene) which just adds to the craziness. We even get a surprise marriage in the premiere (hint, it is not Virginia and Dean). The second season of Claws just may be wilder than the first.

Claws airs Sundays at 9:00 on TNT.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 6/3/2018

Patrick Melrose: Oh wow, Patrick has of his own now? He looks like he is trying very hard not to be his father but turns out he is damaging the kid in different ways than his father did. And I am surprised he did not get injured going to the liquor store.

Billions: I thought Axe finally (and probably wisely) upgraded from Lara, until I realized that he was playing Maria Sharapova. That would have been a massive upgrade. And I still am not entirely sure why Ben Kim did a strip tease in the elevator, I am just glad he did.

I’m Dying Up Here: Gee, Cassie really is trying for that second kid. Is she going to go back to Bill next episode? And just when is Ron going to get a comeuppance? Once you start burning money, it has to come pretty soon.

Supergirl: Mama El is still alive? What? And just what does the High Council chick know? Is she communicating with Reign on Earth or is that just a hologram like Kara’s mom she talks to? But how convenient for Alex that every assassination attempt had a lengthy delay? She was able to pick up a grenade and put it in some bomb resistant receptacle (seriously, what park has those?). Then the dude set her motorcycle explode except she had enough time to flee before that went off too.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Lucifer: So the show filmed a couple episodes for season four after they were done with season three before going on break… except Fox decided to cancel the show anyway. Kind of weird to have a show on the bubble do that. I do wonder if the first episode was meant to be the season premiere because they did not touch on the cliffhanger at all. But if Ella’s imaginary friend was going to be a season plot point, I actually want to see that. It would be better than the Cain plot or Lucifer’s mom. But when they put Able in a quirky chick’s body, that only lasted one episode so maybe we would have not seen ReyRey again after this.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars II: What a silly way to split a tie. They should have said if you cannot agree, you would be sent into elimination. I would love to see who budged them. But at this point of the game, getting out the strong teams is the right strategy. They should target CT and Tony.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: There has been a lot of debate of if Hulu should follow the Netflix model and dump every episode at once or continue the television model of weekly episode. Last week is why it is right to do the television model because it is more impactful to have to wait a week to live with what the aftermath of the bombing meant (it has been months for me as that was the last screener I saw). If you could just press play for the next episode, then the explosion had little impact. Sure it was pretty obvious Waterford would survive but the big shocker from the fallout was that Rory Gilmore and One Eyed Offwillie were reinstated as Handmaids. And now we half to wait week to see what that all means which makes it more meaningful.
You can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

The Americans: When the show started, it was weird watch because the protagonists were trying to bring down America. I figured the only way to have a satisfying ending would them being brought down or at the very least being flipped by the FBI. Neither of those happened because Philip and Elizabeth get to live happily ever after in Russia (or at the very least contently ever after). So I am a bit disappointed on that ending.

I did find it a bit weird Stan knew where Paige lived. Or did he call into the FBI to get that info? But how quick could they come up with that in the eighties? It was wise of him not to take a hard stand against them in the parking garage because he was out numbered. Though I was surprised he did not call it in later and feigned ignorance when his boss confirmed they were the spies. I kind of wished that was the climax with a five or so minute epilogue after that instead of another half an hour (without ads). As surprising as Stan letting them go was Paige staying. When she started talking about who would take care of Henry in her apartment, I thought she would make an argument of how she should, or just wanted to stay in America. So it was weird when she just left the train. But overall I guess it wasa show with watching.
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 6/1/2018

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Governors Ball, Snow Patrol, Guns N’ Roses,John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd, Sutton Foster, and Joe Walsh.

- Founders Entertainment is proud to announce the official Governors Ball live stream via the DIRECTV NOW app and television broadcast presented by AT&T. Dubbed a “Festival with a New York Heart” by the New York Times, the eighth annual edition of New York City’s very own homegrown fest will take place from Friday, June 1st through Sunday, June 3rd on beautiful Randall’s Island Park. U.S. music fans can watch live performances from artists including Jack White, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Post Malone, The Gaslight Anthem, CHVRCHES, Manchester Orchestra, Sylvan Esso, Khalid, the worldwide live debut of Silk City (Diplo + Mark Ronson) and many more.nnBeginning Friday, June 1, tune in daily from 4:45 p.m.-11:00 p.m. ET live on Twitter at live.twitter.com/GovBallNYC and at ATT.com/GovBallNYC all weekend long.

- Snow Patrol debut the music video for their song “Soon,” from their album Wildness. Directed by Brett Simon, who has helmed videos for every track on the album, ‘Soon’ is a poignant snapshot of Gary Lightbody and his father, who is suffering from dementia. Lightbody revealed: “Soon’ is about my dad. Three years ago he was diagnosed with dementia. I wanted to write a song that connected us both and let him know I was with him and would be always. The video we made for this (directed by Brett Simon) is me and my dad sitting together watching old home movies. Filming it with him was one of the best days I ever spent with my dad and I’m so grateful he got to share in the day and spend some time in my world. It meant everything to me.” Watch the video for “Soon” here. For more information about how music and technology can improve the lives of the elderly suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s, visit Music & Memory here.

- Geffen/UMe continues its celebration for the release of Guns N’ Roses’ forthcoming Appetite For Destruction reissues with the debut of the original, newly discovered video for “IT’S SO EASY.” Filmed live in 1989 at the infamous Cathouse, “IT’S SO EASY” was never completely finished and has remained in the vaults, unseen and unreleased. The footage was recently uncovered for inclusion in the box set and has been digitally restored in 4K UHD from 16mm film transfers with the original conceptual scenes edited back in with the live footage, just as the band had originally intended. “IT’S SO EASY” can be viewed HERE.

- To celebrate their 40thAnniversary, John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd (PiL) are pleased to announce The Public Image is Rotten(Songs from the Heart) Box Set will be released on July 20, 2018, coming in the form of a staggering 5CD/2DVD set as well as a 6LP set. The box set will feature the PiL Singles Collection (1978-2015), B-sides, Rarities and Radio Sessions, 12” Mixes, Unreleased Mixes and Tracks and a Live concert from New York Ritz in July 1989. The DVD includes PiL promo videos + footage from the BBC’s Top Of The Popsand Old Grey Whistle Test. Just in case that isn’t enough they’ve included two legendary live concerts, the first PiL’s appearance at the Tallinn Rock Summer Festival in Estonia 1988 (still part of the USSR at the time) and the second from 2013’s Enmore Theatre in Australia during the This is PiLtour.See below for full track listing.

- GHOSTLIGHT DELUXE, an imprint of Ghostlight Records, will release Take Me to the World — the long-awaited third album from two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster — on Friday, June 1. Customers that pre-order the digital album will immediately receive a download of the album’s second single. “I’m on My Way / On My Way” is a medley of one of Sutton’s signature songs from the musical Violet, combined with the traditional spiritual. The album is being released in conjunction with the fifth season of the critically-acclaimed TV Land series “Younger,” which returns on Tuesday, June 5. To pre-order the album, please visit here.

- Joe Walsh and VetsAid, his national 501(c)3 non-profit veterans organization, today announced the date and location of their 2nd annual music festival. VetsAid 2018 will be held on Sunday, November 11, 2018, Veterans Day, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. Launched on September 20, 2017 with an inaugural concert at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia featuring performances by Walsh, Zac Brown Band, Keith Urban and Gary Clark Jr., the first VetsAid concert disbursed nearly $400,000 in grants to veterans’ services organizations nationally and locally. “It was always my intention to take this show on the road and share the experience with veterans’ communities across the country,” Joe Walsh explains. “In 2018, I wanted to bring VetsAid to my brothers and sisters at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Base Kitsap and all throughout the beautiful Pacific Northwest. And next year… who knows?” Full lineup and on-sale information will be announced later this summer. For more information, please visit vetsaid.org.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 5/27/2018

Billions: Two episodes after the big revelation of Chuck and Axe and I still have little idea where the show is going if those two are not at each other. Is Chuck going to take on the Attorney General? Are Chuck and Axe ever going to target each other? When is Taylor going to turn on Axe like they have been teasing? Now that Connorty has found a job, is he going to go after Axe and/or Chuck again? They built to such a high apex for the first two and a half seasons, it does not seem like they are going anywhere for the remaining three episodes this season.

Fear the Walking Dead: Many people have theorized that Madison is no longer alive in the future timeline on account she has yet to turn up yet. When the Scavenger dude gave Alicia condolences to for her brother but not her mother I thought maybe that was a hint she is still alive. Then Dharma shows up and Alicia shoot at her making me think that the only thing that could make Alicia do that is Dharma killed her mother or had something to do with her death. Whatever the case I am guessing we will not get a definitive answer until the midseason finale.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

I’m Dying Up Here: Did Carson really ever have on people who had potatoes shaped like people? But anyway. Apparently Cassie’s kid is going to be a thing this season. But we did who the father is and it was just some dude back home while she was in high school. I do still wonder if everyone back homes knows this or did the ruse start when she was still pregnant? But it looks like she wants another one.

Supergirl: One thing I noticed this episode was that all the cars had National City license plates. Wait, is National City a state? Do all the cares in this universe have their city’s license plate instead of the state? That was weird. And it says a lot that the only thing that stuck out to me in this episode were the license plates.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars II: Again, the big twist just happened to help the Stars, and that was four straight Champ eliminations losses in a row (granted Hennessey walked out during that). Thankfully they are switching things up next week even though they pretty much gave away who wins as a pair with one Champ and Star debate what to do.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Oh hey, Donnie Hendrix is back. I wondered where he was when Offred went to the doctor in the first episode. He had a memorable cameo in the first season offering to impregnate Offred because the Commander was shooting blanks. I just assumed he got fired for being a pervert. And as we saw with Lost, flashback can be hit or miss (and the longer the show goes the more misses there are), but Mrs. Waterford’s are always the most interesting. I kind of wish they would giver her a full episode because I am fascinated to see just how she got where she is. Oh, and just how exactly does a Handmaid get her hand on a bomb?
You can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Survivor: Ghost Island: I spent the last couple weeks complaining that Laurel was content playing for third (which she ended up doing) but what the fork was Angela doing? First she is excited to be a part of SeaBass and Donathan’s plan to oust Dominick only to tell Dominick for no reason. Almost as mind blowing is that she voluntarily switched seats with Wendell to make him feel comfortable at the fire making challenge because he was freaked out having to use a loser’s color. Why would you want your opponent to feel comfortable when you are doing a challenge for a chance at a million dollars?

Seriously, why come on Survivor if you are not going play the game? It is one thing to realize to late you need to shake things up like Kellyn, Donathan, and SeeBass, but to know you are going to lose and being content about it is unacceptable. And no one talks about it because they went one two, but why didn’t Dominick or Wendell turn on each other until Dominick resigned Wendell to fire making (I laughed when Dominick floated giving Angela Immunity to take on Wendell at fire making but in retrospect, he should have done it; although why would you ever think an army vet would lose a fire making challenge)? He could have joined the girls when Kellyn when out. Actually the split tribals when he had immunity would have been the perfect time to strike.

But even with the split vote at the end, it was a boring finale with the only to look forward was the theme of the next season which is David vs. Goliath. The more I think about it the more offensive I think it is. If you are in the David Tribe you are probably there because you are weak or weird. Then if you are Goliath, well, he lost to loser and clearly by the name the producers want someone from the other Tribe to win. But hey, I did spot Mike White, who wrote and was Jack Black’s roommate in School of Rock, in the background of the promo. Which begs the question, which Tribe is he? He looks like someone who would be on the David Tribe, but his bank account will probably double or triple that of everyone on the Goliath Tribe.
You can download Survivor: Ghost Island on iTunes.

The Americans: So what did Stan searching for the Jennings accomplished? The Jennings did steal their identities but did Stan think that when he saw Philip was a twenty-three year old black dude from Florida or did he think, oh, there must be a bunch of Philip Jennings in America. I know someone who shares my name in my county. But once the surveillance phots come in, will Stan recognize Phillip? And since she grabbed Passports, does that mean the Jennings are leaving the country? After that blow up, will they take Paige? And what about the boy?
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

Krypton: I realized a couple episodes back there was only two ways the ends: Braniac succeeds or he does not. The writers chose to go with the bolder choice of changing the timeline. And boy it did. Superman’s cape did not actually disappear despite the change but the cape itself changed from a House of El seal to that of a House of Zod which makes me think that Zod still sends his nephew to Earth, not to save him from a dying planet but to conquer Earth. But the one confusing is what is going on with Adam Strange? Clearly he is in a city on Earth that Braniac bottled up. Except Braniac was sucked into the Phantom Zone. Is Adam in the Phanton Zone? Are whole cities in the Phantom Zone? Of course if Zod can escape the Phantom Zone so can a twelfth level intellect so this can be in current day on the darkest timeline.
You can download Krypton on iTunes.


And with the season finale of Survivor, the Spring season is pretty much over and we get our first summer premiere (that I have any interest in) next week. Here is what I will be watching while trying to avoid the heat.

Mondays
Nothing

Tuesdays
Casual (Hulu, July 31)
9:00 – The Bold Type (Freeform, June 12)

Wednesdays
The Handmaids Tale (Hulu, already started)
Harlots (Hulu, July 11)
Castle Rock (Hulu, July 25)
8:00 – Young and Hungry (Freeform, June 20)
10:00 – Reverie (NBC, May 30)

Thursdays
8:00 – Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger (Freeform, June 7)
9:00 – Nashville (June 7)
9:00 – Trial and Error: Lady, Killer (NBC, July 19)

Fridays
8:00 - Quantico (ABC, already started)

Saturdays
Nothing

Sundays
9:00 – Claws (TNT, June 10)
9:00 – The Affair (Showtime, June 17)
9:00 – Preacher (AMC, June 24)
10:00 – I’m Dying Up Here (Showtime, already started)

Around the Tubes: 5/25/2018

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Claws, Just Another Immergrant, MTV Movie & TV Awards, The Chinese Exclusion Act, The Pacific War in Color, Love Means Zero, James Bay, Meg Myers, Liz Phair, Chloe Kohanski, Papillon, and Twin Peaks.

- TNT is revealing the official trailer and new key art for season two of Claws. Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston, Judy Reyes, Karrueche Tran, Jenn Lyon, Jack Kesy, Kevin Rankin, Jason Antoon, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Suleka Mathew, Harold Perrineau and Dean Norris star in the hit dramedy series, which returns Sunday, June 10, at 9:00 on TNT.



- Showtime has released the trailer for the new docu-comedy series centered around popular UK comedian Romesh Ranganathan, Just Another Immergrant. The 10-episode, half-hour series will air back-to-back episodes on Fridays beginning on June 8 at 9:00.


- MTV announced a slate of performers and presenters for the 2018 “MTV Movie & TV Awards.” Mustard will perform his new single “Anywhere” for the first time ever with Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated artist Nick Jonas. There will also be a performance by fan-favorites Chloe x Halle. Presenters who will be onsite to hand out the top prizes of the night will include: Michael B. Jordan, Seth Rogan, Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell.

- In the context of ongoing national debates over immigration, the timely new two-hour documentary The Chinese Exclusion Act, from Emmy® Award winning documentary filmmakers Ric Burns and Li-Shin Yu, will debut as a special presentation of the award-winning PBS television series American Experience this Tuesday, May 29 2018 at 8:00. The film is narrated by actor Hoon Lee (Banshee).

- A groundbreaking new eight-part series traces the epic struggle of the Pacific War using rare and never-before-seen color visuals from every corner of the conflict. Smithsonian Channel takes viewers on a vivid journey from the home front to the battlefront, examining the pivotal moments, wartime innovations and social upheavals that still reverberate today. The Pacific War in Color premieres Sunday, June 24 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Showtime will present the television premiere of the documentary Love Means Zero, which tells the story of celebrated yet controversial tennis coach Nick Bollettieri and explores the cost of his all-consuming drive for greatness, on Saturday, June 23 at 9:00. From Showtime Documentary Films, Love Means Zero features interviews with his former students and tennis prodigies, including Jim Courier, Kathleen Horvath, Carling Bassett and Boris Becker. The documentary made its world premiere to critical acclaim at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.


- After months of building excitement and anticipation around the globe, three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multiplatinum singer-songwriter James Bay releases his second full-length album, Electric Light [Republic Records], last week. Check out Electric Light Here.

- Meg Myers reveals the chilling video for “Numb,” the lead single from her forthcoming album ‘Take Me To The Disco,’ out 7/20 on 300 Entertainment. The video, directed by Clara Aronavich, shows Meg going about her day in a haze, surrounded by people intruding on her personal space. It's a powerful, spine-tingling visual that brings the song to visceral, disturbing life. NPR Music’s Bob Boilen called the video, “Singer Meg Myers Confronts 'Innocent Touching' And Microaggressions In New Video” Watch here.

- On June 8, Capitol/UMe will release three vinyl reissues by Grammy®- nominated, indie-rock singer/songwriter Liz Phair. These three coveted LP releases have all been culled from Phair’s fertile, whip-smart studio catalog, with each album making its triumphant debut on 180-gram black vinyl.

- Chloe Kohanski releases her brand new single “Come This Far” produced by MXM. Get it HERE via Republic Records.

- Watch Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek plan their escape in the new trailer from Bleecker Street's Papillon. Based on the international best-selling autobiographic books from Henri "Papillon" Charrière, the incredible true story from director Michael Noer (Northwest) and writer Aaron Guzikoswski (Prisoners) opens in theaters August 24!


- Showtime will run all 18 parts of the limited series Twin Peaks consecutively, beginning Saturday, June 2 at 4:35 a.m. ET/PT and ending at 10 p.m. PT/ET. The uninterrupted Emmy For Your Consideration marathon will air on SHOWTIME 2. In addition, all parts are also available to subscribers on multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites and applications and their free On Demand channels.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 5/20/2018

Billions: So the end of the last episode felt like series finale. A very sad series finale where the bad guys won and had depressing ways of celebrating. Which begged the question, what is next. At first I was thinking that Axe was also going to throw his hat into the ring for governor. Then Chuck got screwed over for a favor to take down Axe that Axe still escaped. But Wendy did make a very convincing argument about power. Politics does seem like a horrible way wield power. Then we end this episode where I still have no clue where the show is going. Unless everyone Chuck, Wendy, and Axe screwed over the last two episodes, Connerty, Taylor, Chuck’s dad, Jack Foley, Mafee, Lara, et al, team up to bring down the trio.

Fear the Walking Dead: Okay, why is Dharma always leaving? She left new guy, she tried to leave Alicia. Just do not give us a full episode explaining why. And I missed why exactly the zombies were attracted to the jeep that covered up the hole in the bridge. And really, that many zombies washed up on shore over night?
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

I’m Dying Up Here: Cassie has a kid? So do we know the father or just some random dude back home? And will we ever see the kid again or is this a Peggy Olsen situation where the kid goes to the sister and is never talked about again?

Timeless: After spending three years in the past, why is Jiya so dismissive of waiting a year for training a new pilot. And if Mason built the thing, how hard would it be for him to fly it. Of course none of that matters because future Lucy shows up to go get Rufus back even though they are not allowed to travel to times they lived in and did not travel with a pilot.
You can download Timeless on iTunes.

Supergirl: Why the fork did Saturn Girl go back to the future when Reign still had Pestilence’s power. That seemed stupid. 74% is still not 100% had just one Legionnaire stayed back. Ugg. We better be getting a Saturn Girl spin off soon. And if Lex Luther’s biggest enemy is a Kyrptonian, how does he not have a safe room that is Krptonian proof?
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Lucifer: I expressed last week that I would have been disappointed if Angel Charlotte show up last week. I never realized there would not be a next season. Oops. Oh, and Chloe finally saw Lucifer’s devil face, so at least they went out on a bang.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

Rise: Well Ted Mosby continued to be annoying to the end. Clearly he should have been fired for putting the musical back the way it was written. But instead the superintendent shuts down the dram department because of funding cuts? Aren’t most drama departments self-funded except for the maybe the teacher’s bonus? Most concession stands can make a mint. But maybe Ted Mosby should have kept grease as the musical. Maybe then the drama department would not have been shut down and maybe the show would have gotten enough eyeballs not to be canceled.
You can download Rise on iTunes.

The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars II: And we have yet another advantage that helps the Stars. Either they are really lucky or they are getting some divine intervention from the producers. And Devil is probably ruing Shane’s plan to use the save as a ploy to get the Stars to trust the Champs a couple episodes again.
You can download The Challenge: Vendettas on iTunes.

The Handmaid’s Tale: Well that was one of the creepiest marriage ceremonies I have ever witnessed. So is the driver and all those dudes future Commanders? Are they always going to be part of the working class with little upward mobility? The preacher talked about replenishing the Earth with children, are these women able to bare children? I would assume not because wouldn’t they make them Handmaid’s. And what is with all that blood? I do understand Offred not telling anyone because if that was a miscarriage, they may not have any more need for Offred. But with Offred talking to her belly, I guess she did not lose the baby. Or she went even more crazy.
You can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

Survivor: Ghost Island: Nothing more mind blowing than last week Laurel debating going with Wendell who she trusts but knows she cannot beat or the girls who she does not trusts but thinks she can beat and then voting with Laurel. Things got even more annoying this week and Laurel continued to hem and haw over turning on Wendell only decide against it because Wendell was too stupid to tell Probst he was done with puzzle and she thought it would be bad form to vote him off right after that. Laurel, that is except when you vote someone off: right when they do something historically stupid. Imagine if Parvati decided not to vote out for the Ice Cream Scooper because he stupidly gave up immunity. That is why Parvati won and why Laurel will not.
You can download Survivor: Ghost Island on iTunes.

The Blacklist: I spent the who season thinking there is no way what those bones in the duffel bag are going to be as important as Red is making them out to be. And then we learned the bones were Raymond Reddington. Wait, what the fork? So the first couple season Red kept on insisting that Lizzie was not his daughter only to finally admit later. And now we learn Raymond Reddington, Lizzzie’s father is dead. So what have we been watching?
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

The Americans: Is Elizabeth turning soft? First she almost does not burn the picture which can easily track her to someone she should not be around. Then she does not kill the Congressional aid when he clearly figure out she was not who she says she is? Then she does not kill the person her handler tells her to, and not only that, she had turned her back on the Center and teamed up with Philip to protect Gorbachev. Oh yeah, but most importantly, Stan has pretty much figured out who she is.
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

Krypton: So Zod is Seg’s son. Wait what?!? That is some Shakespearian shirt right there that I never saw coming. But why would I? Maybe there is a swerve coming up. Maybe you do not need Zod and El blood to open Doomsday’s lair. Maybe Seg as a brother. Oh, and I wonder when Chekov’s Doomsday would show up again. But will it go off in the third act? Will it get bottled up in Kandor? Can Zod and Seg save Kandor. I guess if Zod is Superman’s uncle, anything can happen on this show. And where (or when) is Adam Strange?
You can download Krypton on iTunes.

Gotham: Gotham is starting to look like Arkham City with each villain taking turf. Including a couple we have not seen before. Was that Man-Bat? And I have no clue who that mother-kid pair that looked to be in Joker masks were. But then you had Butch and Ras died for the second time each. Lee and The Riddler may have killed each other but their bodies are in the possession of Hugo Strange. Selina may be the best off of many of the main characters with just a damaged vertebra. I take it an experimental surgery will give her cat like reflexes?
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Blindspot: So a side effect to her memory erasing drug is now Jane only has memory from before she was drugged and does not remember anything that happened after she came out of the duffel bag? And Zapata is evil now? Alrighty.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Once Upon a Time: So The Evil Queen’s happy ending to have complete power. Silly me, I thought the big event they were taking her to was a wedding and maybe they found a way to resurrect Robin. But I guess it was a fine finale for show that has not been good for years.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: When the characters started to think they were invincible because they know that are in the future I was convinced one would die. And Fitz seemed like the most likely candidate because he impregnate Simmons, then die before anyone knew she was carrying. And then he got crushed by debris… except he did not die? And he is in space? None of that sequence made sense. Well until I read someone else recap noting that future Fitz died and present day Fitz is in space waiting to go the future that is no longer happening. Yeah, that is only slightly less confusing. But I guess Zeke really did blink out of existence. Oh well.
You can download Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 5/18/2018

- TBS' Emmy® Award-winning late-night series Full Frontal with Samantha Bee is pleased to announce it is gamifying* the 2018 midterm elections. Samantha Bee, who totally knows what coding means, is working with some of the best minds in Silicon Valley to develop the non-partisan This is Not a Game: The Game game. TINAG:TG is a heart-pounding, prize-stuffed turducken of a trivia game in which average citizens play to the death OR win kick-ass prizes, not sure which. We're waiting to hear back from our lawyers. America's dismal midterm election turnout SUCKS and we are 100% certain this game will solve everything. Full Frontal is not sure why this responsibility has been left to late-night hosts but is up for the challenge.

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has added actor John Michael Higgins (“Great News,” “Pitch Perfect”) as host of its new survey-matching game show, American Says. The new half-hour series will premiere June 18 at 5 pm ET and will air Monday through Friday. American Says is a fast-paced studio game show where two teams of friends and family face off to guess America’s responses with fill in the blanks to survey questions covering every topic under the sun. They’ll have to be quick when trying to think of what America says, as time is always ticking and the team with the most money banked after three rounds will head to a bonus round to see if they can guess even more survey responses to win up to $15,000.

- The first seven installments of the Star Wars saga are streaming all month long on TBS. TNT’s “People in Peril” themed films include American Sniper, Green Lantern and San Andreas.

- Plain Spoken: From The Chicago Theatre – a narrative film experience by John Mellencamp –is available on DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD, and Digital Formats. A unique voyage into the mind and music of John Mellencamp, Plain Spoken is a live concert filmed at the historic Chicago Theatre, overlaid with personal commentary from the man himself reflecting on his career and life. This DVD set not only includes the original version of the film that debuted on Netflix, but a “non-commentary” version of the concert, as well as a live CD. The set list traverses material from across John Mellencamp’s career, from classics like “Small Town” and “Pop Singer” to songs from his most recent release Sad Clowns and Hillbillies.

- Chvrches: Miracle: The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon


- The Aces: Last One: Late Night with Seth Myers:


- Platinum-certified duo Marian Hill’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Unusual, is out now—listen here! Unusual is made up of ten tracks written and produced by Jeremy Lloyd (production/songwriting) and Samantha Gongol (vocals/songwriting) of Marian Hill. Leading up to the release, the duo, “known for an arty blend of jazz and R&B that fits curiously well on a dance floor” (Apple Music), released three tracks, “Subtle Thing,” “Differently” and “Wish You Would,” off the album. “Differently” was produced by Marian Hill and notable Canadian producer Boi-1da (Drake, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Lana Del Rey). Apple Music hails the track as, “an ominous hip-hop cut about jealousy…bursting with nervous energy yet feels meticulously controlled, a tension carried throughout the album.”

- Amanda Brown has built her career on taking risks that provoke intense reactions. Her new album, Dirty Water, brims with a distinct confidence, the kind only earned by choosing personal truth over people pleasing. Out now, the album meditates on the complexity of life’s ups and downs, as told by Brown’s unmistakable vocals -- capable of both awe-inspiring power and delicate nuances.

- BBC Sound of 2018 winner and the exceptional breakout star, Sigrid, releases new video for ‘High Five’ yesterday. The Spielberg inspired coming-of-age visual is directed by long-term collaborator Ivana Bobic, a relationship that has already spawned videos for breakout hit ‘Strangers’ and the live hybrid for ‘Raw’.


- Tune in Friday, May 18 at 9:00 to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special “Stone Temple Pilots” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and streaming on-demand through DIRECTV NOW.

- TBS has ordered up another season of hilarious misadventures with TV’s most dysfunctional family of The Detour. After a bonkers road-trip, a disastrous move to New York City, and a run from the law in Alaska, the Parkers will be back for a fourth season of The Detour, one of cable’s top 10 comedies. With the return of The Detour, TBS is building on the extraordinary success of a 100% renewal rate since the network’s rebrand in 2016.

- Shometwim has ordered the drama series City on a Hill, starring Golden Globe winner and Emmy® nominee Kevin Bacon (The Following) and Screen Actors Guild® award winner Aldis Hodge (Underground). With a 12-episode order, City on a Hill will premiere in 2019. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO of Showtime Networks Inc.

The Five Most (and Least) Anticipated Shows of 2018-19

I recently looked back at last year’s Most Anticipated list which turned out to be a pretty bad class. Rise and Good Girls were the best of the bunch though the former never even came close to being as good as it should have been. The Mayor and The Gifted both made the list but I was pretty meh on both (though the addition of the triplets in the latter gives me slight hope for season two). I closed the top five with Young Sheldon, a show I did not even bother to watch.

The thing is, this season is worse. Not one show grabbed my interest. Really, only one Pilot piqued my interest, The Greatest American Hero, but ABC inexplicably passed on that so they could air even more family sitcoms. Seriously, ABC will air five hours of family comedies this fall. Meh. But here are the five shows I may watch an episode or two next season:

1. Cosmos: Possible Worlds (Midseason, FOX) – I guess this is a cheating calling this a new series because there has already been a Cosmos on television twice, but everything below this is kind of meh.


2. Anne’s (Midseason, NBC) – Bill Simmons on his podcast constantly talks about how they should reboot Cheers and NBC finally did… sort of. It is not called Cheers and not in Boston (Abby’s is in San Diego). Bonus point for finding Natalie Morales getting her first regular television gig since the underappreciated The Middleman.

3. Manifest (Mondays at 10:00 on NBC) – Okay, this looks bad. And it will not last. Seriously, when was the last time one of these strangers are brought together by some weird occurrence lasted more than one season? Resurrection? And even that bombed hard in season two. Actually, is that the only one after Lost? But I miss hate watching Lost, so I will check this out.


4. Schooled (Midseason, ABC) – I did not care for the backdoor Pilot, but the announced version does not include the principal’s sister and kid, instead is replaced with Lainey for n apparent reason but I guess that is an upgrade.

5. The Neighborhood (Mondays at 8:00 on CBS) – They did recast the white dude with Deputy Leo, so…


As the great philosopher Butt-Head once pondered, how would we know if something was cool if there weren't things that sucked, here are the five shows you could not pay me to watch next fall (click on their names to watch the trailers where available).

1. I Feel Bad (Thursdays at 9:30 on NBC) – Seriously, did they name the show I Feel Bad so ever critic can write “… for watching this crap?”

2. New Amsterdam (Tuesdays at 10:00 on NBC) – Remember when medical dramas were dead. I believe Grey’s Anatomy was the last one standing. Then NBC launched one in Chicago. The Fox did one that is also returning. And now NBC has a second medical show. Yawn.

3. Magnum P.I. (Mondays at 9:00 on CBS) – Magnum does not have mustache… what the fork?

4. Last Man Standing (Fridays at 8:00 on FOX) – Um, wasn’t the show about a guy living in a house of girls? Two of the daughters are not even coming back and the third daughter moved out a couple seasons ago. If the show is just going to devolve into Tim Allen fighting about Trump with his black neighbor, who is now in the main cast, hard pass.

5. Everything on The CW – When The CW abandoned Sundays a decade ago, I figured the network would not even exist ten years later. Except here we are and the little network that barely does is actually reclaiming Sundays. With two extra hours to fill, that means they had even more new shows than usual. And they all look horrible. They got on the reboot crazy, except they are not bringing back hits like other networks; instead they are bringing back Charmed and Roswell, two shows I never watched in the first place. Then there is a Vampire Diaries spin-off which is almost as yawn inducing as a reboot. They did order a couple of original show; well as original as a crappy Friday Night Lights rip-off can be. Oh, and then there is a show about a blind chick who saves crimes with her dog. The CW everybody.


And here is my full fall schedule, at least the networks, hopefully cable has some better offerings or I may have to do something productive with my time this fall:

Mondays
8:00 - The Neighborhood (CBS)
10:00 – Manifest (NBC)

Tuesdays
8:00 - The Gifted (FOX)
9:00 – Black’ish (ABC)

Wednesdays
8:00 – Survivor (CBS)
8:00 – The Goldbergs (ABC)
9:00 – Modern Family (ABC)

Thursdays
8:00 – Superstore (NBC)
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
8:30 – The Good Place (NBC)

Fridays
8:00 – Blindspot (NBC)
9:00 – Midnight, Texas (NBC)

Sundays
Second straight year where this is nothing on Sundays worth watching from the networks. Did they just cede the night to football and cable?