Around the Tubes: July 23, 2022

                        

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Only Murders in the Building, Mike, This Fool, Hotties, POV, People Puzzler, Em Beihold, Aerosmith, Megadeath, and Doriana Spurrell.

- Check out Charles-Haden Savage’s “hit” song, which debuted at #83 on the German music charts in 1989! Featured in Ep. 204 of "Only Murders in the Building," "Angel in Flip Flops" (written by Steve Martin and Kirker Butler, produced by Paul Schaffer) is out now. Please see the never-before-seen music video and single below. Steve Martin (co-creator, EP, and star) says, “I am as proud of ‘Angel in Flip Flops’ as I am of any work I’ve done that is not that good.” 

- Check out the newest trailer for Hulu's "Mike," starring Trevante Rhodes as Mike Tyson. Episodic images available now.  The eight-episode limited series will launch on August 25 with two episodes, on Hulu. Two new episodes to stream weekly.

- Check out the official trailer and key art for Hulu's "This Fool," which is inspired by the life of comedian Chris Estrada and executive produced by Fred Armisen. The series premieres on Friday, August 12th with all ten episodes.

- “HOTTIES” is a new dating competition series that pits pairs of blind dates against each other in a wild battle to cook up date-night worthy dishes, all while attempting to eat incredibly spicy food.  Set in food trucks in the desert heat, each 30-minute episode sees two pairs of sexy singles make a meal and choke down extreme spicy food challenges in a bid to fast forward the dating process and win a cash prize. Will battling the heat help them burn through first date facades to form a more authentic connection…or will it all just be a hilarious hot mess? Comedian Jade Catta-Preta serves as host, while also judging both what’s on the plate and each of the dates. Whichever couple has the best plate, best date, or both, wins a second date worth $2,500, or…they can split the cash, walk away, and promise to never see each other again!  Stream all episodes on Hulu August 16.

-  PBS television series POV presents an intimate look at the citizens of a small fishing town in Maniitsoq, Greenland as they reckon with their Danish colonial past and a promising future by an American industrial company in the eye-opening documentary Winter’s Yearning, directed by Sidse Torstholm Larsen (Living on the Ice) and Sturla Pilskog (Urban Hunters), and produced by Are Kvalnes Pilskog, Vibeke Vogel and BAFTA Award winner Emile Hertling Péronard (Borgen).  The national broadcast premiere is next Monday, July 25, 2022 at 10pmET/9C, and is available to stream free until August 25, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities. POV is America’s longest running documentary series and is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season.

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has announced today that the new season of one of its most popular originals, PEOPLE PUZZLER, will premiere on Monday, August 1 at 6 pm ET and will air weeknights at 6 pm ET.  Hosted by two-time Emmy® Award winner and Daytime Emmy nominee for Outstanding Game Show Host Leah Remini, and based on the iconic crossword puzzles in PEOPLE, the No. 1 magazine brand in the country, season three of PEOPLE PUZZLER will feature the familiar pop culture quiz fare along with some special contestants and show themes. 

-  Cementing herself as one of 2022’s breakthrough artists to watch, gold-certified Los Angeles singer and songwriter Em Beihold (pronounced bye-hold) releases her debut EP Egg in the Backseat via Moon Projects/Republic Records today!  Get Egg in the Backseat HERE.  About the EP Em commented, “I am so excited for Egg in the Backseat to be released into the world. I had the most fun making this EP with my collaborators (Dallas Caton, Alex Veltri, Michael Coleman and James Ghaleb), and I feel it comes through in the music. If you liked “Numb Little Bug,” be prepared for some more blunt, sunny pop."

- In continued celebration of their 50^th anniversary, today, the four-time GRAMMY® Award-winning and Diamond-certified rock legends Aerosmith, (Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer), announce the launch of 50 Years Live!: From the Aerosmith Vaults, the band’s new “official bootleg” streaming concert series featuring five deep, archival, and unreleased multi-camera live shows from Aerosmith’s vast personal vaults. With the entire production of all five concert films supervised by Aerosmith, the series kicks off with a live stream of Live From The Summit, Houston, TX, 1977, a combination of classic live performances from a two-night stand in Houston in 1977 that captures the band in all its raw and powerful rock n’ roll splendor. Live From The Summit, Houston, TX, 1977 will premiere on Aerosmith’s official YouTube channel on July 29^th at 12pm PT/3pm ET and will be available, in its entirety as a gift for fans, for one week only and can be viewed HERE. Highlight clips from Live From The Summit, Houston, TX, 1977 will also be added to Aerosmith’s YouTube channel on July 30^th and will include “Back In The Saddle,” “Mama Kin” and “Sweet Emotion.”

-  MEGADETH premiered Night Stalkers: Chapter II, the next installment of a multi-part short film being released alongside MEGADETH’s next single “Night Stalkers” from their new studio album The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! being released on September 2, 2022, via UMe. Both the video and single for “Night Stalkers” feature a special appearance by the iconic artist Ice-T.  Watch Night Stalkers: Chapter II, HERE.  Created by Dave Mustaine, produced by Rafael Pensado, and directed by Leo Liberti, Night Stalkers: Chapter II is the next episode in the multi-chapter saga about the origin of Vic Rattlehead as we continue to follow the tragic events leading to our operative’s complete transformation as he systematically exacts his revenge.

 

- Americana singer-songwriter Doriana Spurrell is releasing her new single, "Sunday," today (from her forthcoming EP). Recommended if you like: Brandi Carlile, Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, The Lumineers. "...Spurrell’s writing draws power from the smallest and most intimate of moments, tracing small stories that enlace into poetic meditations of life and meaning... 'Sunday' takes a winding tour through intimate character portraits, portraying a family clinging together through hard times. Keening country guitar tones and pastoral waves of strings ripple through the track as Spurrell’s vocals bring to it a warm and wistful sheen... The track feels almost nostalgic as it surveys a life full of both trials and warmth, holding the moments of stolen joy close like treasured memories." - Under The Radar

57 Channels and Only This Was On: July 17, 2022

 

 

Westworld:  With Neo-Delores gone this episode I came to the realization that that storyline is my favorite this season.  Weird they put her in the “Previously On” when she was not in the episode.  But it was cheap they led us to believe Caleb’s daughter was captured only to have her escape at the end so we would know that was not his real daughter at the very last moment.  But what exactly is Charlotte going to do with him?  But welcome back Bernard who is apparently now Dr. Strange living out every possible outcome looking for the one.  But at least Dr. Strange did not take years (decades?) to do it.

 

The Chi:  Oh joy, a Christmas episode in the squelchering heat of July.  The one problem with the switch to shorter season is that we rarely get holiday episodes anymore, but when we do, it just feels awkward watching those months away from the actual episode.   I took the way under on Emmitt’s celibacy, but is he really going to break it with Keisha?

 

Flatbush Misdemeanors:  Okay, that funeral was funny.  But c’mon, instead of wearing a salmon suit, wear darker, less dressy attire.  A dark shirt seems better than a salmon suit.

 

In the Dark:  Murphy Mason, this is your life.  Everyone that has ever been on the show popped up in the trial… well, one person was conspicuously missing.  I have a feeling she will end up being a surprise witness in the next episode.  Will she actually admit to be the one who killed Nia?  But it was really annoying to see Murphy and Darnell have it out in the courtroom when we know they are going to be chummy chummy later in the season before he gets shot.

 

Only Murders in the Building:   "Soooooo, how was prison?" Martin Short is just one of the best at line readings. Casting the evil girl from Fear the Walking as Lucy was an... interesting choice. But she works better than some of the other casting this season. I felt really bad for Mabel when she started feeling around Lucy like how Charles and Oliver feel around her. I found it really interesting that Del the Funky Homosapien sampled the Brazzos song because whenever someone says Mrs. Gambolini, I always hear it in the cadence of Mistadobalina. So maybe that is not a coincidence.

Okay, onto theory corner. I have suspected Howard ever since spotting his black eye in the first episode and I believe his Nina punched him excuse as much as his the cat did it excuse. Though we have now seen the killer twice (or at least presumably it is the killer); last episode attacking Bunny and this episode with Lucy inside the wall and neither really looked like Howard to me. Maybe I need to go back and look, but to me, it looked like a tall thin man, who could only mean one person: Jane Lynch.

I did put the presumably in parenthesis because, why, after killing Bunny, climb a couple floors to Charles' floor? Unless they live on that floor (like Nina but after threatening to get revenge on Bunny's killer, likely not her). Or were they already going to plant the bloody knife? Now I definitely need to re-watch to see if the killer had a bloody knife.  And the (presumed) killer sneezing also makes me think they are probably not a cat guy, who has been my guess most of this season.

 

Motherland: Fort Salem:  Shocker, the president is still alive.  But why let the vice president take power? 

 

The Challenge: USA:  You got to love any challenge that involves heights and being smart.  But the elimination was confusing, that one dude seemed to be peddling the hardest but his team always seemed behind.  Was his teammate that bad?  I feel like there was something they were not showing up.  The other team failed getting the memorization in one try too.

 

Ms. Marvel:  Like most Marvel properties, this show just sputtered to the end because they have a third act problem and a villain problem.  I did like the Home Alone montage and everyone just randomly popping up at the high school but the fight itself was meh because they never really seemed to figure out who the bad guy was.  Kamron kept going up to the line but never crossed it.  Damage Control was doing shady things, but it was mostly just the one agent who has not gotten much screen time.  But overall, the still ended up being the second best Disney+ show after Loki, and probably the second best thing in Phase 4 so far.

 

The Old Man: So Jeff Bridges is not playing the titular character?  It is not even John Lithgow?  That was a plot twist I did not see coming.

  

Around the Tubes: July 16, 2022

                       

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Only Murders in the Building, The Handmaid's Tale, Chucky, Reginald the Vampire, Fall, American Gigolo, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Young Sheldon, Beastie Boys, Bob Marley, Em Beihold, Kira Kosarin, Marcus King, POV, Best in Dough, We Met in Virtual Reality, and Fellow Travelers.

- Hulu Original comedy series “Only Murders in the Building,” which hails from 20^th Television, has been renewed for a third season. New episodes of the current second season stream weekly on Tuesdays.  News is on the heels of a successful first and second season. The first season debuted as the most-watched comedy series in Hulu Originals’ history.  Both seasons are 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The first season was the #1 best reviewed television series of 2021.  Said Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment: “‘Only Murders in the Building’ is the true crown jewel of our slate. Its appeal across generations, the intersection of humor and heart, and its truly original approach are a hallmark of and testament to Dan, John, Steve, Marty and Selena’s work. We are grateful to be able to continue telling the stories of Charles, Oliver and Mabel to viewers that have consistently shown us they crave more of this story.”

- Check out Hulu’s teaser for the upcoming fifth season of "The Handmaid's Tale." The critically acclaimed series returns on Wednesday, September 14th. New episodes stream Wednesdays.

- Chucky Season 2 premieres on October 5 at 9pm on USA & SYFY.  CHUCKY is a continuation of the iconic film franchise chronicling the murderous escapades of the notorious killer doll. In the TV series, Chucky crosses paths with archenemies, old allies and new prey, as he seeks to inspire fear and mayhem wherever he goes. After his diabolical plan to invade America’s children’s hospitals was foiled in season one, Chucky now seeks revenge on those he holds responsible: surviving teens Jake (Zackary Arthur), Devon (Björgvin Arnarson) and Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind), along with his ex Tiffany, now his sworn enemy.

-  Reginald the Vampire premieres on October 5 at 10pm on SYFY.  Imagine a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires. Reginald Andres tumbles headlong into it as an unlikely hero who will have to navigate every kind of obstacle – the girl he loves but can’t be with, a bully manager at work and the vampire chieftain who wants him dead. Fortunately, Reginald discovers he has a few unrecognized powers of his own. A new show with a lot of heart and just enough blood, “Reginald the Vampire” proves the undead life is just as complicated as life itself.

- From the Producers of 47 Meters Down, Fall, FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 IN THEATERS ONLY.  For best friends Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) and Hunter (Virginia Gardner), life is all about conquering fears and pushing limits. But after they climb 2,000 feet to the top of a remote, abandoned radio tower, they find themselves stranded with no way down. Now Becky and Hunter’s expert climbing skills will be put to the ultimate test as they desperately fight to survive the elements, a lack of supplies, and vertigo-inducing heights in this adrenaline-fueled thriller costarring Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

-  SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for its new drama series AMERICAN GIGOLO, starring Jon Bernthal (We Own This City) in the titular role of Julian Kaye. A present-day reimagining of the iconic 1980 film, the eight-episode original series from Paramount Television Studios will premiere on Friday, September 9 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut Sunday, September 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. New episodes will continue to drop every Friday via streaming and on-demand platforms before appearing on air Sunday night.      

- Hey Aqua Teen Fam! Everyone’s favorite fast-food trio from Adult Swim creators Dave Willis (“Squidbillies,” “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”) and Matt Maiellaro (“Space Ghost Coast to Coast,” “12 oz. Mouse”) are coming together for the first time on DVD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment with a complete collection including all 138 episodes from the hit series 11 season run, as well as the first theatrical film titled Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters, plus hours over 30 hours of bonus content.

- Just in time for the sixth season premiere, catch up with the iconic quirks of TV’s beloved Sheldon Cooper, and his latest childhood adventures, as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Young Sheldon: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD September 6, 2022. Laugh along with all 22, 30-minute, episodes from the outrageous fifth season, as well as all-new bonus content going behind the scenes of the series 100^th episode. Young Sheldon: The Complete Fifth Season is priced to own at $19.99 SRP for the DVD ($24.99 in Canada) and will also be available on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Archive Collection. Warner Archive Blu-ray releases are easily found at www.warnerarchive.com and on your favorite online retailer sites.

- To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Beastie Boys’ multi-platinum album Check Your Head, on August 12, UMe will release a limited-edition reissue of the rare 4LP deluxe version of the album, originally released in 2009 as an artist store exclusive. The long out-of-print and much sought-after box set features the 2009 remaster of the original double album, plus two extra LPs of bonus content including remixes, live versions, and B-sides. All four LPs are pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a fabric wrapped, stamped, hardcover case. The Check Your Head 4LP box set can be purchased at participating independent retail outlets and will also be available to pre-order exclusively through the Beastie Boys online store, HERE.  Originally released in April 1992, Check Your Head was a milestone for Beastie Boys on multiple levels: It was their first album to be produced, in its entirety, by Beastie Boys with Mario Caldato Jr. and to feature keyboard player Keyboard Money Mark, as well as the first to be recorded at the band’s own G-Son studios in Atwater Village, CA. Most significantly, however, Check Your Head marked the return of live instrumentation to the forefront and backbone of the Beastie Boys sound, with the bulk of the album featuring Mike D on drums, Adrock on guitar and MCA on bass for the first time since the band’s early 1980s hardcore punk recordings.

- In honor of The Summer of Marley, a brand new, official music video for Bob Marley & The Wailer’s “Could You Be Loved” debuts on Bob Marley’s Official YouTube Channel. The animated video was inspired by Cedella Marley, who has been tapped as the global ambassador of the Jamaican women’s Football program. In addition, Cedella also recently launched a women’s football initiative called ‘Football is Freedom,’ aimed at providing tools & resources to grow & promote the sport for women in the Caribbean/Latin America. The “Could You Be Loved” video follows a little girl from Jamaica pursuing her dreams of playing soccer in a world where it’s not very common. Throughout the storyline, the protagonist finds strength and courage in her surroundings and overcomes her inner doubts with Bob Marley as her guiding light, encouraging her to stay positive & keep going. The video shines a light on the girl’s journey as she ultimately grows into a confident young woman & becomes the star player on her team, winning the championship in the end. Watch the video for “Could You Be Loved” on Bob Marley’s Official YouTube Channel HERE.

- Cemented as one of the hottest new artists of 2022, gold-certified Los Angeles singer and songwriter Em Beihold (pronounced bye-hold) will release her debut EP Egg in the Backseat via Moon Projects/Republic Records on July 22^nd, 2022. Fans can pre-save the EP HERE.  To celebrate the release, Em has announced a special show at The Echo in LA on July 20^th with Sabrina Jordan.  She will then join King Princess for a string of dates on her Fall tour (see dates below).  Since the release of her debut single “Numb Little Bug” earlier this year, Em has quickly grown into one of 2022’s “ones to watch.”  She was recently featured as Billboard Magazine’s June “Chartbreaker” of the month and featured on a Mind Matters profile with Carson Daly on the Today Show where she discussed her struggle with anxiety and inspiration behind “Numb Little Bug.”

-  24-year-old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kira Kosarin presents her anxiously awaited Something New EP via Republic Records.  Listen to Something New EP — HERE.  On the five-track project, she creatively took the reins. Not only did she write on guitar and piano, but she also spearheaded the majority of the vocal production, asserting herself on the microphone and behind the board. Among many standouts, the single and title track “Something New” hinges on shimmering piano as it builds towards a soaring chorus, capturing the butterflies of learning to trust in a new relationship. On “Busy,” she played the primary guitar melody, underscoring another powerful vocal performance.

- Marcus King today announced the release of “Blood On The Tracks,” the latest preview, and lead single from his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. The track was co-written with Dan Auerbach and songwriting legend Desmond Child, renowned for his work with rock acts including Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and Aerosmith. It premiered today with Garden & Gun, who stated “‘Blood On The Tracks’, finds King steeling himself for the ascent from the depths to the sunlight above.  Accompanying the song release, King also dropped a live video, created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it here: https://MK.lnk.to/bottlive

-  PBS television series POV presents an intimate look at the citizens of a small fishing town in Maniitsoq, Greenland as they reckon with their Danish colonial past and a promising future by an American industrial company in the eye-opening documentary Winter’s Yearning, directed by Sidse Torstholm Larsen (Living on the Ice) and Sturla Pilskog (Urban Hunters), and produced by Are Kvalnes Pilskog, Vibeke Vogel and BAFTA Award winner Emile Hertling Péronard (Borgen).  The national broadcast premiere is Monday, July 25, 2022 at 10pmET/9C, and is available to stream free until August 25, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities. POV is America’s longest running documentary series and is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season.

- It's knead-to-know news! Hulu has debuted a first look at the upcoming pizza baking competition series, “Best In Dough," hosted by Wells Adams ("Bachelor in Paradise") and Chef Daniele Uditi (Pizzana restaurant creator and co-owner).  The 10-episode pizza baking competition series, “Best In Dough,"  will premiere Monday, September 19th on Hulu with three episodes. Three episodes stream the following Monday and four the next, with a finale date of October 3rd.

- HBO Documentary Films’ WE MET IN VIRTUAL REALITY, from director Joe Hunting, debuts WEDNESDAY, JULY 27 (9:00-10:35 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. WE MET IN VIRTUAL REALITY had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and is Hunting’s feature directorial debut.  Synopsis: Filmed entirely inside the world of virtual reality (VR), this immersive and revealing documentary roots itself in several unique communities within VR Chat, a burgeoning virtual reality platform. Through observational scenes captured in real-time, in true documentary style, the film reveals the growing power and intimacy of several relationships formed in the virtual world, many of which began during the COVID-19 lockdown while so many in the physical world were facing intense isolation. Although remaining wholly within the VR domain of avatars and imagined worlds, the film has elements of humor, serendipitous interactions and unexpected events that characterize real life. WE MET IN VIRTUAL REALITY tenderly documents the stories of people experiencing love, loss and unexpected connection, expressing vulnerability around mental health struggles and questions about identity, offering a hyper-real journey into the human experience of an online world that may soon shape the future.

- SHOWTIME was recognized with 17 Primetime Emmy Award nominations today by the Television Academy, led by seven nominations for YELLOWJACKETS, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress for Melanie Lynskey and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Christina Ricci. YELLOWJACKETS was also nominated for two writing Emmys and earned additional noms for Directing and Casting. In addition, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY and VICE earned nonfiction series nominations, and RAY DONOVAN: THE MOVIE was nominated in the category of Outstanding Television Movie. All SHOWTIME nominees are available on streaming and on-demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers.

- SHOWTIME has announced that Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) will star in the new limited series FELLOW TRAVELERS, alongside Emmy nominee and Critics Choice Award winner Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart, The Boys in the Band) and Allison Williams (Get Out, Girls). Bailey will play Tim Laughlin, a young Fordham University graduate, earnest about his political and religious convictions and filled with optimism about the post-WWII future. The eight-episode limited series is created by Oscar^® nominee Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, HOMELAND). Bomer and Nyswaner will executive produce with Robbie Rogers (All American, My Policeman). Daniel Minahan (Halston, American Crime Story: Versace) will executive produce and direct the first two episodes. Co-produced by Fremantle with SHOWTIME, FELLOW TRAVELERS will go into production later this month in Toronto.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: July 10, 2021

 

Westworld:  One of the big questions going into the season was if the Man in Black was still alive after Charlotte slit his throat at the end of last season.  Dude hitting hole in one after hole in one like he was Kim Jung Un pretty much confirmed he was a robot.  But shocker, it turns out the real William is being kept alive by Charlotte mostly out of spite I guess.  I wonder if Maeve will actually free him by the end of the season. 

I am just glad we are going back to the park, or a park.  I found it bizarre that a show called Westworld spent I believe one episode in Westworld last season.  I wonder what other parks fake William created.  And just who dropped the can that Caleb picks up in the Next Time On promo.  Did they recreated Deloras or has she been recast?

 

The Chi:  Well, the mayor’s exile did not last very long.  If he was funding Trig’s whole operation, why not just counter blackmail him in a mutual assured destruction before leaving town?  But it is nice to see that teenagers today are familiar with the great Method Man / Mary J. Blige (or, more likely, a middle aged writer forced the teenager to learn the song).  Oh and I am taking the way under on Emmitt’s celibacy.

 

The Man Who Fell to Earth:   Oh, so the old alien was in Cambodia, the show just yadda yadda’ed how the other two got there.  But it really just felt like the writers new the first season was not great and wrote in a soft reboot of what a second season might be.  But honestly, I would be fine if there were not a second season.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  I cannot believe the show actually made me feel sympathetic towards Bunny, but there are fewer people more sympathetic than life long Knicks fans. Then they made me realize how much of an antagonist she was again by threatening flogging to the courtyard party and unretiring, only to be sympathetic once again at the end when she was not invited into the party. And now we know how she got the tye-dye hoodie. Probably a bad look that the three amigos were the ones that put it on her.

While the new president went to the top of the murder board for the trio, I am still highly suspicious the cat guy. He did not have a black eye at the meeting, but had one the day of the memorial. The murderer also did not look like a very pregnant lady.

 

Motherland: Fort Salem:  Why didn’t Tally just use one of those song spells on the hunters?   And are these hunters that bad if they are setting up everyone in a mansion?

 

The Challenge: All Stars: Meh, always disappointing whenever Wes wins.

 

The Challenge: USA:  They did some bad casting for this show.  Survivor is the only show I watch and most of them were headscratchers, am not even sure Desi was on the show, even though her chyron says she was.  I am not entirely sure why Love Island was included at all especially considering it is not even on CBS anymore.  Then it just seems extremely unfair that there were six people from the same Big Brother season, four of which were very closely aligned (and inexplicable that when two were sent in first, they did not send in the other two to make sure at least half the alliance went home, that will come back and hunt everyone).

 

Then instead of needing stars or skulls from elimination wins you need $5,000 to run TJ’s finale which can easily be accomplished by win a daily.  If you do not win a daily, you will have to win a few eliminations (or just beat someone who won at least one daily or won a couple eliminations since you win all of the loser’s money).  I guess we will see how this plays out, I am guessing it will not have much of an effect because there will be plenty of chances to win money.  The more interesting twist is the algorithm which forces you to not have the same partner twice until you have partnered with everyone.  That should shake up some alliances… hopefully.

 

Ms. Marvel:  Well, that ending was confusing.  I get the dagger to bangle sent Kamala back in time, but how did she get back to her present.  And just how did the evil lady close that rift when her henchwoman just died?  And how did her powers transfer to Kamal?  And if Kamal the big bad now that they will have to take down in the finale?  Or has Damage Control been the big bad this whole time?

 

The Old Man:  Those night scene in the desert were The Battle of Winterfell dark. Thankfully nothing happening besides two people talking. And my interest in the show really dipped when the dogs got dropped off at the kennel. Hopefully they do not spend too much time in Morocco but I have a feeling we will spend the rest of the season there.

 

Around the Tubes: July 9, 2022

                      

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons, James Bay, Noah Kahan, John Legend. POV, and NYC Point Gods.

-  Check out the NEW trailer for Hulu Original Docuseries "Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons," directed by Matt Tyrnauer.  Coming to Hulu Thursday, July 14.  Investigated with journalistic rigor by director Matt Tyrnauer, this documentary tells the searing and provocative story of the Victoria’s Secret brand and its longtime CEO, the larger-than-life, enigmatic billionaire Les Wexner. The underworld of fashion, the billionaire class, and Jeffrey Epstein are all revealed to be inextricably intertwined with the fall of this legendary brand in "Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons." 

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Bay presents his highly anticipated third full-length album, Leap, out now via Mercury/Republic Records.  On the release of the album Bay said: ”I am so happy Leap is finally out. It’s been a weird and winding road to get here over the past few years (as it has been for everyone), but all things considered it’s been a wonderful journey making this music. I got the opportunity to write more songs and was able to fully realize what this album was supposed to be. I can’t wait to take these songs around the world.”  The record includes the heartfelt and hypnotic new single “Save Your Love,” which highlights his dynamic vocals and was produced by FINNEAS.

- Singer and songwriter Noah Kahan is back with his new honest and heartfelt single “Stick Season” out now via Mercury Records/Republic Records—listen HERE. For Noah, the song represents his homecoming, a lyrical homage to painful but necessary transitions brought to life by the imagery of the change of seasons in his home state of Vermont.  On the song, Noah says, “I wrote ‘Stick Season’ without knowing it would become, in my opinion, the most important song of my career. It allowed me to finally cross over into the style of songwriting that I have loved my entire life, and the second I finished writing it, I felt a level of comfort and honesty that I had never previously felt since I began my journey in music. Being able to tell a story, and being able to relate back to my home in New England in such an honest way, made me believe in myself again.”

- Multi-platinum, 12-time GRAMMY Award-winner John Legend today debuted the video for “Honey” featuring Muni Long, the second single from his forthcoming album.  The Christian Breslauer-directed visual is set in the aftermath of the retro house party featured in the video for “Dope” (the lead single from the upcoming LP).  We find Legend passed out on the living room floor dreaming about the dance party that took place the night before.  After a (CGI) bee sting wakes him up, honeycomb walls lure him to a secret room where he finds Muni in a vintage bathtub full of sweet glittery golden honey.  The warm morning backlight glows off her skin as she uses her beauty to pull him closer.  Watch the steamy scene unfold in the official video HERE.  Listen to the song HERE.  Upon the song’s release, Billboard said, “John Legend and Muni Long officially have a contender for song of the summer,” while Rolling Stone called the track “seductive” and “sultry.”  “Honey” was produced by Ryan Tedder, Steven Franks, Lindgren and Tommy Brown, with Legend and Long serving as co-writers along with Melanie Joy Fontana, HARV, Gregory Heinn, Lindgren, Franks, Tedder and Brown. While Long and Legend previously worked together as songwriters, “Honey” is their first collaboration as recording artists.

- The 35th anniversary season of POV, America’s longest running documentary series, opens with the heart rendering observational film Wuhan Wuhan, about the first wave of COVID-19, in the city where the mysterious virus was first discovered.  Directed by Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze, This is Not a Movie), and produced by Diane Quon (Minding the Gap), Donna Gigliotti (Hidden Figures, Shakespeare in Love), and Peter Luo (Crazy Rich Asians, Marshall), the documentary goes beyond the statistics and salacious headlines to provide a human experience to the early months of the pandemic through the stories of frontline medical workers, patients, and ordinary citizens.  Wuhan Wuhan makes its national broadcast and streaming premiere on PBS television series POV, Monday, July 11, 2022 at 10pmET/9C and is available to stream free through August 11, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

- POV Shorts, the best and boldest independent non-fiction short films curated by POV (America's longest-running documentary series), announced today the acquisition of six new short documentary films: Chilly and Milly, Coming Home, Freedom Swimmer, My Duduś and You Can't Stop Spirit that premiered at the 2022 Palm Springs International ShortFest, and Shut Up and Paint an official selection of the 2022 Tribeca Festival.  The six films will air on PBS stations, and stream on POV.org, as part of the upcoming fifth season of POV Shorts. The full season lineup will be announced at a later date.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films has released today the official trailer and poster art for its upcoming documentary NYC POINT GODS, an in-depth look at the legendary point guards of New York City who honed their craft and developed their legendary showmanship in the 1980s and ’90s. NYC POINT GODS  will be available across the network’s streaming and on demand platforms for all SHOWTIME subscribers on Friday, July 29 and will premiere on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT.  To watch and share the trailer, go to: https://s.sho.com/3NNo7xT. 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: July 3, 2022

 

Westworld:  So is Neo-Delores (am not going to bother learning her new name) some sort of descendant of whoever the robot was modeled after (Ford’s mother I think).  Is this taking place in robot heaven, where Teddy’s conscience went off to?  But then, how did Neo-Delores get there?  Season three was pretty bad, yet, I did not have the premiere.  But this season is early.

 

The Man Who Fell to Earth:   Oh wow, the FBI dude got shot by his subordinate.  I did not see that coming.  And I am not sure exactly why she did it.  But I kind of checked out early in the episode because way too much torture for me.  But is he dead-dead?  When you shoot someone, then walk up to do another shot up close is usually to make sure their dead.  But I guess the question, will some alien technology bring him back.  Speaking of murder, also was not expecting the daughter to jut push her father off the side of the cliff.  I found the horse murder to be a bit sympathetic because it was sick, but then she just goes full psychopath,  But I guess the old alien is not in Cambodia.

 

Irma Vep:  It was not until I listen to a podcast that I realized that Irma is not an actual vampire, just a thief pretending to be one.  I feel so stupid, but then again, I zone out whenever the director is on screen.

 

In the Dark:  Are the cops stupid, they were clearly talking about drugs on the tape, yet they somehow did not think to at the very least drug test the nerd.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  I kept on seeing people talking about Easter Eggs in the title sequence and even after knowing they were there, I never noticed one until the second episode of the second season when I noticed Bunny walking her bird instead of the dog she usually walks a dog.  Ha, good one title sequence creators.  As for the episodes themselves, the new episodes were dominated by stunt casting, which mostly worked in season one.

 

But, oof, off to a bad start so far this year (well aside from Shirley McLaine trying to cut the cheese, I cannot believe that is something I just wrote).  I do not understand what Amy Schumer is trying to do.  Usually celebrities play a meaner version of themselves, like Sting hating dogs and telling Tim Kono to kill himself, but she seems to being playing much nicer than her public persona.  Maybe she just playing nice to get Oliver to sign over the rights of the podcast and there will be a heel turn eventually.  Then Cara Delavigne just cannot act (and that kiss was very awkward).  Surprisingly, Michael Rappaport, who I will never forgive for ruining his season of Justified, was the least annoying.  But I did love how Mabel spent most of her interrogation mocking him.

 

As for the mystery of who killed Bunny, nothing happened that swayed me from my way too early prediction last season that Tina Fey did it to give her true crime podcast some content.  Though Cara Delavigne does seem shady but I feel like she is the Teddy Dimas of the season, someone who did something illegal, but not necessarily murder.  She probably is the forger.

 

Motherland: Fort Salem:  In the aftershow, they mention how the actor playing Raelle got in a car accident.  So that explains why she randomly just disappeared.  I guess she may just be in bed for a couple episode.  I did recognize her mom, but have little clue who that bad dude was.

 

The Challenge: All Stars: Kaylah definitely cheated and the shoe really needs to put up curtains in the puzzles because even when they put up blinders, someone like Kaylah is going to blatantly cheat.  But I feel like I jinxed Kellyanne by rooting for her as she keeps bombing, even in the paddle boarding which dominated earlier in the season.  But back to back wins may actually get her back in the hunt.

 

Ms. Marvel:  Were we really supposed to care for the new mentor who just showed up, gave a huge exposition dumb right before he (presumably) died?  But I did get a laugh when his apprentice said, “I always wanted to say that.”

 

The Old Man:  The first two episodes were very strong, but Amy Brenneman is really dragging the show down.  Maybe he should have not just killed her in her dream.  I do not even understand that whole divorce threat and how that would stop him from killing her.