Around the Tubes: October 24, 2020

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Ariana Grande, Your Honor, Run, Stephan Colbert, Eater’s Guide to the World, The Reagans, The Circus, Doom Patrol, Snowpiercer, Beastie Boys, Nelly Furtado, The Offspring, Noah Kahan, Kristin Chenoweth, Ziwe, Regina Hall, and Supervillian.

- ARIANA GRANDE NEW SINGLE “positions” OUT NOWLISTEN HERE: https://arianagrande.lnk.to/positionsWATCH OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO HERE: https://arianagrande.lnk.to/positionsvideo
- SHOWTIME announced that the new limited series YOUR HONOR, starring Oscar^® nominee and Emmy^® winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), will premiere on Sunday, December 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. BAFTA^® winner Peter Moffat (The Night Of, Undercover) serves as showrunner, executive producer and writer of multiple episodes. The series is executive produced by Emmy nominees Robert and Michelle King (The Good Fight, The Good Wife, Evil) and Liz Glotzer (Evil, The Good Fight). Emmy-nominated and BAFTA-winning director Edward Berger (PATRICK MELROSE) executive produces and directs the first three episodes.  

- Check out the official Hulu trailer for RUN. The Original Film will premiere on Friday, November 20, only on Hulu. 

- Emmy and Peabody Award-winning late night host Stephen Colbert will return to SHOWTIME to host another live election night special. STEPHEN COLBERT’S ELECTION NIGHT 2020: DEMOCRACY’S LAST STAND: BUILDING BACK AMERICA GREAT AGAIN BETTER 2020. Airing Tuesday, November 3 at 11 p.m. ET, the one-hour special will feature the celebrated host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert reacting in real-time to election results as the state-by-state returns come in.  Guests will include Charlamagne Tha God and hosts Alex Wagner, John Heilemann and Mark McKinnon of THE CIRCUS.

Check out the official trailer and for upcoming original series Eater’s Guide to the World, narrated by Maya Rudolph.  All 7 episodes premiere Wednesday, November 11^th, only on Hulu!

- SHOWTIME has released the trailer and poster art for the upcoming docu-series THE REAGANS. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer (Where’s My Roy Cohn?, Studio 54), the four-part series contextualizes the legacy of Ronald and Nancy a generation later while exploring the palace intrigue of the Reagan White House years. THE REAGANS will premiere on Sunday, November 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. To watch and share the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/8dI1OIkiEaM.
- THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE CRAZIEST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ON EARTH continues its fifth season this Sunday as the presidential candidates brace for the final dramatic weeks before Election Day. Hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon, along with guest contributor Jennifer Palmieri, dive into a dizzying week of news that includes rising Covid cases across the country, Senate battles over the Supreme Court confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, and the final debate between Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/BWMEvL2uBuU.
- Get ready to embrace the strange. DC’s favorite misfit heroes are back to save the world once again with the release of Doom Patrol: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray and DVD on January 26, 2021 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Strap yourself in for an exhilarating ride with all 9 episodes from the second season of the original DC series, plus enjoy the captivating extra features including two behind-the-scenes featurettes. Doom Patrol: The Complete Second Season is priced to own at $29.98 SRP for the DVD ($39.99 in Canada) and $39.99 SRP for the Blu-ray ($44.98 in Canada), which includes a Digital Copy (U.S. only). Both sets have an order due date of December 22, 2020.
- Attention all passengers - the revolution is coming! Get ready for more secrets, plot twists, and reveals as Warner Bros Home Entertainment takes you on an epic journey with the release of “Snowpiercer: The Complete First Season” on Blu-ray and DVD on January 26, 2021. Strap yourself in for an exhilarating ride with all 10 episodes from the first season, plus enjoy the captivating extra features, behind-the-scenes interviews, featurettes, and more! “Snowpiercer: The Complete First Season” is priced to own at $24.98 SRP for the DVD and $29.98 SRP for the Blu-ray, which includes a Digital Copy. Both sets have an order due date of December 22, 2020. “Snowpiercer: The Complete First Season” is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.
- Beastie Boys Music, a 20-song collection covering the GRAMMY® Award winning and multi-platinum selling Beastie Boys’ recording career is available now. The collection is a companion piece to the critically acclaimed, Emmy® nominated documentary Beastie Boys Story, and the group’s best seller Beastie Boys Book, which ascended to #1 on The New York Times Best Sellers List—topping both the Nonfiction Print Hardcover and Nonfiction Combined Print & E-Book Best Sellers charts.  Beastie Boys Music is available digitally, on CD and as a 180gram 2LP vinyl set and can be ordered here.
- Grammy® winning singer/songwriter Nelly Furtado first spread her artistic wings and soared into America by taking a bold approach to pop music with her debut release of Whoa, Nelly! on October 24, 2000. At the time, she signalled a new era by coupling her multicultural musical heritage with an unabashed willingness to write songs about her strengths and vulnerabilities. On October 23, Dreamworks/UMe celebrates the 20^th anniversary of the RIAA-certified double-platinum album with a new digital-only Expanded Edition, available for pre-save here: https://nellyfurtado.lnk.to/WoahNellyDlx.
- To commemorate its 20^th anniversary, Conspiracy of One, the sixth album by punk rock trailblazers the Offspring, will once again be available on vinyl — the first time since its release in 2000. On December 11, Round Hill Records/UMe will release a deluxe version of Conspiracy of One pressed to yellow and red splatter vinyl, which includes spot gloss on the cover and a custom turntable slipmat featuring the Offspring's flaming skull silhouette logo. A non-deluxe, limited-edition canary yellow vinyl variant will be available on uDiscover & The Sound of Vinyl. A standard black vinyl version will be released in early 2021. Listen or pre-order Conspiracy of One HERE.
- Singer and songwriter Noah Kahan teams up with mxmtoon for his new single “Pride” out now.  LISTEN TO “PRIDE” FEAT. mxmtoon HERE!  “Pride,” which was produced by chart-topping artist and producer Alexander23, illuminates another side of Kahan’s sound, as it explores the regrets and broken promises of a failed relationship through the lens of social media. Highlighting the strength of the renowned songwriter’s craft, Noah is joined by songstress and internet sensation mxmtoon, as the two turn out a duet of hummable harmonies with a lyrical dialogue examining this aspect of modern-day relationships.
- GRAMMY® nominated and Dove Award-winning recording artist Ty Herndon has released a duet with Emmy and Tony award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth, titled, “Orphans of God.” The single, which also features award-winning pianist and composer Paul Cardall on piano will be featured on Herndon’s upcoming Christmas album, Regifted, set for release on Friday, November 27. Both the single and album are released via BFD/The Orchard. “Orphans of God” can be heard here, and Regifted can be heard here.
- SHOWTIME has placed a straight-to-series order for an untitled variety series starring and executive produced by rising star Ziwe. The series will feature interviews, sketches and more – including unscripted and unpredictable real-world rendezvous between everyday people and Ziwe, a writer, comedian and performer. The announcement was made by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. In addition to writing for DESUS & MERO^® and OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT on SHOWTIME and Dickinson, Ziwe hosts an online show, in which she invites friends and celebrities alike as guests and, armed with a smiling and biting wit, overtly baits them into comically uncomfortable conversations about race. The show is seen by rapidly rising audiences on YouTube and Instagram. She has also been a voice performer as Kamala Harris among other roles for OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT, as well as Tooning Out the News, and she appears in her own Pop Show, which she created and performs at Brooklyn's Union Hall with original pop songs off her album Generation Ziwe. Ziwe’s comedy career began as an intern for Comedy Central, and a year later she wrote for The Onion and The Rundown with Robin Thede.

 

- Regina Hall (BLACK MONDAY, Girls Trip) has signed a first-look deal with SHOWTIME, where she will develop and produce television projects under her production company, Rh Negative. Already in development is a one-hour comedy special featuring Hall as star and executive producer. The announcement was made today by Amy Israel, Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.  “Regina is an undeniable and brilliant force in Hollywood, both in front of and behind the camera,” said Israel. "She is one of the most dynamic and fearless actors of our generation and in her work on BLACK MONDAY, she hilariously destroys every scene she’s in. We are thrilled at SHOWTIME to continue and expand our relationship with Regina as a producer and eager to get to work on what promises to be an ambitious slate.”
- SHOWTIME today released a first look from the provocative SUPERVILLAIN, profiling hip-hop artist Tekashi 6ix9ine’s epic rise to notoriety. Through an exclusive interview with the incendiary rapper after his release from prison earlier this spring, director Karam Gill (Ice Cold, G-Funk) examines the culture of manufactured celebrity through 6ix9ine’s mastery of social media. SUPERVILLAIN is produced by Imagine Documentaries, Rolling Stone and Lightbox.  Brian Grazer will executive produce with Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein of Imagine Documentaries, Gus Wenner of Rolling Stone, Jonathan Chinn and Simon Chinn of Lightbox, journalist Stephen Witt, and Peter J. Scalettar. The three-part docu-series is set to premiere early 2021.  To watch and share the teaser, visit: https://youtu.be/Tg3KX2Dk8gM.  
- Following the final debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, People For the American Way (PFAW) President Ben Jealous released the following statement:  "If there was any doubt left about Donald Trump’s unfitness for office, he removed it with his whining and dishonest performance tonight -- including his deeply offensive remark suggesting migrants have 'low IQs.'  Kudos to Joe Biden and to moderator Kristen Welker for showing respect for the American people in the way they addressed the issues that really matter in this election, like health care, the pandemic, and our national reckoning with racial inequity.  Biden was the clear winner tonight on the issues and demonstrated his integrity, honesty and commitment to our democracy. The only thing that remains is for us to get out and vote for Biden and Kamala Harris, and take the first step toward healing our country after four disastrous years of the Trump administration.”  What transpired during the debate showed the American people that it’s more important than ever to vote to ensure that our country has a path to health care, pandemic relief and racial equality. But voter suppression is a real issue, and to combat it, PFAW created Defend the Black Vote to galvanize Black voter turnout especially among young Black men by providing resources to battle misinformation targeting this community. 
- A unique evangelical grassroots campaign is providing strategic support for Joe Biden in swing states to help propel him to victory.  The Evangelicals For Biden Campaign, launched a month ago, has achieved impressive results thus far:

• 175,000+ faith voters across the country have taken our Evangelicals For Biden Pledge.
• 7.6 million opens on our emails.
• 18 million+ impressions of our ads.
• Over 350,000 clicks throughs to our content.
• 100,000+ views and 20,000+ engagements of our Facebook content.
• 20,000+ diversions away from QAnon & pro-Trump opposition pages to our content.

With 12 days before the election, Evangelicals For Biden (EFB) is already the biggest independent evangelical grassroots campaign ever to support a Democratic presidential candidate. 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 18, 2020

 
Lovecraft Country:  This episode would have hit much harder had HBO now already aired a show less than a year ago that featured the Black Wall Street Massacre.  But I missed what happened to the aunt and when did she become a computer?  That is the downside to having the episode seem like an anthology, nothing seems like it matters when it is happening until something later happens that makes you realize that it did matter.
 
Fear the Walking Dead:  So who saved Morgan?  I am predicting the burn faced dudes wife.  But I feel we missed a lot.  How did Morgan survive this long with a bullet in his shoulder and some evil chick looking for him. 
 
The Walking Dead: Worlds Beyond:  Can wimpy dude just learn that the Hispanic sister killed his mom (and sibling) because the longer they string it along, the more annoying it gets.  And if none of them learn how to kill an “Empty” soon, this is going to be a very short trip.  But I wonder what is going to happen when the adults catch up to them.  Will they head home to learn everyone is dead or keep going toward New York?
 
Fargo:  Deafy is getting the short straw this time around.  Previous seasons the law seemed almost as important as the criminals but Deafy just seems like an afterthought.  It did not help that he did not even show up until the third season.  Chris Rock, who seemed like he was positioned as the lead, also does not seem as important as the marketing would have me believe.  And what exactly did he smell?  Weren’t all the bill washed first before given to the mortician?  Can you not wash puke out of money?
You can download Fargo on iTunes.
 

Around the Tubes: October 17, 2020

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Dexter, Stevie Wonder, Hanson, Benee, James Blake, Hope Tala, The Circus, Bad Hombres, Saturday Night Live, Shameless, VOTE or DIE!, 

- America’s favorite serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) will return to SHOWTIME in a new 10-episode limited series that will once again bring together series star Michael C. Hall and showrunner Clyde Phillips. The new limited series is set to begin production in early 2021, with a tentative premiere date in the fall of 2021. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.  “DEXTER is such a special series, both for its millions of fans and for SHOWTIME, as this breakthrough show helped put our network on the map many years ago,” said Levine. “We would only revisit this unique character if we could find a creative take that was truly worthy of the brilliant, original series.  Well, I am happy to report that Clyde Phillips and Michael C. Hall have found it, and we can’t wait to shoot it and show it to the world!”

- Stevie Wonder used the occasion of the 36^th birthday of his second oldest son, Mumtaz Morris, to announce something he has never done before. With a spirit of celebration, he released two songs at once. “Can’t Put It in The Hands of Fate” feat. Rapsody, Cordae, Chika, and Busta Rhymes and “Where Is Our Love Song” feat. Gary Clark Jr., are songs that provide instruction and inspiration for today’s global challenges.  Released on Wonder’s new label, So What The Fuss Music, marketed and distributed by Republic Records/Universal Music Group, both songs are written and produced by Stevie Wonder and are available now on all digital and streaming platforms.  Listen to “Can’t Put It In The Hands of Fate” feat. Rapsody, Cordae, Chika, and Busta Rhymes: HERE  Listen to “Where Is Our Love Song” feat. Gary Clark Jr.: HERE

- HANSON are inviting fans around the world to join them for the second chapter on November 5 -7, which will also coincide with the November 6 release of their new album Perennial - A Hanson Net Collection. The livestreaming concert series broadcasting live from the historic Cain’s Ballroom, a local music landmark in the band’s hometown of Tulsa, OK, features a new musical theme each month, and offers live streaming tickets along with very limited in-person tickets for members of the band’s Hanson.net fan club. November’s musical theme for the concerts will be inspired by the new album, Perennial, which highlights music recorded for the band’s Hanson.net community over the last 20 years, but never before shared with the public.  WATCH: STREAMING CONCERT SERIES | OFFICIAL TRAILER  BUY TICKETS

- New Zealand’s platinum sensation BENEE announces her highly-anticipated debut album, Hey u x, is set for release on November 13^th. The 13-track genre-bending album, which features collaborations from a slew of artists, including Lily Allen, Grimes, Flo Milli, Gus Dapperton, Mallrat, Kenny Beats, Bakar and Muroki, can be pre-ordered now HERE.  Hey u x includes BENEE’s Platinum-Certified smash hit “Supalonley” feat. Gus Dapperton, which has amassed over 2.1 billion global streams to date, as well as her recently released pop bops, “Night Garden” feat. Kenny Beats and Bakar and “Snail.” See the full album tracklist below. The album artwork was designed by Californian artist Terry Hoff.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning UK singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer James Blake has officially released his new EP Before – Listen HERE. Blake joined Annie Mac on Radio 1 for “Hottest Record in the World” to premiere the title track, “Before.” The 4 track EP is an homage to his London club days, as Blake returns to his roots on these deep and immersive dancefloor tracks while showcasing the evolution of his music. Before is available everywhere now, via Republic Records.

- Hot on the heels of well received recent single, “All My Girls Like To Fight,” fast emerging, London-based newcomer Hope Tala today reveals new track “Crazy,” the second offering taken from her upcoming major label debut EP, Girl Eats Sun out October 30^TH. Showcasing Hope Tala’s beautiful vocals atop bossa nova-influenced beats, “Crazy” once again cements Hope Tala as an artist set to take the next months by storm.  LISTEN TO “CRAZY” HERE AND WATCH THE CAPTIVATING LIVE VIDEO HERE!

- THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE CRAZIEST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ON EARTH continues its fifth season Sunday with a deep dive into the ongoing battle over voter access during an election that is already underway.  Hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon, along with guest contributor Jennifer Palmieri, unpack a critical week in the closing days of the 2020 race, as  President Trump returns to the campaign trail, Judge Amy Coney Barrett begins Supreme Court confirmation hearings and a record number of Americans cast their ballots.  For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/afT3SCp4b2U.

- SHOWTIME has released a first look at its upcoming documentary BAD HOMBRES, premiering on Friday, October 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Filmed over the course of the 2019 Mexican Baseball League season, BAD HOMBRES chronicles the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos, the world’s only binational professional baseball team, revealing what life is like in two border cities besieged by divisive rhetoric and policies, all in the shadow of America’s pastime.  The never-before-seen clip illustrates an unexpected concern that members of the Tecolotes staff and roster must address following a controversial statement from the United States government threatening the closure of the U.S.-Mexico border just days before the season begins, potentially restricting travel between the team’s two home ballparks. Scheduled to host home openers in both Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, the Tecolotes’ plans are put at risk. To watch and/or share the first look, visit: https://s.sho.com/3dqNCUZ.

- On October 11, 1975, Saturday Night Live, a topical comedy sketch show, made its debut on NBC. Created by Canadian-born comedy writer Lorne Michaels, it would go on to become a renowned launch pad for generational talent and unforgettable characters and become the longest-running, highest-rated show on late-night television. The first five years of Saturday Night Live featured some of the most beloved cast members of all time, including Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman and they set the stage for some of the most hilarious live television comedy American audiences had ever seen.  Now the best of the original cast is available unlike ever before. To commemorate this landmark show, the TV DVD specialists at Time Life have brought together the very best episodes from the first five seasons with SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: THE EARLY YEARS, a hilarity-packed 12-disc collector's DVD set featuring the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" iconic characters, legendary guest hosts like George Carlin, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin and Richard Pryor, exclusive bonus features and more! They're still not ready for prime time, but now you can watch them any time!  Available now exclusively at TimeLife.com/SaturdayNightLive

- SHOWTIME has announced the 11^th and final season of its hit comedy series SHAMELESS will premiere Sunday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. SHAMELESS, which originally premiered in the winter of 2011, ranks as the network’s No. 1 comedy and its longest-running series, and has the youngest-skewing audience of any SHOWTIME series. Season 10 of SHAMELESS aired its finale on January 26 and averaged 5.7 million weekly viewers across platforms.  The final season of SHAMELESS finds the Gallagher family and the South Side at a crossroads, with changes caused by the COVID pandemic, gentrification and aging to reconcile. As Frank (William H. Macy) confronts his own mortality and family ties in his alcoholic and drug induced twilight years, Lip (Jeremy Allen White) struggles with the prospect of becoming the family’s new patriarch. Newlyweds Ian (Cameron Monaghan) and Mickey (Noel Fisher) are figuring out the rules and responsibilities of being in a committed relationship while Deb (Emma Kenney) embraces her individuality and single motherhood. Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) finds an unlikely new career in law enforcement and Kevin (Steve Howey) and V (Shanola Hampton) struggle to decide whether a hard life on the South Side is worth fighting for.

- SHOWTIME has made a straight-to-series order for 10 episodes of the new half-hour comedy FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS, created and written by Kevin Iso and Dan Perlman, who will both star. The series is a co-production by SHOWTIME and Avalon (Breeders, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), which will act as lead studio in adapting Iso and Perlman’s digital series of the same name. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.  FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS is a raw comedy of city life following Dan and Kevin, who play characters struggling to thrive in their new surroundings in the brash environment of Flatbush, Brooklyn. Bold, smart and grounded in authenticity, the show explores two longtime friends seeking to climb out of their heads and connect with others. For their work writing, directing and starring in the shorts that form the foundation of the series, Iso and Perlman won Best North American Short Film at the London Film Festival, with the first installment becoming Oscar^® qualified following a Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short at the Florida Film Festival.

- SHOWTIME is picking up a third season of its comedy series BLACK MONDAY, starring Emmy^® nominee and Golden Globe^® winner Don Cheadle, who also executive produces. The comedy about a motley crew of underdogs causing the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street also stars two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy^® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Little, Girls Trip), who serve as producers, and Paul Scheer (Veep). BLACK MONDAY is created by showrunners and executive producers David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl). Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Good Boys, The Boys) executive produce. BLACK MONDAY, a co-production between SHOWTIME and Sony Pictures Television, will resume production on 10 episodes next year for a 2021 debut on the network.

- Approaching this year’s General Election on November 3^rd, REVOLT has relaunched Sean “Diddy” Combs’ widely popular VOTE or DIE! initiative, to rally the next generation of leaders to exercise their right to vote in this critical election.  As we face a pivotal turning point in our nation’s history, being politically active means more than selecting a President; it symbolizes your right to take action now. REVOLT recognizes “Vote or Die” is relevant now, more than ever.  To jumpstart the campaign, REVOLT hosted a State of Emergency: Election Day and Black America town hall, presented by Cash App and moderated by American television host, Eboni K. Williams, to alert citizens about the current happenings in Black America as we prepare to engage in the general election. Guests included Kerry Washington, Cordae, Tamika Mallory, Vic Mensa, Dr. Cornell West, Jeff Johnson, Kimberly Jones, Mysonne, Tezlyn Figaro and more. In addition to the town hall, REVOLT Black News (RBN) provided a recap of the Presidential and Vice Presidential debate and has conducted interviews with politicians, political commentators and notable voices in the Black community.

- VP Pence held a rally in Columbus, Ohio.  A group of Our Revolution protestors led by Chuckie Denison a former Lordstown worker who recently retired from GM were kicked out as they were attempting to call out Pence and his lies about the administration saving manufacturing jobs.  The Trump-Pence ticket has always had a problem with the truth, and their comments on the Ohio economy are no exception. In factcheck after factcheck they have repeatedly lied about auto manufacturing in Ohio and more plants have closed than jobs created. Chuckie has extensively called out Trump and his lies on the economy in Ohio: “In 2016, Trump won big in the Mahoning Valley, the traditionally blue stronghold in northeast Ohio where I live, helping Trump carry the state after it twice voted for Obama. Blue-collar voters believed Trump when he said he would be the “greatest jobs president that God ever created.” Four years later, it’s obvious we were duped. Under Trump, we’ve lost 5 million of the 11.6 million net jobs created under Obama.That’s the worst jobs record of any modern president.”

- A group of American ethnic leaders from central and eastern Europe (CEE), together with former US ambassadors to NATO and 14 CEE nations, General Wesley Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Ambassador Mark Brzezinski (retired) today announced a campaign warning voters in battleground states of the danger that reelection of President Donald Trump poses to freedom in so many countries of their heritage.  As part of the launch, they have released a joint statement and video aimed at highlighting President Trump’s ongoing threats to NATO and former Vice President Joe Biden’s commitment to championing the military alliance as a bulwark for the people of central and eastern Europe against Russian authoritarianism and aggression. The campaign is targeted to ethnic and social media of Americans whose families hale from central and eastern Europe.  “The ethnic community leaders and former diplomats who come together today know central and eastern Europe. They know America. And they know Vladimir Putin,” said General Clark. “That’s why I join them to warn voters, particularly in battleground states, that, because he threatens NATO, Donald Trump is dangerous to their families’ homelands and to our country. Vice President Joe Biden, on the other hand, is a proven champion of NATO and of democracy in Europe and around the world.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 10, 2020

 

Lovecraft Country:  This seemed like the episode that drove the most plot and featured the theme of the week (eww, creepy kids) the least.  Those creepy kids did not even show up until twenty minutes in.  I thought the genre this week was just a straight ahead drama until then.
 
The Walking Dead:  I swear they just added a couple new characters in her after a long break and hoped no one would notice.  I am not even talking about Maggie or the dude from Fear the Walking Dead (on a side note, why put them in the beginning, kind of ruined the reveals later in the episode).  Like the chick who was holding hands with the fat dude.  Was she there the whole time.  And where did they get the music?  How could they possibly have any energy left?  I guessing no one has figured out how to store energy from the solar panels.  Then the Whisperers just had tire spike at the ready even though no one drives cars anymore?  And I just missed how they went from leading the zombies, get caught by the Whispers, hunkered down in the rain, and then Carol leading the horde off a cliff.  Which we knew she was not going to go over herself because they just announced the spin-off.

You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.
 
The Walking Dead: Worlds Beyond:  I thought this was supposed to be about kids who knew nothing but the zombie apocalypse but they still have memories of when it started.  Meh.  And are those kids really going to go from Oregon to New York?  Just going over the Rockies seem too much.  And is the evil chick part of the group that took Rick and if so, when is that movie happening?
 
Fargo:  So Crazy Nurse is just pleasuring dudes in parking lots now?  But hey, Timothy olyphant is back to playing a law man. A law man named Deafy who is not deaf.  After meeting Doctor Senator last week, I wonder what unfortunately named character we meet next week.
You can download Fargo on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: October 9, 2020

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Greta Van Fleet, Benee, Evie Irie, Gotts Street Park, Bob Marley, Driving While Black, The Circus, Shut Up and Dribble, and Americanan Selfie.

- Greta Van Fleet releases its first new song in more than a year, “My Way, Soon” (Lava/Republic Records.)  The song is a liberating and jubilant track that celebrates and reflects the band’s personal transformation over the past three years.  Also released is the track’s companion music video, which was shot, edited, and directed by the band.  Go HERE to check out “My Way, Soon."

- New Zealand’s platinum sensation BENEE unveils the official video for her latest single “Snail” today—watch it HERE!  For the visual, BENEE and director Anita Fontaine deliver a lush and larger-than-life fantasy befitting of the track. In the colorful clip, BENEE wakes up to feed her giant snail roommates and slides around their slime trails before heading to work in her secret elf lab. Soon, she’s cycling out of her home—a concrete replica of her own head—out into a storm. After being struck by lightning, our heroine turns into an elf and cruises through a mushroom wonderland under the glow of an aurora borealis-style blanket of colors across the sky. Reflective of her personality, it pops off as her biggest and boldest video to date.

- Following her highly anticipated project, The Optimist EP, Sydney-born singer/songwriter Evie Irie releases the official music video “Carry Your Heart” today.  Watch the “Carry Your Heart” official music video   HERE  Listen to The Optimist EP HERE  The “Carry Your Heart” official music video transcends viewer to passenger of Evie’s cross-continental adventures and infectious energy. Billboard sums up “Carry Your Heart” best, “Within the same minute on the gentle pop track, the singer-songwriter’s voice can sound like it’s about to shatter into pieces, and then summons a towering confidence.”

- Today Leeds based four piece Gotts Street Park have shared new track "Everything" (via Blue Flowers) that features soulful vocalist Rosie Lowe. Listen and watch it's beautiful accompanying video HERE.  Recorded during lockdown, "Everything" showcases the distinctively rich, sultry vocals of Rosie Lowe, on an atmospheric and canyon-deep groove. "Everything" is taken from Gotts Street Park’s upcoming second EP, Volume Two, which is due for release on November 27, 2020. Volume Two features an impressive array of material and stellar collaborations including Pip Millett, Flikka, Zilo and Grand Pax. The video features two dancers twisting and folding into each other, as they navigate the magnitude of new love.

- UMe and Tuff Gong announce three new and exclusive limited-edition collector series coming later this year.  On December 11, twelve limited-edition Bob Marley vinyl LP's, each numbered and pressed exclusively at the legendary Tuff Gong International headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, will be available, featuring nine original studio albums and two original live albums, plus the world's best-selling reggae album, Legend, all including a highly-desirable Tuff Gong stamp. Additionally, Catch A Fire, originally recorded by The Wailers in Jamaica and eventually released with overdubs and a mix overseen by Island founder Chris Blackwell at the label's London headquarters, will be available in its original Jamaica-recorded version, with two extra tracks from the sessions and some tracks with longer fades. Produced entirely by Bob Marley & the Wailers and mixed by longtime Marley associate Errol Brown, this Jamaican version will be on vinyl for the first time.  The limited-edition albums were pressed at Tuff Gong's newly refurbished vinyl pressing plant, which re-opened in summer 2020 and will have an annual capacity of 250,000 units. Each album was mastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters in Los Angeles.  To view the full list of the limited-edition Jamaican LPs, click HERE.  To listen or purchase, click HERE.

- DRIVING WHILE BLACK: RACE, SPACE AND MOBILITY IN AMERICA – a ground-breaking, two-hour documentary film by acclaimed historian Dr. Gretchen Sorin and Emmy–winning director Ric Burns – will air on PBS this Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings). Watch the trailer now here.  Chronicling the riveting history and personal experiences – at once liberating and challenging, harrowing and inspiring, deeply revealing and profoundly transforming  –  of African Americans on the road from the advent of the automobile through the seismic changes of the 1960s and beyond – DRIVING WHILE BLACK explores the deep background of a recent phrase rooted in realities that have been an indelible part of the African American experience for hundreds of years – told in large part through the stories of the men, women and children who lived through it.

- THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE CRAZIEST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ON EARTH continues its fifth season this Sunday as President Trump's recovery from Covid-19 sidelines him during a key stretch of the 2020 race. Hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon, along with guest contributor Jennifer Palmieri, unpack another unprecedented week of news, including the vice presidential debate, unanswered questions about the President's condition and an ongoing health crisis at the White House. For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/sl4fb2AdQbA.

- SHOWTIME Sports has announced a short feature series from the makers of SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE, the 2018 Showtime Sports Documentary Films series from executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter of The SpringHill Company and Emmy Award^® winning director Gotham Chopra of Religion of Sports. The new, six-part series features bonus footage and never-before-seen elements from the original series, which spotlights the changing role of basketball and its athletes in advancing social justice and civil rights. Each five-to-seven-minute short, voiced by journalist Jemele Hill, will be released on the SHOWTIME Basketball YouTube Channel and air interstitially on SHOWTIME over the next two weeks.

-  Showtime Documentary Films announced today it will premiere acclaimed filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi’s new film AMERICAN SELFIE: ONE NATION SHOOTS ITSELF on Friday, October 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. A visceral cross-country journey during one of the most tumultuous years in history and chilling in its foreshadowing, the feature documentary fearlessly enters the heart of a nation and reflects back urgent, and at times, uncomfortable, truths. SHOWTIME has also released the trailer and poster art for the film, which is executive produced by Sheila Nevins for MTV Documentary Films. The announcement was made by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.   To watch and share the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/kzthKcXwH-0.

57 Channels and Only This is On: September 4, 2020

 
 
Lovecraft Country:  Was that supposed to be a Quantum Leap homage because that was the vibe I got.  Otherwise, it was the least interesting episode which just left me hoping someone would finally get around to a Quantum Leap reboot.
 
Fargo:  I left the first episode thinking that Chris Rock, the morticians, and the crazy nurse were in cahoots to kill the head of the Italian mob.  But in the second it looked like the crazy nurse was… just crazy.  Plus Chris probably would want him around since he agreed to give him the slaughterhouse that the brother does not seem interested in letting go now.  Plus that is the Fargo way, a comical series of errors are set off by an unforeseen act.  Though I am still predicting that Chris is the father of the little girl.
You can download Fargo on iTunes.
 
Raised by Wolves:  Um, so creepy android lady gave birth to a flying snake baby through her mouth (I guess that answer the question did they give android genitalia, granted, Father looking like a Ken Doll in his skin tight suit kind of already answered that).  Um, okay.  Interesting way to end the season.