Around the Tubes: August 27, 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 The Handmaid's Tale, Brian Wilson, John Legend, Jake Bugg, Marcus King, Best In Dough, Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!, Gentleman in Moscow, King Shaka, Stand, POV, Welcome to Chippendales, and Friends.

- Hulu has debuted the official trailer and key art for the fifth season of "The Handmaid's Tale." The new season returns with two episodes on September 14th. New episodes stream Wednesdays.  June faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose. The widowed Serena attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead’s influence creeps into Canada. Commander Lawrence works with Nick and Aunt Lydia as he tries to reform Gilead and rise in power. June, Luke and Moira fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah.

- A brand new and extensively updated edition of the classic rock biography God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the California Myth by David Leaf is published by Omnibus Press and will be released on September 22nd . Pre-order the book here: https://amzn.to/3dgPN1v.  Originally published in 1978 and updated in 1985, The Beach Boys and the California Myth by David Leaf was the first book to focus on Brian Wilson and recognize him as one of the most significant and influential artists of the 20th century. An intimate look at Brian’s rollercoaster life and career, the book was told through the eyes of those who were present at Wilson’s most legendary productions including Pet Sounds, Good Vibrations and SMiLE. It covered turbulent family strife and internal conflicts as well as Brian’s remarkable music. The book became an instant classic.

- Multi-platinum, 12-time Grammy Award-winner John Legend debuted the video for “All She Wanna Do” featuring Grammy Award-nominated rapper Saweetie, from his highly anticipated eighth studio album, LEGEND, out September 9th via Republic Records.  The vibrant visual – directed by Christian Breslauer – features a group of dancers who think they are at an open casting call until Legend and Saweetie surprise them on set to reveal the audition is actually the official music video shoot for the song.  Watch the video for “All She Wanna Do” HERE.  Check out behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot HERE.

- It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since Jake Bugg released his extraordinary self- titled debut album. Released on October 15^th, 2012, Jake introduced himself to the world and blew open the doors with an exquisite debut that rocketed to number one on the U.K. Album Chart, going on to sell over a million copies, bagging both a BRIT Award and Mercury Music Prize nomination. Since then he’s become one of the U.K.’s most prolific and established songwriters.  Fast forward ten years, with countless awards, record sales and sold out tours across the world, Jake is to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary with the release of special deluxe editions of the album on 2LP black vinyl, Limited Edition 2LP, Gold Vinyl and a 3CD - out October 14th, 2022. Pre-order HERE.

- Marcus King released Young Blood, his career defining new album, produced by Dan Auerbach and released on Rick Rubin’s American Records / Republic.  His tales of salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some of his lowest moments with drug and alcohol excess, following a crushing break-up. King is open about his challenges with mental health and shares he often deals with bouts of mania and depression, which were at the forefront of his mind while making Young Blood. During recording and writing the album, things were so bleak, King believed he was making his last record. King stated,  LISTEN HERE

- Check out the official trailer for Hulu's "Best In Dough," hosted by Wells Adams ("Bachelor in Paradise") and judged by Chef Daniele Uditi (Pizzana restaurant creator and co-owner). The series premieres on Monday, September 19th with the first three episodes. Three episodes stream the following Monday and four the next, with a finale date of October 3rd.  Trailer Available: HERE

- Everyone’s favorite mystery-solving gang is back! Grab your Scooby Snacks and get ready to go undercover as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! on Digital October 4^th and DVD on October 18^th. In addition to the 72-minute all-new original animated film, the DVD release also includes three bonus classic Scooby-Doo! episodes. Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! will be available to own on Digital for $14.99 SRP (US and Canada) and on DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.98 in Canada).  Mystery Inc. has cracked the case to top all cases! They’ve tracked down Coco Diablo, the head of the notorious costume crime syndicate that colludes The Black Knight, Space Kook and the Ghost Diver. With Coco and her kitty in prison, Mystery Inc. thinks that they can finally enjoy a break. Wrong! Suddenly, menacing doppelgänger ghosts of the Scooby crew and favorite classic foes show up in Coolsville to threaten Halloween. Now it’s up to the meddling kids – and their unlikely new partner Coco – to unmask the latest scoundrel and save Halloween! For Shaggy and Scooby-Doo, with trick-or-treating on the line – this time it’s personal!

- SHOWTIME announced that Emmy winner Ewan McGregor (Star Wars franchise, Halston, Trainspotting) will star in and serve as executive producer on the upcoming limited series A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW, an adaptation of Amor Towles’ bestselling novel. The series is produced by eOne in association with VIS, the international studio division of Paramount Global, and is set to begin production later this year and debut in 2023 on SHOWTIME in the U.S., Paramount + in the U.K and all international markets where the service is available.  McGregor will lead the cast as Count Alexander Rostov who, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, finds that his gilded past places him on the wrong side of history. Spared immediate execution, he is banished by a Soviet tribunal to an attic room in the opulent Hotel Metropol, threatened with death if he ever sets foot outside again. As the years pass and some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history unfold outside the hotel’s doors, Rostov’s reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. As he builds a new life within the walls of the hotel, he discovers the true value of friendship, family and love.

- SHOWTIME announced that Charles Babalola (The Outlaws) will star as Shaka in the highly anticipated new series KING SHAKA, an epic drama centered around one man’s personal journey from stigmatized childhood to legendary king. Babalola will join fellow series regulars Aïssa Maïga (The Fear Index) as Nandi, Shaka’s devoted mother who will sacrifice everything to fulfill her son’s destiny; and Thando DIomo (The Woman King) as Pampatha, a herder who finds her fate forever entwined with Shaka’s. Thapelo Mokoena (Bulletproof) will guest star as Gendeyana, a Qwabe leader who grows close to Shaka and Nandi, along with Warren Masemola (Queen Sono) as Magazwa, who provides safe haven to Shaka and Nandi but at a cost. The CBS Studios production, produced with Propagate and Fuqua Films, kicks off next month in the historic KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Africa province, the birthplace of King Shaka. The series will be fully shot in South Africa and will debut on SHOWTIME in 2023.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films today announces STAND, a raw and unflinching examination of the courageous and remarkable life of basketball star and social justice activist Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, that will premiere on SHOWTIME in early 2023. The feature-length documentary includes the voices of some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment and details Abdul-Rauf’s unprecedented journey from schoolboy prodigy to NBA All-Rookie team to national pariah. In terms of his athletic abilities and activism, he was Stephen Curry before Stephen Curry and Colin Kaepernick before Colin Kaepernick.  STAND features extensive interviews with prominent basketball and entertainment stars including four-time NBA Champion and NBA Finals MVP Curry, nine-time NBA Champion as player and coach Steve Kerr, NBA Hall of Famer and three-time NBA Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal, former NBA player and current basketball analyst Jalen Rose, two-time Oscar winning actor Mahershala Ali and rapper, actor and filmmaker Ice Cube.  To watch and share the teaser, go to: https://s.sho.com/3PKJ5OE.

- POV, America’s longest running documentary series, currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season, will present Faya Dayi in its national broadcast premiere on Monday, August 29, 2022 (check local listings).  The film, directed, produced and filmed by Jessica Beshir, is a hypnotic immersion in the world of Harar, Ethiopia, a place where one commodity – khat, a euphoria-inducing plant – holds sway over the rituals and rhythms of everyday life. Faya Dayi is available to stream free until September 29, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning for the film, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

- Hulu's upcoming original limited series "Welcome to Chippendales" will premiere on Tuesday, November 22. New episodes will stream weekly. DATE ANNOUNCEMENT: Instagram | Twitter.   A sprawling true-crime saga, “Welcome to Chippendales” tells the outrageous story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee, an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire—and let nothing stand in his way in the process.  CAST: The series stars series Kumail Nanjiani, Murray Bartlett, Juliette Lewis, and Annaleigh Ashford, with recurring guest stars Quentin Plair, Robin de Jesús, and Andrew Rannells and guest stars Nicola Peltz Beckham and Dan Stevens.

- “Ok, should we get some coffee? Sure, Where?”  For FRIENDS fans and coffee lovers everywhere, today Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment with CenPer Holdings, LLC, comprised of industry experts from the coffee, specialty food and beverage, hospitality, and entertainment worlds -- including Top Chef and multiple James Beard Foundation Award Winner Tom Colicchio -- couldn’t BE anymore excited to announce Central Perk Coffeehouse, a modern-day coffeehouse inspired by Central Perk from the hit TV series, opening its first location in 2023. Imbued with the same heart and soul as the iconic setting from the series, Central Perk Coffeehouse will be a place for fans (and friends) to slow down and come together over great coffee and eats.  FRIENDS fans know Central Perk as the gathering place for Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross — the ultimate hang-out spot — not only to get a delicious cup of coffee but also where the gang spent much of their free time conversing and making memories. Fast forward 28 years and a modern-day version will open its real doors in 2023.  Central Perk Coffee can be ordered beginning August 24 by visiting www.centralperk.com. The first 6,000 new Central Perk Coffee subscribers will receive a complimentary collectable can of “How You Doin’?” coffee, a medium roast ground varietal. This individually numbered limited edition tin was created exclusively for true FRIENDS fans and coffee lovers.

 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 21, 2022

Westworld: So they make a point to tell us that being shot in the pearl makes a host dead-dead right before Hale, Bernard, and Mauve get shot in the forehead. Then five minutes into the finale Hale back to normal. So are the pearls lower in the skull? Could Bernard and Mauve (and Clementine for that matter) be brought back then? It did look like when Hale took her pearl out it came out around her nose. Not that any of that matters now because it seems like next season will mostly take place in the Sublime and Delores can just image all the dead-dead hosts anyway. Though, speaking of Delores, wasn't she supposed to be dead-dead because of what went down with Rehobolem last season? So what, she could not be put into a host body but her conscience could still stay intact?

 

Tales of the Walking Dead:  I dreaded watching another Walking Dead show, but how can I stop this far into it?  But shockingly that was the best episode in the series that I can remember and the first time they ever injected levity into the show.  I would much rather see an Olivia Munn / Terry Crews show than the upcoming Daryl / Carol show or Negan / Maggie one or the Rick movie that got turned into a miniseries.

 

The Chi:  Oh, so Jemma was not shot, just the shooting got her trampled.  But dude does deserve to get punched.  I did get a big laugh at the guy ripping up the envelope.  As a spiteful person, I really appreciated.  But I am not sure what was more surprising, that Emmitt tried celibacy or that he turned down sex.  At first I thought Tiff was testing him, but she really did seem disappointed to be turned down.

 

City on a Hill:  Well that kid had a point about the condom.  But anyway.  So Siobhan was part of a hit and run.  That was a surprising twist.  Now I wonder if her friend’s accident was actually an accident.  Then Jackie sees big boss drag a drugged lady out.  So at what point does he turn his boss in?  Are they really going to drag this out all season for him to grow a conscience in the season finale?

 

Flatbush Misdemeanors:  The white lady going through all the names of the drugs was hilarious.

 

In the Dark:  It I absurd that the show turned Josh into a raving lunatic and they somehow made him even crazier this week.  But at we are finally getting to the episode where Darnell gets shot next week.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  Oh my, Cinda Canning has been a bad, bad girl. When we first saw her last season, I was predicting she murdered Tim Kono and she killed him because the reason she was such a good true crime podcaster was because she was the one committing the crimes, now I have to ask... was I right? We know that Jan poisoned Tim, but I do not recall her ever admitting she staged it to look like a suicide.

Then when Cinda just happened to be at the crime scene when the three amigos were being perp walked out of the building, I rolled over my Cinda theory to Bunny's murder and that is looking very plausible right now. Cinda was killing Bunny while Kreps was spying on Mabel waiting for the right time to set her up. But the one thing making me pause that it is one thing fake Poppy's disappearance and murder, it is another to actually kill somebody.

One theory I got very wrong was that Teddy faked Will's DNA test, which would have been very funny, instead Teddy did hook up with Oliver's wife. I have a sinking suspicion that Will will be finding out this information next episode even though everyone else was sworn to secrecy. I doubt Oliver will be able to pull off being Greek for very long.

The show made it so obvious that Jan was the killer at the end of episode nine last season, I was convinced there was another shoe to drop in the finale that never came. Will the show do the same thing this season, and Cinda did it, or will there actually be a twist in the second season finale? Like I said before, it is a big leap between faking a murder and actually committing one. Then Kreps might be okay with planting evidence knowing the "dead" girl was alright, but would a NYC cop really be an accomplice to the murder? If he were that evil, he would do much more than spar with Mabel (but really, Selena Gomez constantly making fun of him make Michael Rappaport much more tolerable).

Then, while we learned what happened to the real painting this, we still have not learned who stole the fake. Is that too obvious that Lion King guy did it since we know he has allergies? When he sneezed last week, I was suspicious that they would introduce someone so late to play such a big part, but since the mystery of the real painting was solved this week, I guess who stole a fake matters much less now, so it might as well be Lion King guy. Like I have been saying from the beginning, I think the art thief and the killer are two different people.

 

Motherland: Fort Salem:  Oh snap, the president coming in was just great.  Sure, they just yadda yaddaed her getting to Fort Salem after being stranded in the Cession (much like how they yadda yaddaed Alder escaping the cave). But after taking down the vice president so early in the episode with the wedding filling in the rest, I had a sinking suspicion something bad would happen considered the last time this show did a wedding, the bride was murdered.  Shockingly it went out without a hitch, it is just that Fort Salem fell while it was going on.  Oops.  I guess we will be seeing Chekov’s which bomb in the finale.

 

The Challenge: USA:  Poor Alyssa, she gets stuck with Leo, and the only thing worse than being stuck with Leo is being stuck with Leo on a week he is ready to quit.  But at least he stayed… only for him to fork up the mission, sending them straight into the elimination.  But luckily they did not get the Madonna question which is the only one I could not solve.  But since they both got stuck on question two, I have to wonder if they were not allowed to skip a question.  Seems like it would have been smart to skip, do the other ones so you could eliminate some choices.  But thanks to Leo, Alyssa now has the most money among the women and second most overall.  I wondering if have more money will get you any advantage in the finals if you make it there.

 

Speaking of questions, what now after they got rid of the algorithm??  For Alyssa’s sake, I hope they are not stuck with these partners from here on out.  Though it would be funny if Tyson and Sarah would be stuck together for the rest of the season.  Maybe it is an individual game.   But would they still be doing double eliminations because with 14 because they still need to get rid of a few people.

 

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin:  When I started this show I complained that it was just IP fraud that barely had anything to do with the original show.  Now that it is over, I need to complain about the one part of the show it ripped off, the dumb twist that “A” was a brother that no one new existed.  But at least he did not turn out to be a she that dated her brother.  Maybe that is the second season twist.  Even worse was the reveal that Ezra and Aria were still together. Again, he was a teacher who forked his student, why are they glorifying that and condemning grooming in previous episode.  Tabby and her boss got to be about the same age. 

 

But Tabby’s mom going H.A.M. on her boss was the only entertaining part of the whole show.  The whole blood drive plan was so stupid, how about labeling the blood because limiting the pool down to 65 still seemed too high. Yet inexplicably it worked because Tabby used that 1 in 65 chance to just accuse Chip who turned out to be the rapist.  What a horrible, stupid show.  Of course I will watch a second season.

 

The Resort:  Oh hey, Luis Guzman!  Oh, he is already dead.  But at least he gave us the most entertaining episode so far.

 

Around the Tubes: August 20, 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 Ramy, The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Woman in the Wall, Alan Cumming, Westworld, The Band, Tug of Words, POV, Yellowjackets, The Chi, and City on a Hill.

- Ramy Youssef announced that season three of the Emmy®-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series “Ramy,” will return to Hulu on Friday, September 30^th with all ten episodes. See here for the teaser art he revealed!  Golden Globe® Award-winning actor Ramy Youssef returns to Hulu for his critically-acclaimed performance in the Hulu Original comedy series “Ramy.” The series follows first-generation, Egyptian-American Ramy Hassan (Youssef) and his family as they navigate spirituality in their politically-divided New Jersey neighborhood. “Ramy” continues to bring a new perspective to the screen as it explores the challenges of what it’s like to be caught between a religious community who believes life is a moral test, and a millennial generation that doubts an afterlife even exists. In the third season, his family is forced to confront having lived a life dedicated to worldly concerns — and in some cases, lies — while Ramy all but abandons his spiritual journey, instead dedicating himself to him and his uncle's diamond business.  

- HBO’s genre-bending drama series that captivated audiences all around the world travels to your homes as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases The Time Traveler’s Wife: The Complete Series on DVD October 18, 2022. Follow all 6, one-hour episodes from the series, plus almost 30 minutes of bonus content that goes behind the scenes of the series for the ultimate fan! The Time Traveler’s Wife: The Complete Series is priced to own at $19.99 SRP for the DVD ($24.99 in Canada). The series is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers and to stream on HBO Max.  The Time Traveler’s Wife: The Complete Series follows the intricate and magical love story between Clare and Henry, and a marriage with a problem...time travel.

- SHOWTIME and The BBC announced today the new six-episode gothic thriller THE WOMAN IN THE WALL, led by BAFTA^® Award winner Ruth Wilson (THE AFFAIR, Luther) and co-starring Daryl McCormick (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Peaky Blinders). Produced by Motive Pictures (an Endeavor Content backed company), Wilson will also executive produce with series creator BAFTA Award-nominated Joe Murtagh (Calm With Horses) and BAFTA Award-nominee Harry Wootliff (True Things, Only You), who will direct multiple episodes. Rachna Suri (Half Bad) joins as second block director. This new drama, which will air on SHOWTIME in the U.S., BBC One and iPlayer in the UK, and be distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution in all other territories, will examine the legacy of one of Ireland’s most shocking scandals – the inhumane institutions known as “The Magdalene Laundries.” The announcement was made today by Jana Winograde and Gary Levine, Presidents of Entertainment at Showtime Networks Inc. and Ben Irving, Acting Director of BBC Drama.  Lorna Brady (Wilson) is a woman from the small fictional town of Kilkinure, who wakes one morning to find a corpse in her house. Chillingly, Lorna has no idea who the dead woman is or if she herself might be responsible for the apparent murder…That’s because Lorna has long suffered from extreme bouts of sleepwalking, understood to have manifested around the time she was ripped from her life at the age of 15 and incarcerated in The Kilkinure Convent. The Convent was home to one of Ireland’s infamous Magdalene Laundries, a place where women were taken when they fell afoul of the social mores of their times – from those accused of committing adultery to teenage pregnancies. When it finally closed its doors, a score of survivors were left suffering in its wake.  Very few women were able to go on and lead relatively normal lives, others, such as Lorna, were even less fortunate in their fate. One thing all survivors had in common, is that none of them would ever forget.

- Emmy^® nominee and Tony winner Alan Cumming (The Good Wife, Cabaret) will debut his first SHOWTIME comedy special, CLUB CUMMING PRESENTS A QUEER COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA, with a premiere on Friday, September 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Cumming hosts this cabaret-style gathering featuring seven up-and-coming queer comedians that represent not only the diversity of the queer spectrum, but also of comedy styling – from stand-up to characters to musical performances. The 75-minute special features Joe Castle Baker, Julia Shiplett, duo Zach Teague & Drew Lausch, Nori Reed, Pat Regan, and Larry Owens.

- WaterTower Music is thrilled to announce that Emmy Award- Winning, Grammy® Award - nominated composer Ramin Djawadi’s (Game of Thrones, Westworld, Iron Man and the forthcoming House of the Dragon) Westworld: Season 4 (Soundtrack from the HBO® Series) has just been released and is now available to stream and download at all digital retailers. As has been Djawadi’s thematic approach on each of his Westworld soundtracks from HBO’s Emmy-winning drama series, the 34-track album features the lauded composer’s original music along with unique versions of well-known songs which were originally performed by Radiohead, Billie Eilish, Frank Ocean, Metallica, Lana Del Rey, Nine Inch Nails, and Lou Reed – all of which were heard throughout Westworld: Season 4. 

- Craft Recordings proudly announces a definitive, bonus-filled edition of Vince Guaraldi’s timeless score from the beloved, 1965 animated PEANUTS® special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, from Charles Schulz and Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez. While the album has remained a holiday staple for nearly 60 years (not to mention the best-selling jazz album of all time, alongside Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, after earning 5x platinum certification by the RIAA in May), this latest edition showcases Guaraldi’s creative process like never before, thanks to hours of newly unearthed session tapes from Fantasy Records’ vaults. Now, fans can experience cues like “Christmas Time Is Here,” “O Tannenbaum,” and “Skating” as they take shape in the studio through dozens of previously unreleased alternate tracks.  In addition, the original 11-track album has been upgraded with a new stereo mix from the original two- and three-track sources by the GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer, Paul Blakemore. Both the new mix and original mix can be found along with hours of unreleased material on the Super Deluxe Edition (available as a 4-CD/1-Blu-ray Audio collection box set or as an 80-track digital release). The new stereo mix will also be available alongside a selection of thirteen studio outtakes on a Deluxe Edition 2-LP or CD. All formats featuring the new stereo mix will release on October 14^th. Fans can preview this stunning new mix with the advance single “Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental),” which is available to stream/download today.

- In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of The Band’s seminal live album, Rock Of Ages, a series of never-before-seen photos taken by celebrated and influential photographer, Ernst Haas, of the legendary four-night stand at the Academy of Music in New York City during the final week of 1971, have been made available to view for the first time. The beautifully shot color photos, from one of the pioneers of color photography, vividly capture the group of Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Robbie Robertson in their prime on New Year’s Eve, 1971, joined by special guest Bob Dylan, who helped usher in the new year by performing with his longtime friends who once backed him as The Hawks when he went “electric” in 1965. Several of Haas’ photos were included in the Rock Of Ages album, released fifty years ago this week on August 15^th, 1972, and additional shots were featured in the 2013 release, Live At The Academy Of Music 1971, an expansive box set that added a soundboard recording of the entire New Year’s Eve performance to newly mixed versions of the Rock Of Ages tracks. View the previously unreleased photos exclusively at UDiscover Music here: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-band-bob-dylan-ernst-haas-1971-feature

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has announced Emmy® award-winning television host Samantha Harris as host of its quick-moving wordplay game show, TUG OF WORDS. The second season of the half-hour original series is anticipated to premiere fall 2022.  From the producing team behind “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” TUG OF WORDS is a fast-paced game where two teams compete to answer word clue questions correctly and pull the flag on the “tug of war rope” to their side. In round one, each answer involves changing a single letter in the word that appears on the board. For example, with ‘TUG’ on the board, the answer to the clue ‘a label inside a garment’ is ‘TAG,’ and with ‘TAG’ then on the board, the answer to the clue ‘hopefully the upstairs neighbors aren’t learning this dance’ is ‘TAP.’ With each round, an additional letter is added creating four and five letter words to solve. The team with the flag on their side after three rounds wins the game, qualifying them for the bonus round where they have opportunity to compete for $10,000.

- POV, America’s longest running documentary series, currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season, will present Faya Dayi in its national broadcast premiere on Monday, August 29, 2022 (check local listings).  The film, directed, produced and filmed by Jessica Beshir, is a hypnotic immersion in the world of Harar, Ethiopia, a place where one commodity – khat, a euphoria-inducing plant – holds sway over the rituals and rhythms of everyday life. Faya Dayi is available to stream free until September 29, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning for the film, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

- SHOWTIME announced that Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi) is joining the highly anticipated second season of YELLOWJACKETS as Adult Lottie Matthews. In addition, Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road), who plays the teen version of Lottie, has been upped to series regular in season two. She joins recently announced Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under, Servant), who will play the adult version of Van. YELLOWJACKETS is nominated for seven Emmy Awards, 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. Season one averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in SHOWTIME history. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series will go into production later this month in Vancouver.

- SHOWTIME announced that Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) is joining the highly anticipated second season of YELLOWJACKETS in a season long guest arc. Wood will play Walter, a dedicated Citizen Detective who will challenge Misty in ways she won’t see coming. 

- SHOWTIME has announced that Donald Sumpter (Game of Thrones), Brendan Patricks (Downton Abbey), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London), Mark Quartley (Lucky Man), Jonathan Livingstone (Peacock), Charlotte Louise Arrowsmith (This is Going to Hurt), and Kelly Wenham (Merlin) have joined the cast of ENTITLED, starring and executive produced by Brett Gelman (Fleabag, Stranger Things). Co-produced by SHOWTIME and Channel 4 in the UK, in association with All3Media International, filming began this week on the eight episode comedy series in Manchester, England. ENTITLED is created and executive produced by Matt Morgan (Mister Winner, The Mimic). Harry Williams, Jack Williams and Sarah Hammond of Two Brothers Pictures, the producers of the Emmy^® winning Fleabag and International Emmy nominee BACK TO LIFE, also executive produce. Tim Kirkby (The Pentaverate, Don’t Forget the Driver, Veep) will direct season one and executive produce as well.

- SHOWTIME announced that the hit drama series THE CHI (what was also recently renewed for season six) and CITY ON A HILL will resume Friday, August 26 after taking a one-week preemption this weekend.

 

The upcoming schedule will roll out as follows:

 

Sunday, August 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Jackass Forever

 

THE CHI

Episode 509

Friday, August 26 (streaming/on demand)
Sunday, August 28 at 9 p.m. (on air)

 

Episode 510 (season finale)

Friday, September 2 (streaming/on demand)

Sunday, September 4 at 9 p.m. (on air)

 

CITY ON A HILL

Episode 304

Friday, August 26 (streaming/on demand)
Sunday, August 28 at 10 p.m. (on air)

 

Episode 305

Friday, September 2 (streaming/on demand)

Sunday, September 4 at 10 p.m. (on air)

57 Channels and Only This Is On: August 14, 2022

 

Westworld:  I actually liked this season and they had to go and ruin it by just killing off three of the four major characters within minutes of each other.  Yeah, they told us robots who are shot in their pearl are dead-dead, but we were also told Delores and Teddy were dead-dead but two people who definitely look like them showed up this season so I am sure we will see Maeve, Bernard, and Charlotte very soon.

 

The Chi:  I did not realize the guy who shot Gemma was the mentee who tried to rob Emmitt a couple episode back.  There are just too many characters to keep track on this show.

 

City on a Hill:  On one hand, I am surprised that they killed Ernie Hudson so quickly.  But on the other hand, they really could not have Decoursey spend that much time away from his job.  Speaking of his job, is he going to start investigating one of the ongoing story lines like the construction accident, the cop shooting, or even possibly investigate the guy Jackie is employed by (which would be the most interesting as it will be who side Jackie falls on) or will we be juggling a four case?

 

Flatbush Misdemeanors:  How dumb is that supervisor who did not realize there was something that was not lube in that bottle?

 

In the Dark:  Well, that had to be one of the worst bottle episode in the history of television.  How about not sticking two very unlikeable characters alone in a room together?  And the beeping toy was so stupid. And why is the kingpin on the hunt for the blind chixk and Darnell?  Does he not have at least one their numbers somewhere?

 

Only Murders in the Building:  Oh wow, after the false reveal of Marv, I thought Glitter Guy would slip through our grasps one more time. But now that we know he is Det. Kreps, that makes me think about the first season in a whole new light. We know that Tim Kono's tox screen was not done after his murder, I thought it was just police incompetency, but with Kreps involved, that seems more deliberate now.

But just what are Kreps' intentions? Texting Charles and Olivier makes it look like his is a good guy, but then going after Lucy with a knife is very nefarious. But I wonder if he was breaking into Charles' apartment to go after Lucy or was it for something else and just went after her after he realized she was there?

So we finally know who Glitter Guy is, now the question is, who killed Bunny? Who was the guy in the passageway with Lucy? Who met with Bunny at the diner? Who stole her painting? Det. Kreps may be the answer to one or more of those questions (he most likely is passageway guy) but I doubt he is the answer to all of them.

One more question, why have they spent multiple scenes of Marv talking about his daughter? I saw a theory that Alice is really his daughter and the more Marv talks about his daughter, the more I think it has to be someone. Poppy is the only other realistic option I can think of.

 

The Challenge: USA:  There is always that part of the season of this show where someone gets a lot of screen time and I have to ask myself, have they been there this whole time.  That was David this week who wrnt from I forgot he was on the show to getting every confessional.  Which meant he was either going to win the challenge or get eliminated.   But I will never understand the people who go on this show even though they are scared of heights, or water, or cannot swim.

 

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin:  Well, that Mouse storyline go weird quick.  Though I am still not sure why she is posing as a kidnap victim.  Even more confusing is just where did her father go?  Seems like he would have a good case for paternity, even if they did not go through proper channels.  So Angela was raped.  So is A the product of that (my, it is Karen theory took another big hit this week so I do need a new theory)?  And we learned this week that Imogen’s baby is the byproduct of rape (if that was a secret, what has she been telling people this whole time) by an unknown assailant, add that to Tabby being raped by an unknown assailant, now I have to ask, did A rape them both in some sick revenge fantasy because he thinks their moms were somehow involved with Angela’s rape?  That would be messed up.

 

The Resort:  It crossed my mind this week, could Chidi and Ted Mosby’s baby mama somehow be the two kids that went missing somehow.

 

Around the Tubes: August 13, 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 Wedding Season, Beastie Boys, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, POV, Yellowjackets, and The L Word: Generation Q.

- 7 murdered guests. 1 murdered groom. The 2 prime suspects? His bride and her lover.  Hulu cordially requests the honour of your presence at the trailer debut of its new rom-com action thriller "Wedding Season."  All eight episodes will walk down the aisle on Thursday, September 8th.  From the producers that brought you "Broad City," "Difficult People," "Younger" and "Search Party, this genre-busting series tells the story of Katie and Stefan who fall for each other at a wedding and begin an affair, despite Katie already having a fiancé. Two months later at Katie’s wedding, her new husband and his entire family are murdered. The police think Stefan did it. Stefan thinks Katie did it. And no one knows for sure what the truth is… The series is an action-packed romp across the UK and the US as Katie and Stefan go on the run, all while trying to prove their innocence.

 

- To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Beastie Boys’ multi-platinum album Check Your Head, UMe has released 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 is now available at participating independent retail outlets and can also be ordered online through uDiscover, Sound of Vinyl, Urban Legends, and Beastie Boys’ official 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.

- It was announced recently at the Adult Swim Festival by Aqua Teen Hunger Force creators Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro that an all-new mystery-adventure with Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad is on the way! The all-new original movie titled Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm is coming to Digital, 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray on November 8, 2022 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. This is the second film adaptation inspired from one of Adult Swim’s longest running animated series – Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm is priced to own on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack (USA $39.99 SRP; Canada $44.98 SRP) and Blu-ray (USA $29.98 SRP; Canada $39.99 SRP) as well as on Digital. Preorders will be available on August 7, 2022.  Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

-  POV, America’s longest running documentary series, currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season, will present Faya Dayi in its national broadcast premiere on Monday, August 29, 2022 (check local listings).  The film, directed, produced and filmed by Jessica Beshir, is a hypnotic immersion in the world of Harar, Ethiopia, a place where one commodity – khat, a euphoria-inducing plant – holds sway over the rituals and rhythms of everyday life. Faya Dayi is available to stream free until September 29, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning for the film, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

- SHOWTIME announced today that two-time Emmy and Tony nominee Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under, Servant) is joining the highly anticipated second season of YELLOWJACKETS in a series regular role as the adult version of Van. In addition, Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet) who plays the teen version of Van, has been upped to series regular in season two. YELLOWJACKETS is nominated for seven Emmy Awards, 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. Season one averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in SHOWTIME history. Produced for SHOWTIME by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series will go into production later this month in Vancouver.

- SHOWTIME announced today that Grammy^® and Emmy^® nominee Margaret Cho, Joey Lauren Adams and Emmy nominee Joanna Cassidy will guest star in the third season of the SHOWTIME drama series THE L WORD: GENERATION Q, along with previously announced Grammy-nominated artist Kehlani. Previous guest stars Rosie O’Donnell and Laurel Holloman also return in their recurring roles of Carrie and Tina, respectively. In addition, Jamie Clayton has been upped to series regular this season playing Tess, the bar manager at Dana’s who becomes intertwined with Shane (Katherine Moennig) in work and love. Season three will premiere on Friday, November 18 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut Sunday, November 20 at 8 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 nights. The first four episodes of season three will air at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sundays, with the remaining six episodes airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Sundays.