57 Channels and Only This Is On: 9/10/16

BrainDead: So you cannot kill the queen bug with a rolled up magazine. Oh no. Better stock up on some Raid. I wonder if the CIA guy was telling us the right story or if he was just misleading him as some devious plan with Red.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Fear the Walking Dead: So drunken mom and gay dude were able to escape being surrounded by zombies? Alrighty. And why do the writers on these walkers show love splitting everyone up all the time? We started out with three separate storylines, maybe four depending where the hot chick went off to. I guess she was probably hijacked by the wedding party because lost people on these shows never turn out to be dead. Well except for Carol’s kid.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: Ever since Joanna and Elliot first met, I thought she knew more than she let on (my working theory was Tyrell was also one of Elliot’s delusion and Joanna knew and did not want Elliot to know she knew). So when the last episode ended with Joanna driving up on Elliot I was expecting some Joanna shoe to drop. Hurumph. All she did was have Elliot hack the phone that may or may have not been given to her by Tyrell. Then we end (kind of) on another cliffhanger with two backs of heads approaching Angela after Elliot made out with her. I really could not make out who they are so it may not be someone we have met already. Then poor Dom, stuck in another Dark Army shootout. But who died? It will be quite convenient that Dom and Darla escape but the boyfriend target managed to die in the spray of bullets like (presumably) intended.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Tyrant: Penny Dreadful really perfected how to handle the last minute cancellation with a “The End” place card at the end of the episode. Instead Tyrant was canceled hours before the now season finale aired. I was always bearish on the show, but one thing I will say about the show is that it did have a radical shift every season, something no other show really have the gull to do. They exiled Barry to start off the second season and killed off Jamal to start the second, so there was always the hope the show would course correct, it just never manage to be as great as it wanted to be. So even though we did not get tto see how the show ended on its own term, it is apropos that it ended how it did because there are no end to these holy wars and so the wars in Abudian will wage in perpetuity just like they do in the real world and the titular character was not Jamal, or any of the Al-Fayad’s, but it is all of us.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 9/9/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Contenders: 16 For ’16, Facing Suge Knight, Roots, Window Warriors, Hailee Steinfeld, Puppies Make Me Happy, and The Last Ship.

- The Contenders: 16 For ’16 – an eight-week series that spotlights former presidential candidates and the campaigns that lost them their bids for the White House, premieres on PBS on Tuesday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m. (check local listings) Exactly what does it take to win the most important job in the world? The Contenders: 16 For ’16 attempts to take on this question with insight from Jesse Jackson, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Howard Dean, Gary Hart, Michael Dukakis, among others, who are vocal in discussing what went wrong and what they would do differently if given the chance. The Contenders: 16 For ’16 is part of PBS Election 2016, a multi-platform initiative that brings together PBS news, public affairs, documentary and digital programming to create the country’s most complete and objective coverage of the 2016 election cycle.

- National Geographic Channel docu-series Facing takes an immersive look at the real stories behind some of modern history’s most larger-than-life characters. Each hour long episode will tackle the myths, legends and truths behind powerful headline-makers, including Pablo Escobar, Saddam Hussein, Suge Knight, Vladimir Putin and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Facing Suge Knight premieres Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 9:00. From his shattered dream of playing in the NFL to Tupac and Biggie Smalls, old foes and former friends connect the bullet holes to map the billion-dollar rise and fall of Suge Knight. Interviewees include Vanilla Ice; Virgil Roberts, music industry lawyer and Suge Knight’s mentor; Gary Ballen, former road manager for N.W.A.; Los Angeles Police Department detective Greg Kading, lead investigator of the Death Row Records file; Sharitha Golden, Suge Knight’s former wife; and Death Row Records artists The D.O.C. and Danny Boy.

- The Emmy nominated event series Roots, exclusively streaming on Hulu starting Monday, September 15th.

-GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will premiere its new skill-based competition series Window Warriors, Tuesday, November 15 at 9:00. The network also revealed today the three judges for the series, including Carson Kressley, the Emmy®-winning television star, style expert, best-selling author and fashion designer known to TV viewers for his appearances on “Dancing With the Stars,” “How To Look Good Naked,” and his breakthrough role as fashion guru on the iconic series “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” – he will also appear in the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice”; Tai Beauchamp, a former magazine editor turned style influencer, content creator, public speaker, media personality, and entrepreneur, who engages women around the world with her genuine approach to celebrating inner and outer beauty; and Douglas Little, a master in the world of visual merchandising whose work includes some of the most beloved store windows on New York’s 5th Avenue, as well as design work for movies, TV and Broadway. His client list includes Van Cleef & Arpels, Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and many more. The judges join host, Garcelle Beauvais (“Hollywood Today Live,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) in determining the country’s top window designer.

- While in NYC to open for Meghan Trainor at Radio City Music Hall as part of The Untouchable Tour, Hailee Steinfeld stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers to perform her new hit single, Starving. The track, released earlier this summer with production duo Grey and featuring GRAMMY award-winning artist/DJ/producer Zedd, is already climbing the Top 25 at Top 40 radio, has hit #13 on the iTunes US Pop Chart, is Top 10 in Spotify’s US Top 50, currently approaching 60M streams, and hit top 5 on the Shazam future hits chart.

- Puppies Make Me Happy will be at the Surf City Surf Dog event on September 25th. Dog owners from Florida to Australia will be at the event- it's centerpiece… a multi-heat surfing competition with dogs as contestants. Last year our team, Bakio and Brian Downes came in second place and this epic photo was taken! Hawaii natives Brian and Bakio have been surfing for years and make an incredible team. I would love to connect you to Brian to discuss this unique event, working with the Puppies Make Me Happy team and what it's like to surf with your dog!

- TNT, a division of Turner, has extended its recent renewal for The Last Ship, adding a fifth season of the epic drama. Currently in its third season, The Last Ship is reaching an average of 7.1 million viewers per episode across multiple platforms and ranks as one of basic cable's Top 10 summer dramas with adults 18-49. The action-packed series airs Sundays at 9:00, with the season finale slated for this weekend. The entire third season is also available through TNT's digital, mobile and VOD platforms.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 9/4/16

Ray Donovan: So the Russian gangster wanted to meet the movie star because he beat up a hundred Russians in a movie just to beat him up? That is some Kim Jong Il stuff. At least they killed off Lisa Bonet, that storyline went on way too long. Now just what exactly is Ray going to get from him that will satisfy the Russian? Is take a dive too obvious?

Roadies: Bad form by Taylor Swift not to show up to the memorial for her former tour manager. And Eddie Vedder can show up but not Mike McCreedy, I was hoping for a showdown between him and Machine Gun Kelly. Oh well, maybe in season two… if there is a season two. There used to be a joke, if you were on Showtime, you would run an automatic seven seasons. But recently they have been pretty trigger happy; they canceled all their comedies, including Happyish after one season. It was announced Penny Dreadful was canceled with a “The End” place card at the end of the third season finale. Last month Ray Donovan was renewed, but no word on this show. But Roadies did not have a “The End” before the credits so it seems like the show thinks there will be more when you end with Reg running back to Kelly-Anne (natch). I guess if there is a second season, the band will not actually split up and we will get an European tour. I kind of hope everyone gets hired by My Morning Jacket just so there is more Jim James.

BrainDead: Finally someone pointing out what is wrong with politics, both parties have been taken over by extremist who would rather burn down the government than compromise on anything. These politicians need to stop listening to the loudest people and start doing what is the best for everyone again.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

The Strain: When the premiere started up, I had to ask myself, did I actually like this show or have I been hatewatching it. As the episode progressed, I remembered it was kind of both. All the vampire stuff is scary but, goodness, these characters are morons and the kid is really annoying. It was more of the same with the new season especially with Gus and his mother. C’mon, how did he manage to get a straitjacket on her without getting bitten?

Pretty Little Liars: I am not sure what was more awkward, Spencer kissing the cop while collecting evidence at her house, or when she asked to kiss Toby one last time. But anyway. After the blood test we learn Noel was not Mary’s kid, that meant it had to be Jenna right? It certainly would make more sense she was Mary’s kid and AD than Charlotte being the original A. But nope, Mary Drake saved Spencer and told her she was her mother. Wait, what!?! Didn;tr we already have paternity issues with Spencer? So we learned Spencer’s father was not really her father, but instead Papa DiLarentas, but her mother is not even her mother too? Again, what!?!
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: So we got the backstory of Elliot going to prison and it was the Ashley Madison guy. I was hoping we would get more of Craig Robinson and how that went down in reality. So did he really just invite Elliot into his office, play chess, and as Elliot was leaving, the FBI stormed his office? Alrighty. But next week it looks like we are going to get what I have hoped for since late last season with Mrs. American Psycho going face to face with Elliot. I have thought since their first meeting she knows a lot more than she lets on, hopefully we will finally learn if that is true.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 9/2/16

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 Masters of Sex, Shameless, POV (Point of View), Frank Zappa, Blue Oyster Cult, Weiner, Smithsonian Channel 9/11 programming, Showtime Tuesday Sports Block, Genius, and Street Fight.

- Viewers can now sample the fourth season premiere of the critically-acclaimed SHOWTIME drama series Masters of Sex across multiple platforms, ahead of its linear premiere on Sunday, September 11th at 10 p.m. ET/PT. MASTERS OF SEX stars Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Michael Sheen and Emmy nominee Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Season four will begin in 1968 and into the “swinging ‘70s,” during which time the series’ characters will take on new partners both professionally, personally and sexually. Starting now, consumers who do not subscribe to Showtime can watch the season four premiere for free on SHO.com and Facebook. Consumers can also sample the premiere of Masters of Sex for free across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites, applications and free On Demand channels.

- Showtime released the new poster art and official trailer for season seven of its No. 1 comedy series Shameless, premiering on Sunday, October 2 at 9:00. SHAMELESS stars Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher and Golden Globe® nominee Emmy Rossum as his daughter, Fiona. The series also stars Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan and Isidora Goreshter.



- Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz takes an unflinching look at the hard choices and destructive consequences of the U.S.-Mexico drug war in the acclaimed documentary Kingdom of Shadows, which will have its national television broadcast premiere on the POV (Point of View) documentary series on PBS on Monday, Sept. 19, 2016 at 10:00.

- In his trailblazing and incredibly prolific career, artist, composer and all-around musical pioneer Frank Zappa released more than 60 albums in his lifetime, as a solo artist and with his bands the Mothers of Invention and the Mothers. Coupled with more than 40 posthumous releases since his death in 1993 at 52, figuring out where to start in Zappa’s vast, genre-leaping catalog can be daunting. ZAPPAtite – Frank Zappa’s Tastiest Tracks, due September 23 on Zappa Records/UMe and available for pre-order now, collects some of Zappa’s best known and beloved compositions, from his early psychedelic rock beginnings to his avant-garde experimentation, jazz-rock explorations, symphonic suites and satirical send-ups, compiling them into one easily digestible collection and offering key entryways into the many musical worlds of the visionary musician. Available on CD and digitally, with vinyl to come at a later date, the album is divided into three courses – Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts – and the food-centric theme oozes throughout the album art, which features Zappa in a diner on the cover, a track list that resembles a menu and some of Zappa’s favorite eats. The 18 compositions that make up ZAPPAtite were compiled by Zappa’s son Ahmet Zappa and encyclopedic Zappa archivist, “Vaultmeister” Joe Travers. “This isn’t a greatest hits album as Frank didn’t really have ‘hits,’ per se, nor is it a ‘best of’ since that would be an impossibility to fit so much awesome onto one disc,” says Ahmet Zappa. “It’s a veritable smorgasbord of musicality for the curious and a buffet of favorites for the fans, ZAPPAtite collects a cross section of my favorite songs composed by my dad, that lean more towards the rock side of his expansive repertoire. I hope you're hungry because this meal for your ears rocks!”

- Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network concert special "Blue Oyster Cult" airing Friday, September 2, at 9:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). The classic rock band stopped by Red Studios in Los Angeles to perform their seminal album Agents Of Fortune in it's entirety live. In the episode, the group sits down with Ted Stryker for an in depth interview spanning their history.

- Showtime will debut the world television premiere of the critically-acclaimed documentary Weiner on Saturday, October 22nd at 9:00. Directed and produced by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, Weiner, which won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, offers unrestricted access into the life of former congressman Anthony Weiner and his family as they take on the 2013 New York City mayoral race in the face of an on-going high-profile scandal.


- Smithsonian Channel will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a special day of programming on Sunday, September 11. The marathon will kick off at 2:00 p.m. with an encore presentation of the critically-acclaimed 9/11: Day That Changed the World, which spans from dawn to midnight on September 11, 2001, and goes behind the scenes to show how the events of the day developed.

- It’s game on this Tuesday night, September 6, on Showtime as the network offers a two-and-a-half hour sports block including two anticipated season premieres. An all-new edition of the news magazine 60 Minutes Sports debuts at 8:00, followed by the ninth season premiere of Inside the NFL at 9:00. At 10:00 Showtime Sports presents the second installment of its unique all-access college football franchise A Season with Florida State Foosball, just one day after the Florida State Seminoles begin their season and quest for the 2016 National Championship.

- Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actress Emily Watson (“Theory of Everything,” “The Book Thief”) is set to join National Geographic Channel’s upcoming global anthology series Genius, from Fox 21 Television Studios (“Homeland,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson”), Imagine Television (“24,” “Empire”), OddLot Entertainment and EUE/Sokolow. She’ll play Elsa Einstein, the second wife — and first cousin — of the enigmatic scientist Albert Einstein, to be played in his elder years by Geoffrey Rush and in his younger years by Johnny Flynn, as was previously announced.

- Just in time for the dirtiest presidential election in memory, Street Fight, which for years has only been available on DVD and in theaters, goes up on Netflix on September 1st and also is available on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video. Street Fight is the thrilling Academy Award® nominated story of bare-knuckle politics in America. When a young unknown challenger named Cory Booker (today U.S. Senator from New Jersey) takes on the head of a powerful political machine, he discovers that sometimes elections are won and lost in the streets.

- Today co-anchor Matt Lauer will moderate the NBC News and MSNBC Commander-in-Chief Forum on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at New York’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The one-hour event will simulcast live at 8pm ET on the NBC broadcast network and MSNBC, and stream live on NBCNews.com. In the first joint candidate event of the 2016 general election, presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will take questions on national security, military affairs and veterans’ issues from a live audience comprised of service members and veterans.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 8/28/16

Ray Donovan: There seems to be a pacing problem this season as they are having trouble balancing between the Russian storyline and the boxer. Two episode, Ray kills a Russian and I think, well the other Russians will not like that. Except it was not brought up once last week. Then finally someone found the body this week. And just as things started to get ramped up, they had to slip in a scene with the boxer and his crazy sister. But at least the Russian plot got interesting. Does Ray get the niece back to save Avi or sacrifice him? (Or a third option where both the niece and Avi are safe?)

Fear the Walking Dead: Has there ever been a more boring season premiere than this? I was actually rooting for the dogs.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

Roadies: Wait, does Machine Gun Kelly have suspenders tattooed on his body? Weird. But anyway. But man, did they really bring Phil back just to kill him? Should have stayed with Taylor Swift.

BrainDead: I do not care if it did not turn out to be true, Ramona Flowers has forever been tainted by having sex with Michael Moore. The dream nightmare sequence will forever be seared into my brain. And I thought the bug sex scene last week was the worst thing I would ever see on the show.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Murder in the First: I have talked about the rise of incest on television considering it is one of the last taboo left. But up to this point is has been brother-sister relationship, all of which have been creepy, but oh my goodness, did this show really do a consensual father-daughter relationship? Eww. Then there was Hildy talking about the time her brother got a bit handsy because telling her partner it was a line because saying she was a good liar. I am not sure if it was the writer’s intent, but I was left wondering if her I am a good liar line was about the story she told the pop star or telling her partner she was lying.
You can download Murder in the First on iTunes.

The Voice: I was not expecting much, but I had to bail quite early on the preview episode right around the time Miley Cyrus opened her mouth. The actual person who sang was not that much better though I did like they went straight to the singing, no super sappy background. I did check out the other person they featured who was a big giant meh. The first person picked Alicia and the second picked Miley so this was clearly a showcase on the new coaches not the talent. But that is ever increasing point of the show. Each episode used to end with the best season, but the last three of four seasons, it seems to end with mediocre singers at best but a lot of coach banter and fighting. But if that was the best person Miley got on her team it will be a long season and she will rival Shakira season six as the worst collection of talent on a team ever. Then I had to skip the coaches singing Dream On because I have no desire to hear anyone sing that song on this show other than Amanda Brown.

Pretty Little Liars: I was hoping Hanna would go Liam Neeson this week and after a pitiful attempt at drugging Noel, boom goes the dynomite at the end the episode with a baseball bat. Awesome. I cannot wait to see what goes wrong with the interrogation.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Casual: Interesting they chose not to end the season like they started the series, at their father’s funeral, but I guess they ended the first season in a church so I guess they did not want to go back to that well. Instead we end with Valerie moving back in with her ex-husband. Alrighty, Hopefully the side piece did not get too comfortable, or pregnant, I thought they we going through fertility procedures. But really, for a show whose title would lead you to believe it is about casual sex, there was a lot of talk of death this season and relationships that are moving out of the “causal” category.
You can watch Casual on Hulu.

Mr. Robot: And we are back to starting episodes with flashbacks that wink and nod but do not really mean much. So the Muslim chick and fat guy who spent most of a season and a half met in a coffee show, presumably owned by the same guy Elliot took down in the first episode, but not the one with his illegal operation, one with crappy wi-fi. Of course this begs the question, when is Elliot going to run into him in prison? Back in current time, Darla kills a chick… alrighty. So is her boy toy going to give her up as the person who took his gun? Instead, Dom pulls in the fat guy. But really, I think it is safe to assume that everyone can agree the best scene this week was Angela singing Everybody Wants to Rule the World even if it was a bit on the nose. Speaking of the karaoke bar, holy Duck Phillips sighting! He has to be tied into the story somehow, you do not bring in Duck Philips just to creepily hit on someone half his age just for one scene.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Tyrant: I thought we were going to have a repeat of the first season of Homeland where the suicide vest did not go off then… boom goes the dynamite. And now that Jamal is dead, it looks like Barry is slowly morphing from the voice of reason to the titular character.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 8/26/16

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 Roadies, 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Three Days of Terror: The Chariie Hebdo Attacks, 9/11: The Longest War, Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, 29th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards, Dexter, Martin Lawrence Doin’ Time: Uncut, From Dusk Till Dawn, Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee, Hellevator, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, WWII’S Mot Dangerous Raids, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

- The death of a rock and roll legend brings together music’s greatest for an all-star memorial at the famed L.A. Forum in the season finale of Roadies, airing this Sunday, August 28 at 10:00 on Showtime. The episode, entitled “The Load Out,” is inspired by guest star Jackson Browne’s classic song of the same name, which he performs in the episode. The eclectic roster of guest star musicians who gather to pay tribute includes Eddie Vedder, Jim James, Nicole Atkins, Robyn Hitchcock, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig from Lucius, Joy Williams and Gary Clark Jr. Roadies is created, written and executive produced by Oscar® winner Cameron Crowe, who also personally curates the music for the series.

- The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards will air LIVE from New York’s Madison Square Garden this Sunday, August 28th at 9:00. This iconic awards show has created some of TV’s most memorable moments, from Madonna’s wardrobe malfunctions to Kanye’s presidential bid, you don’t want to miss what happens this year! The VMA’s will be returning to their roots by coming to New York but this is the first time Madison Square Garden has been the home of the VMA’s in the shows’ 33-year history.

- The HBO Documentary Film Three Days of Terror: The Chariie Hebdo Attacks from Emmy®-nominated director Dan Reed will have its national television debut on HBO on September 19th at 8 PM ET/PT. The remarkable film was recently shortlisted for the 2016 Grierson Awards in the UK for Best Documentary on Current Affairs.

- On the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11, the National Geographic Channel will commemorate the tragic events of that fateful day, and the ongoing war that followed, with a daylong television tribute culled from 10 consecutive years of critically acclaimed 9/11 programming and the world premiere of a new compilation special, 9/11: The Longest War. The programming event begins Sunday, Sept. 11, at 12/11c with encores of Giuliani’s 9/11, CIA Confidential: Hunt for Bin Laden, CIA Confidential: 9/11 Mastermind, Witness: D.C. 9/11, 9/11: The Firemen’s Story, the Emmy-nominated miniseries Inside 9/11 and a special encore presentation of George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview, followed by the world premiere of a powerful new compilation special, 9/11: The Longest War, airing at 9:00.

- Morgan Freeman returns to host an all-new season of multiple Emmy Award-nominated series Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman beginning Tuesday, August 30 at 10:00. Freeman continues to challenge Science Channel audiences to think about daring questions while taking a deeper look at the science behind some of society’s most controversial and timely topics. This season of Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman features some of the world's top experts plumbing deep and sometimes troubling questions, providing new insights on some of our planet’s most compelling topics. In the season premiere, Freeman explores, “What Makes a Terrorist?” Experts examine terrorism through the lens of science, revealing how a terrorist’s brain is shaped and asks, if we can understand how a terrorist thinks, can we actually win the war on terror?

- The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today the 29th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards will be broadcast nationally Friday, September 30, 2016, 10:00 on PBS during Hispanic Heritage Month. The Awards are among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and are supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions. The 2016 awardees who have been announced include Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (Leadership Award), Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Junot Díaz (Literature Award), Actress/Singer Angelica Maria (Legend Award), and Latin music’s breakout new superstar J Balvin (Vision Award). Announcements of additional honorees will continue over the coming weeks leading up to the event taping, which will take place on September 22nd at the Historic Warner Theatre in Washington D.C.

- Showtime is celebrating the ten year anniversary of the launch of its groundbreaking original series Dexter with a fan-focused campaign surrounding the hit drama. Dexter, which premiered on the network on October 1, 2006, grew its loyal audience year after year in all of its eight seasons, and was the recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award, as well as 25 Emmy® and 10 Golden Globe® Award nominations. In celebration of #Dexter10, fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite DEXTER episodes in a bracket-style competition on SHO.com over the course of four weeks. The top ten fan picks will culminate in an on-air #Dexter10 Fan Marathon on Saturday, October 1st, exactly ten years after the series debuted on Showtime.


- On the heels of a sold-out national tour, comedy great Martin Lawrence hits the stage in this long-awaited stand-up special, Martin Lawrence Doin’ Time: Uncut premiering Friday, September 9 at 9:00 on Showtime on-air, on demand and over the internet. Filmed live at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, Doin’ Time: Uncut showcases Lawrence’s impeccable comedic skills, physicality and engaging wit. Delivering an unforgettable night of impressions and insights, he touches on everything from sex and relationships to President Obama, Bill Cosby, Hollywood and more. Lawrence is back in a big way and will leave viewers in hysterics, from start to finish. “I look forward to having my third concert film premiere on SHOWTIME,” said Lawrence. “Fourteen years is a long time between concert specials and I am excited to know that my TV audience will be able to enjoy this show as if they came to see me live."

- Smithsonian Channel will offer fascinating new perspectives on some of the world’s most remarkable and mysterious religious locations in the new five-episode series Sacred Sites, premiering on Monday, September 12 at 8:00. Based on new scientific breakthroughs and compelling archaeological and historical research, the series includes episodes on: the ancient cities of Petra and Hegra; the secrets of the Knights of the Templar; the oracles of Ancient Greece; the magnificent tombs and temples of ancient Egypt; and the ruined great houses of Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.

- Entertainment One (eOne), Miramax® and El Rey Network today announced that the complete premiere episode of season three of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series will be available for free Digital HD preview two weeks prior to its September 6 broadcast debut on El Rey Network. For fans eagerly anticipating the action-packed, horror-filled new season and newbies interested in sampling the series based on the cult film directed by Robert Rodriguez, the episode "Head Games" will be available at no charge from August 23 to September 6 on iTunes, GooglePlay, Xbox Video, Sony Playstation, Fandango Now and Vudu.

- Showtime continues to expand its slate of bold documentaries under the Showtime Documentary Films banner with Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee, a new feature-length film making its world television premiere on Saturday, September 24th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Oscar nominee and two-time Sundance Film Festival winner Nanette Burstein (American Teen, The Kid Stays in the Picture) delivers a deep investigation into the mysterious life of visionary anti-virus entrepreneur John McAfee. The film has been selected to make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today its horror-themed game Hellevator returns for season two with a special four-week network event, just in time for the Halloween season, with all-new spine-chilling weekly episodes, beginning Friday, October 7 at 9:00. Hellevator is produced by Matador and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Lionsgate.

- The Republican and Democratic National Conventions provided more material than one special could fill. Emmy®-nominated Triumph the Insult Comic Dog returns to harass delegates, the Westboro Baptist Church, and everyone on Media Row. All this plus an elaborate fake book signing and one more attempt to "help" Chris Christie, streaming Thursday, Aug. 25 only on Hulu. Keep an eye out for more election coverage from Triumph the Insult Comic Dog only on Hulu.

- he new Smithsonian Channel series WWII’S Mot Dangerous Raids explores some of the most dangerous and remarkable commando raids of the war. It goes into the heart of the action with elite Allied soldiers facing deadly odds to pull off missions that can change the course of the war. Through first person testimony, cinematic reconstructions, expert commentary, weapons demonstrations and cutting edge video game style graphics, every aspect of each mission is visualized and analyzed. The six-episode series premieres Sunday, September 18 at 9:00.

- This Hulu announced Joseph Fiennes will play Commander Fred Waterford in The Handmaid’s Tale. Joseph Fiennes has joined the cast of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale as ‘Commander Fred Waterford.’ A founding father of Gilead and powerful, high-ranking official, Commander Waterford rules the household where Offred (Elisabeth Moss) is a handmaid. The Handmaid’s Tale. comes to Hulu from MGM Television and is created, executive produced and written by Bruce Miller, with Warren Littlefield, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Ilene Chaiken serving as executive producers. Atwood is a consulting producer for the series. Reed Morano will direct and executive produce the first three episodes. The Handmaid’s Tale. is scheduled to go into production in Toronto this fall. The 10-episode series is slated to premiere in 2017.

I want My Music Television: 8/22/16

Carry On - Norah Jones


Much like The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Grateful Dead before her, Norah Jones is a by the strictest definition is a One Hit Wonder though no one would call her that (unlike Vanilla Ice who many consider one despite two top five hits). And though most know her mostly for her sleepy debut single, Jones was one of the rare artist who got better with time, as her one hit gave her the cashe to get more adventurous with her future albums. Her fifth album The Fall was her best and the album featured Happy Pills which was number one on my list of The 100 Best Songs of 2012. But for her sixth album, it sounds like she may be going back to her sleepy sound of her debut.


Hardwired – Metallica


Rock was dying when Metallica last released an album eight years ago. So does the world really need a Metallica double album in 2016 (triple if you get the deluxe edition)? Probably not, it certainly will not resurrect the genre much like the latest Red Hot Chili Peppers album who battled Metallica for biggest band in the world almost twenty-five years ago. But I do kind of like the first single. It reminds me of just a super-fast (barely three minutes) almost poppy version of heavy metal like Fuel.


Nikes – Frank Ocean


One of the few bright spots in the music industry recently is that people are not illegally downloading music anymore because of streaming; why illegally download music that will take up hard drive space when almost every song every recorded is a quick search away? Even paying the couple dollars a month is enticing. Except we are now in the start of music streaming wars where Tidal and Apple are in an arms race for exclusives (Spotify does not seem to care; neither YouTube because they know everything will be uploaded there eventually). So expect illegally to boost again as more album exclusives become the norm (unless people just stop caring about music) because I doubt there are too many people willing to subscribe to every streaming service out there. So I have not heard the new Frank Ocean album yet because it is an Apple exclusive. And based on the weird first music video he released, I may not be missing out on much aside from some pretentious journalist over-praising it like they did his first album.


Heartlines - Broods


A couple weeks ago I decried the lack of new artist in the last couple years when talking about Banks who had one of the few good debut albums of the past three years. Broods is the only other artist who put out a debut album recently that I actually liked, but much like Banks new song I was pretty meh on Broods sophomore album, granted Heartlines was one of the few songs on the second album that stood out. And if that drunk Tinkerbell in the video? I miss drunk Tinkerbell, she was the only good part of the dreadful Neverland season of Once Upon a Time.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 8/21/16

Ray Donovan: A couple weeks ago, Ray sang Bob Seger and this week he danced the Chihuahua, I am beginning to wonder if the actor did something to the writers to make him act the fool. Not that I am complaining, the main problem with the show is that it can get too serious, especially Ray, so this sillier moments make it much more enjoyable. And Connor, if you want to be taken serious, how about not playing dancing video games?

Roadies: Fun fact: I used to work at an amphitheater in college and Lynard Synard came to town, and no lie, played a forty-five minute set, obviously ending with Sweet Home Alabama. Then came back out for an encore which ended up being a forty-five minute version of Free Bird.

BrainDead: I am beginning to wonder if the show is running out of story and it is about tie to wrap things up. I really do not care if Laurel’s dad has bugs in his head.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Pretty Little Liars: So the doctor was a complete waste. Meh. Hopefully Hanna is going to go Liam Neeson to find Uber A next week.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Casual: I spent the whole episode wondering what was going on with the dad, did I just imaging him being carted into his home by a ambulance, did I watch the episodes out of order? That storyline was much more interesting than anything that happened this week. At least it will make for an interesting finale.
You can watch Casual on Hulu.

Mr. Robot: Fan theories are a fun way to talk about like Megan would be at the Manson murders because she wore a Shannon Tate shirt; but these wild fan theories never come to fruition. Well except Lost is purgatory, which kind of what the flashsideways were in the final season even though the writers swore the island was not. So when the theory of Eliot being in prison and delusionally thinking he was back living with his mother popped up on the internet, I filed it in the crazy, Sharon Tate type theories. Sure it was an interesting theory, Eliot having a very set routine because he was forced to, but there were too many holes. Craig Robinson really being a prison guard did not really jive, plus Eliot left the house and when to places other than the basketball court, which could be a prison court yard. He even was able to get his hands on drugs to make Mr. Robot disappear.

Except the wild theory was true, Eliot has been in prison this whole time. The big problem is they did this the first season with making it obvious that Mr. Robot was in Eliot’s head, then spent a couple episodes poking holes in that theory only to be, actually he is just in Elliot’s head! And what about Craig Robinson? Was he really an evil prison guard? Was he just in Elliot’s head? Were the Craig Robinson scenes a prequel to the season and him being nabbed by the FBI after chess is why he is in prison? Except we saw Eliot with Craig at the basketball game. If not because of Craig, why is Elliot in prison? It seems it is not because of the Evil Corp hack because the FBI is still looking. Did the Ashley Madison guy get him. I am confused. I miss Alf.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 8/19/16

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 Neighborhood Sessions featuring Dave Matthews Band, Forces of Nature, All the Difference, The Circus, Wild Things Inside the National Zoo, Michael Chiklis, Victoria Justice, Bubba The Redneck Werewolf, Ouch! A Salute To Slapstick, Billions, Ray Donovan, Drop the Mic, and iHeartRadio Music Awards.

- One of the most influential bands in rock history is coming to Turner's TNT this September, when Dave Matthews Band takes the stage for a special 25th anniversary concert. Filmed earlier this year in the band's hometown of Charlottesville, Va., portions of the performance will be presented as part of Neighborhood Sessions, an ongoing series of music specials created by State Farm. The special, produced by Live Nation and directed by Danny Clinch, will feature powerful stories from the local community profiling some of the people who continue to impact the band members’ lives and music. Neighborhood Sessions featuring Dave Matthews Band marks the third special in the Neighborhood Sessions series, which gives the biggest names in music a chance to thank the neighbors who helped make them who they are today, and who continue to help life go right for members of their communities every day. The special is slated to premiere on TNT Sunday, Sept. 11, at 10:00, following the season finale of the epic drama The Last Ship.

- The forces that have kept the Earth on the move since it was formed billions of years ago are explored in Forces of Nature, a BBC co-production that premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2016, at 8:00 (check local listings). In each of the four episodes, the series illustrates how we experience Earth’s natural forces, including shape, elements, color and motion. Although we can’t immediately feel the motion of Earth’s fundamental forces, we witness the consequences, such as tidal bores surging through the Amazon rainforest or the intense and ruinous power of hurricanes.

- The largely invisible and often crushing struggles of young African-American men come vividly—and heroically—to life in All the Difference, which traces the paths of two teens from the South Side of Chicago who dared to dream a seemingly impossible dream: to graduate from college. As this intimate film shows, Robert Henderson and Krishaun Branch’s determination started them on the road to success, but it was the support from people in their lives—parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors— that brought them to their destination. Emmy®-winning producer/director Tod Lending’s film, inspired by Wes Moore’s bestselling autobiographical book, The Other Wes Moore, will have its national broadcast premiere on the POV (Point of View) documentary series on PBS on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016 at 10:00 (check local listings). Now in its 29th season, POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series and the recipient of a 2013 MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.

- National Geographic Channel is set to premiere Facing, a docu-series that takes an immersive look at the real stories behind some of modern history’s most larger-than-life characters, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, at 9:00. From the producers of the award-winning and critically acclaimed documentary “Facing Ali,” each hourlong episode will tackle the myths, legends and truths behind powerful headline-makers, including Pablo Escobar, Saddam Hussein, Suge Knight, Vladimir Putin and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

- After revealing the pivotal behind-the-scenes presidential campaign moments that led to the Democratic and Republican nominations, The Circus returns Sunday, September 11 at 8:00 on Showtime. Following a brief hiatus, The Circus will return in time to track and cover the first presidential debate, continuing its unprecedented access to the players and key events leading up to the general election. Cameras will crisscross the country alongside nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to bring you every dramatic moment – from the intense head-to-head debates through election night – as America picks its next president.

- Following a successful first season that garnered over 10 million video views, Smithsonian Channel’s original digital series - Wild Things Inside the National Zoo returns on August 20. Season two, comprised of six episodes, will focus on the same engaging and surprising stories of animal life at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., from kiwi chicks and maned wolves to swamp monkeys and pandas. Tian Tian, the famous panda who went viral this past winter when his playful blizzard video became the second most shared Facebook video in first quarter of 2016 with 1.9 million shares, makes an appearance in the first episode. The second season can be viewed on all of Smithsonian Channel’s digital platforms including smithsonianchannel.com/wildinside, mobile apps on iOS and Android, apps on Apple TV, Roku and Fire TV, and on Smithsonian Channel's YouTube channel. In addition, both seasons of Wild Things Inside the National Zoo will be available later this year on Smithsonian Earth™ – Smithsonian Networks’ subscription video streaming service that delivers spectacular original nature and wildlife content in 4K.

- Michael Chiklis reinvents himself once again with the release of his first solo album Influence. Best known as an award-winning television and film actor, Chiklis now steps into a new spotlight to showcase his talents as a rock singer and songwriter with a record whose prominent hooks and overdriven energy recall rock's golden age. The album's first single "In Front of Your Eyes” is currently available to stream and features Steve Lukather on guitar. Stream it HERE.

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- MVD has acquired the exclusive US distribution rights for Bubba The Redneck Werewolf. Based on the cult classic comic book series, the feature film marks the second directorial effort of Brendan Jackson Rogers, who also serves as one of the film's producers. Bubba The Redneck Werewolf coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital / VOD on October 11th.

- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will pay tribute to pratfalls and double-takes with Ouch! A Salute To Slapstick, a month-long programming special featuring more than 50 films exploring the history of slapstick. Hosted by acclaimed stand-up comedian Greg Proops, the special will feature programming from silent masters Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd to modern master Will Ferrell, and will premiere Sep. 6th and air every Tuesday and Wednesday during the month. Additionally, TCM is once again partnering with Ball State University and Canvas Network to offer a free online multimedia course on slapstick comedy. Enrollment begins today and comedy fans can sign up for the course at TCM.com/slapstick.

- Showtime announced its winter lineup with the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning drama series Homeland returning for season six on Sunday, January 15 at 9:00 and season two of the critically-acclaimed hit drama Billions returning on Sunday, February 19 at 10:00. Both series are shooting in New York this Summer with Homeland returning to the U.S. after spending the last two seasons shooting in South Africa and Berlin. New seasons of HOMELAND and Billions will be available on SHOWTIME on-air, on demand and over the internet.

- On the heels of Ray Donovan scoring five Emmy nominations for its third season, Showtime has ordered a fifth season of its hit drama series. Production on season five’s 12, one-hour episodes will begin next year. One of the top-rated drama series on premium television this summer, Ray Donovan returned for its fourth season up double digits year over year and continues to air on Sundays at 9:00. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc. at the 2016 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.

- TBS, a division of Turner, is injecting a little groove into its original series lineup. The network has greenlit Drop the Mic, a new mixture of comedy and music from executive producers James Corden and Ben Winston. Joining them as executive producer is Jensen Karp, former battle rapper Hot Karl. Drop the Mic is already a huge viral and digital success as an ongoing popular segment on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The new series will be produced by CBS Television Studios and Fulwell 73 and is slated to join the TBS lineup in 2017. Drop the Mic will pit four celebrities against each other in a rap battle royale packed with "I can't believe they just said that" moments. Each week's winner will be chosen by the studio audience. TBS has ordered 16 episodes of Drop the Mic, with a host to be announced later. The show is TBS's first new unscripted series since the arrival of Michael Bloom, who joined TBS & TNT in June as senior vice president of unscripted & special event programming.

- iHeartMedia and Turner announced today that the popular, fan-fueled iHeartRadio Music Awards will return on Sunday, March 5, 2017, to the historic, fabulous Forum in Los Angeles. The fourth year of the event will again be televised live on TBS, TNT and truTV at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) and simulcast on iHeartMedia stations nationwide, as well as on iHeartRadio, the all-in-one digital music and live streaming radio service.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 8/14/16

Ray Donovan: This show would be much better if Cochran and Ray were forced to team up every week. Can’t Cochran become the new Ezra?

Roadies: Not since the over choreographed scene with KellyAnne running back to the band at the end of the Pilot has anything been so obvious that KellyAnne would end up getting the perfect picture after be denigrated by her idol. Okay, it was also pretty obvious that Phil find his way back to the tour considering Ron White was in the title credits this whole time. Still I find the show very enjoyably, it is kind of like a cozy but tattered blanket reminding me of a time when shows used to be fun before The Sopranos came along and most shows had to be super serious ever since.

BrainDead: As silly as Laurel almost being subjected to enhanced interrogation (granted as not likely that scenario is in present day, I can see that playing out exactly that way in a potential Trump presidency), it did make for a good scene with the bug people inadvertently voting against the torture.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Pretty Little Liars: So Charles had a sibling that is the Liars’ age. They seem to heavily pushing Noel so that probably means it is not him. Sara is blonde and has the look, but she just died (or so we are led to believe, it would not be the first time someone came back from the dead). It is ethnically impossible (not that it has stopped the writers before, Charles turned out being a chick who dated her brother and significantly younger than they led us to believe) but I am rooting for Mona. But I am guessing it will end up being Jenna.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Casual: What was up with the ending? Is our health system so messed up that we are talking people back to their homes when they run out of money?
You can watch Casual on Hulu.

Mr. Robot: I am beginning to think the writers are just trolling us now. And I thought the two straight weeks where they started with a flashback was unnecessary, this week we got a full twenty minutes of Elliot stuck in a cheesy nineties sitcom (I think Married with Children did that very episode) complete with Alf. Alf! Alf killing Gideon!! Again!!! How could anyone possibly take the rest of the episode serious after that (um, I think Angela got hit on with a really bad pick up line)? But hey, at least they worked in an Up All Night reference because, c’mon, does anyone remember anything about USA in the nineties other than Up All Night? I guess we did get one thing out of that, it seemed pretty clear that Mr. Robot admitted to killing Tyrell. Sure you cannot truly believe a delusion, but he did admit to it.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 8/12/16

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 Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016, Cypress Hill: Live from Austin, Three Days of Terrorr: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks, Martha & Snoop’s Dinner Party, Sully erna, MTV Video Music Awards, and The Affair.

- In Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016, Triumph makes his return to the Presidential campaign trail, covering delegates, protesters, and the major players as they descend on Cleveland and Philadelphia for the Republican and Democratic conventions, respectively. Triumph has already made headlines conducting a live show directly behind Wolf Blitzer’s panel and commandeering a Westboro Baptist Church demonstration.


- Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network special Cypress Hill: Live from Austin airing Friday, August 12, at 9:00 PM ET/PT on DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114. The electrifying rooftop performance and interview with the iconic, multi-platinum, hip-hop group was filmed live this past March in Austin, TX. Cypress Hill is currently on a worldwide tour celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album (released August 13, 1991).

- Three Days of Terrorr: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks (debuting Sept. 19 on HBO) is a searing account of the January 2015 terror attacks on Paris which combined the last attack in Europe by Al-Qaeda and the first attack in Europe inspired by ISIS, following the militant group’s self-proclamation in June 2014. The horrific events began on January 7, 2015, when two brothers – members of Al-Qaeda in Yemen – stormed the Paris offices of the satiric weekly Charlie Hebdo, killing 11 people and injuring 11 others before also killing a French police officer. As a massive manhunt for the elusive killers was mounted, an additional 5 people were murdered and 11 wounded over the next two days, which included a harrowing stand-off between police and a gunman, pledging allegiance to ISIS, holding hostages at a kosher supermarket. With unprecedented investigative depth, including exclusive access to hostages, survivors, police, paramilitaries, and intelligence findings and evidence, as well as never before seen footage and photographs, Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Dan Reed (HBO’s “Terror at the Mall”) highlights the courage and resilience of Parisian police and citizens in the face of mass murder.

- VH1, in partnership with Sequential Brands Group, MERRY JANE and 495 Productions, this week announced a new weekly series featuring Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg teaming together to throw a dinner party that will be the hottest ticket in town. Each will invite celebrity friends over for a half-baked evening of cocktails, cooking, conversation, and fun where nothing is off limits. Martha & Snoop’s Dinner Party (working title) will premiere this Fall on VH1.

- Sully Erna--founder, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the multi-platinum rock band Godsmack--will release a new solo album Hometown Life Friday, September 30 via BMG. Composed by SULLY on piano and acoustic guitar and produced in his New Hampshire studio, HOMETOWN LIFE offers a departure from the tribal, world music feel and experimentation on 2010's Avalon; the new album's 10 songs are more accessible, sonically and musically precise.

- The MTV Video Music Awards will bestow Rihanna with its highest honor, the “Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award,” for her decade-long impact on music, pop culture, fashion, film and philanthropy. Rihanna will perform during the ceremony LIVE from New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden on Sunday, August 28 at 9:00.

- BAFTA and César Award-nominated Irène Jacob, often called the preeminent French actress of her generation, has joined the season three cast of the Golden Globe®-winning Showtime® drama series The Affair in a major season-long arc. Jacob will play Juliette Le Gall, a new love interest of Noah's (Dominic West), running from her own secrets, who helps him process a trauma from his past and understand himself a little better. Season three is currently in production in New York, and will premiere on Sunday, November 20th at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 8/7/16

MTV Classic: A couple years ago VH1, in honor of MTV’s anniversary they devoted an entire weekend to the channel’s history with classic episodes of its shows and a couple documentaries. It was a great watch and made me think that is what VH1 Classic should be. And how about running full episodes of Yo! MTV Raps, Headbangers Ball, and 120 Minutes instead of random blocks of music videos in the morning. But then VH1 Classic went back to its rock heavy schedule and random movies that have nothing to do with music after the weekend was over.

So I got slightly excited when I heard they were rebranding VH1 Classic as MTV Classic bringing back classic shows from the channel’s history. The lauch started off well enough with an Unplugged marathon but I have been less than enthused since. Sure they show the occasional Beavis and Butt-Head, but so far they have been all episodes from the recent reboot and none from the nineties. And is any one setting their DVR for midnight airings of Run’s House? C’mon, where is Remote Control. And still no one is taking my advice to show genre specif shows in their entirety, instead we are still getting random videos in the morning. Really not the best start when the first one I saw was Vertical Horizon’s Everything You Want. Even worse, the first time I came across Yo! Hip Hop Hits, they were showing a video by Xscape, a fifth rate nineties girl group (featuring the future Mrs. T.I.) who are neither hip hop nor classic. Le sigh.

Ray Donovan: Did we really need to start off the episode with some dude pleasuring himself to a chick playing Cat’s Cradle? And just when you thought that was gong to be the most graphic part of the episode, a minute later we get to watch s full body cavity search. And then a couple minutes after that Conner pulls out some lubricant? Then after everything he went through with the Russians to get Belikov out of jail, he kills him over the Cat’s Cradle chick. That is probably not going to go over well.

Preacher: What the frack was that? Was that meant to not be coherent and meant to be a complete mess? How does an episode like that even make it to air?
You can download Preacher on iTunes.

Roadies: In the beginning I thought it was a wise choice to keep the band in the background and focus on the titular characters (and definitely we should never hear any of their songs because the worst part of these scripted music shows is they are supposed to be superstars but their songs are mediocre at best), but after Janine went HAM on the lead singer, the band instantly became extremely interesting. I actually want to see more of Janine as she writes her tell all and Chris’s reaction to all the revelations. And just how does Bill not get fired for sleeping with the lead singer’s girlfriend even if I took place a decade or so ago?

The John Mellencamp cameo made me wonder just where do some of these celebrity cameo stories come from. Did Cameron Crowe ask them for the personal stories like the one about the hundred year old grandmother that could fit in the show? Are they strictly written for the show? Are they stories Crowe has heard and asked the celebrities if he can use it on the show?

BrainDead: I figured Laurel would find a way to get the bugs out of her head before they push out half her brain, but I thought she would simply go to the refrigerator and put some bacon on her ear. Instead we got maybe the most entertaining segment on television this year.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Pretty Little Liars: Seriously promo monkeys, we are already to the countdown portaon of the season. I get annoyed with the “one more episode until the (insert hyperbolic adverb here) finale” promo but four more episodes is a bit much. Sad thing is, that is most of what I remember from this episode. Um, Alison got attacked by someone and it turned out to not be her dead fiancée who is still in the ground. It probably was not Sara who ended up dead. Um, evil(er) twin maybe?
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: Well at least we did not start with a cute flashback this week. And good news for anyone who was wondering what Angela’s douchebag ex-boyfriend was up to. Otherwise, meh.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Tyrant: Oh hey Barry, you are really doing that days after your daughter died and hours after your wife checked herself into a mental institution? Cold.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

The Challenge: Rivals III: What a horrible ending to a horrible season. What a completely douche thing to do even by Johnny Banana’s standards. At least he cannot possibly get another invitation back after that and even so, how is he not sent into whatever they are calling the elimination round every time? What is worse was the whole point thing was kind of shady; I never really got the standing on the log checkpoint, and making things worse it was worth two points. Why not just stay on the log and refuse to leave?
You can download The Challenge: Rivals III on iTunes.

2016 Rio Olympics Opening Ceremonies: Not a very good sign for these games that I fell asleep somewhere around the M’s during the parade of nations. I am ready to call it the worse opening ceremonies of my lifetime. I know Pele was sick, but how was the biggest name at the ceremony Giselle? Was there really no one more important from Brazil? I was ready for Camilla from The Challenge or Abi-Maria from Survivor to pop up.

Around the Tubes: 8/5/16

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 Masters of Sex, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, All the Way, All Things Must Pass, Game of Thrones, Chuck D, Melissa Etheridge, Brian Posehn, Mars, Florida State football, Killing Reagan, 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, and Guerrilla.

- This week, released the key art and first footage from season four of its critically-acclaimed drama series Masters of Sex. Premiering on Sunday, September 11th at 10:00, Masters of Sex stars Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Michael Sheen and Emmy nominee Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Season four begins in 1968 and will take viewers into the “swinging ‘70s,” during which time the series’ characters will take on new partners both professionally, personally and sexually.


- Now in his third acclaimed season, John Oliver proves, each and every week, that he has his finger on the comedic pulse of America. The only news-oriented weekly comedy series to be presented on Sundays, Oliver's take on current events, honed at The Daily Show, is unique, biting and hilarious. And now, HBO is making it easier than ever to take Oliver wherever you go by making the S3 entire Season Pass of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver available for the very first time via Google Play!

- "Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men's skins, emancipation will be a proclamation, but not a fact." -- Lyndon B. Johnson. HBO Home Entertainment proudly presents the September 6th DVD with Digital HD and Blu-ray with Digital HD release of the critically acclaimed All the Way. Following its critically acclaimed, award-winning Broadway run, All the Way (starring four-time Emmy® winner Bryan Cranston who reprises his Tony Award-winning role, is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson's (LBJ) tumultuous first year in office in the wake of President Kennedy's assassination. Bonus material on both sets a Historical Featurette and Bryan Cranston's Transformative Video becoming LBJ. DVD with Digital HD & Blu-ray® with Digital HD will street
on September 6, 2016.

- Directed by Colin Hanks, and featuring music icons like Dave Grohl, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, All Things Must Pass is a feature documentary film examining this iconic company's explosive trajectory, tragic demise, and legacy forged by its rebellious founder Russ Solomon. For seven years, Hanks took on the documentary that lamented and celebrated the Sacramento-based record store that grew from his hometown into an American retail powerhouse. The DVD can be ordered now at the MVD Shop.

- On August 1, in conjunction with the release of Game of Thrones: The Complete Sixth Season on Digital HD, HBO invites viewers across the land to the launch of a brand new political movement: The GoT Party! One party that everyone can get behind, TheGoTParty (GoTParty.com) is an unique, interactive and engaging online campaign asking the series' fans to help select the very first Game of Thrones Party ticket, pledge their support for their candidate and purchase of Game of Thrones: The Complete Sixth Season on Digital HD (or individual episodes) from all leading digital platforms.

- Chuck D on protesting at the R.N.C., revisiting “Fight the Power” and why Donald Trump is like an amusement park attraction at The New York Times Magazine.

- Melissa Etheridge has done some pretty gutsy things in her stellar career. She's shown no fear in forthrightly standing up for her truths, both in her songs and her life. But as an artist she's never quite laid it on the line like she does on MEmphis Rock and Soul, scheduled for release on October 7th, 2016 via Stax Records, a division of Concord Music Group. On MEmphis Rock and Soul, Etheridge brings her powerful voice and passionate vision to some of the era-defining treasures of modern music - the Staple Singers' "Respect Yourself," Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" and "I've Got Dreams to Remember," Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Coming," Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign," Johnnie Taylor's "Who's Making Love" - as well as some real discoveries she found in her explorations deep into the Stax catalog. Etheridge could not be happier with the results: an album that completely captures the spirit she felt as a kid hearing these songs. And now she's thrilled to share her MEmphis Rock and Soul. To pre-order MEmphis Rock and Soul, please visit: pledgemusic.com/melissaetheridge.

- Brian Posehn, best known for his roles in Mr. Show and The Sarah Silverman Show, is poised to release Criminally Posehn, an all-new comedy album out on Rooftop Comedy, available August 19, exclusively for streaming on Audible Channels. It will be made available for sale on all digital stores, wherever albums are sold September 23, 2016.

- Premiering on the National Geographic Channel in 171 countries and 45 languages this November, Mars — which is set both in the future and in the present day — will redefine television storytelling by combining feature-film-quality scripted drama and visual effects with best-in-class documentary sequences to drive forward a cohesive, edge-of-your seat story of mankind’s thrilling quest to colonize Mars. This epic six-part global event series tells the inspiring story from the vantage point of a fictitious crewed mission in 2033.

- Showtime Sports released the trailer for A Season with Florida State football, the all-access, season-long documentary series that chronicles the Florida State Seminoles’ high-stakes quest for the 2016 College Football National Championship.


- On March 30, 1981, at 2:27 p.m. six shots were fired from a .22-caliber pistol at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. On one side of the gun was an aimless and deranged young man, misguided by an obsession with an American actress. His intended victim: the U.S. president. Though he failed in his assassination attempt, he succeeded in changing not only a presidency but a man and a marriage. On Sunday, Oct. 16, National Geographic Channel will go deep inside this harrowing moment in U.S. history, with Killing Reagan, produced with Scott Free Productions and based on the New York Times best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The two-hour movie event is the fourth in a successful partnership between NGC, Scott Free and O’Reilly, with the previous three collaborations — Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus — serving as the network’s three most-watched programs of all time and earning multiple Emmy nominations. The movie will air globally in early 2017 on National Geographic Channels in 171 countries and in 45 languages.

- Lily Tomlin – an entertainment maverick whose talents put her at the pinnacle of comedy, acting, writing and producing – has been named the 53rd recipient of SAG-AFTRA's highest tribute: the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. Tomlin will be presented the performers union's most prestigious distinction at the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, which will be simulcast live nationwide on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 at 8:00. The SAG Life Achievement Award will join Tomlin's extraordinary collection of preeminent industry and public honors, which includes a 2014 Kennedy Center Award, the 2003 Mark Twain Prize for A merican Humor, two Peabody Awards, multiple Emmys® (including this year's Lead Comedy Actress nomination), numerous American Comedy Awards, two Tony® Awards, a Grammy®, a Writers Guild of America Award and both the Crystal Award and the Lucy Award from Women in Film. That Tomlin embodies the SAG Life Achievement Award’s "finest ideals of the acting profession" is amply celebrated by these and her numerous other professional and philanthropic commendations.

- Babou Ceesay (Getting On, Eye In The Sky), Laurence Olivier Award winner Rory Kinnear (PENNY DREADFUL, Spectre) and Daniel Mays (Line of Duty, Mrs Biggs) have joined the cast of the new six-part drama thriller Guerrilla. Also joining the cast are Nathaniel Martello-White (Deadmeat, Misfits, Trial and Retribution), Denise Gough (People, Places & Things, The Duchess of Malfi), Brandon Scott (Grey’s Anatomy), Zawe Ashton (Fresh Meat, Not Safe for Work) and Nicholas Pinnock (Fortitude). Set to air on Showtime and Sky Atlantic in 2017, Guerrilla, which begins production in London this week, centers on a politically active couple who set out to change the world. Academy Award® winner John Ridley (American Crime) will create, write and direct the series. Golden Globe® winner Idris Elba (Luther, Beasts of No Nation) will co-star and serve as an executive producer through his Green Door Pictures. Ridley will write the majority of the episodes and will direct the first two and the finale, with Emmy® Award nominee Sam Miller (Luther, Fortitude, American Crime) directing the remaining episodes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 7/31/16

Ray Donovan: So after half the season dedicated to this casino heist, it ends with the owner with his money back, does not even bother to press charges (presumably to get the insurance money and the original money) and Ray does not even need that money to bribe the FBI guy to blackmail the other guy because Micky is going to turn himself in. But hey, at least we got to hear Ray sing Bob Seger. We dd get some set up of two storylines that will likely end disastrously: apparently Bunchy is now a single father and Connor was able to break into the gun safe. Checkov would have us believe that gun will go off sometime in the third act, the question now is who is he going to shoot?

Roadies: So Janine is the chick from The Civil Wars. Alrighty. Though she was actually competent as the girl next door that got away. But is she really going to hook up with Reg. Or as importantly, is Reg going to hook up with the girl who broke his boss’ heart? Well, if it ends the will they or won’t they storyline with KellyAnne, I would be happy.

BrainDead: Oh no, Ramona Flowers better not be taken over by the bugs. Hopefully she is able to get to her bacon before they push out her brain or Gustav arrives in time. But c’mon Ramona, you throw out all the stuff he brought but did not throw his flowers at him?
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Casual: Oh, hey, Leon, I forgot you even existed. Where has he been, he was the best part of the first season. He should have gotten the C-storyline; it probably would have been more interesting than the teen cancer one. Then you have Pete Campbell as vindictive as ever, lowballing Alex for his company. But since there is still four episodes left, I am guessing Alex will be fighting this even though his partner may take the money and run.
You can watch Casual on Hulu.

Mr. Robot: So we are just going to get a flashback at the start of every episode? Meh. At least this was a bit more informative than last week’s F(un) Society origin. I guess we saw the start of Mr. Robot and where the masks came from. There was also the return of White Rose as him and Evil Corp guy talk about there still as unknown Illuminati plot on society. But still I am still a little down on this season. Hopefully now that Elliot is back to hacking, things will pick up.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Tyrant: And I thought Jamal not coming back to life would be the most shocking part of the episode, nope his son actually being Barry ended up being more shocking. Sure they had to do some retconning by saying Jamal had low sperm, oh his other son (who died two episodes ago without much of a mention) was not really his son either.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

The Challenge: Rivals III: So after a whole season, we are left with Johnny Bananas, his cousin, and a team that was booted the very first week, but since so many teams left prematurely, were brought back, were sent into the jungle over half the time and managed to not pull the black skull once. How anticlimactic. At least they goosed the finale with a twist where you can screw over your rival and take all the money. At first I thought you have to split the cash otherwise you are the first one out in future Challenges, but if you are Sarah and you are ready to go to grad school and pop out some babies, you might as well take the money and run. Plus that would be funny if she screwed over Johnny Bananas twice in consecutive seasons.
You can download The Challenge: Rivals III on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 7/29/16

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 Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016, Great Performances, 2016 Global Citizen Festival, Sting, Tony Lucca, Mission Critical, America's National Parks at 100, Hip Hop Squares, Might Ship at War: The Queen Mary, America’s Next Top Model, and TBS.

- On the heels of its recent Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special, Triumph’s Election Special 2016, Hulu will debut a new, follow-up one-hour special hosted by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog titled Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016. The new Hulu Original, in association with Funny Or Die, will become available to stream to Hulu subscribers on August 11.

- The PBS Arts Fall Festival returns Friday nights, beginning October 21, 2016, with all new programs, including the highly anticipated look into the making of the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton, a contemporary take on the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Visionary Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show’s Tony and Grammy Award-winning creator and star, will host this year’s festival. Great Performances “Hamilton’s America” gives viewers a look at Miranda and his colleagues’ creative process during the three years leading up to the Broadway opening of the record-breaking musical winner of 11 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize.

- Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Selena Gomez, Major Lazer, and Metallica will headline the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, the annual free-ticketed event on the Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City on Saturday, September 24, 2016. The Festival will harness actions from millions of Global Citizens around the world to hold world leaders accountable to the progress made toward achieving the Global Goals set out by the United Nations last year. Special guest performances will be given by Usher, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Ellie Goulding, Yandel, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens. Hosts for this year’s Festival will include Chelsea Handler, Deborra-lee & Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra, Salma Hayek Pinault, and Seth Meyers.

- On September 30, A&M / Interscope Records are proud to release The Studio Collection, a career-spanning vinyl LP box set featuring all of Sting’s seminal solo studio albums brought together for the first time. The Studio Collection includes eight essential A&M Records albums across eleven LPs – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (1985), ...Nothing Like The Sun (1987) (double LP), The Soul Cages (1991), Ten Summoner’s Tales (1993), Mercury Falling (1996), Brand New Day (1999) (double LP), Sacred Love (2003) (double LP) and The Last Ship (2013) – with both Brand New Day and Sacred Love available on vinyl for the first time ever.

- Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca is set to release a new digital EP on August 5, 2016 via Rock Ridge Music entitled Sessions, Vol. 2: Muscle Shoals. The three tracks on the release came from a day-long session Lucca did in Muscle Shoals, AL 10 years ago when he went to the music town to explore the area and get to know some writers and players in that scene.

- For many of Earth’s species, time is running out. Iconic animals such as black rhinos, mountain gorillas and giant pandas are close to joining dodos and dinosaurs on the unfortunate list of animals gone forever. While working to preserve these threatened and endangered creatures may seem like a daunting mission, Nat Geo WILD believes that it’s a critical one. Today, Nat Geo WILD announced the premiere of Mission Critical, a new monthly programming initiative featuring powerful stories of the most incredible and endangered animals on our planet. The new series hopes to inspire a new generation of animal lovers to preserve and protect our world’s amazing wildlife, and will premiere globally in 131 countries and 38 languages. Every month, Mission Critical highlights species at the forefront of extinction and the brave individuals who are racing against the clock to make a difference. From adorable baby beluga whales to mischievous Tasmanian devils to elusive leopards, the episodes range from heartwarming to tear-jerking in hopes to shine a light on those animals that need our attention most.

- It began as a radical idea to preserve a mysterious land of “boiling sulpher springs.” Now the National Park Service is 100 years old – with more than 400 places we’ve seen fit to save forever. Smithsonian Channel will celebrate the centennial with America's National Parks at 100 premiering Sunday, August 28 at 8:00. The one-hour special tells the story of how this radical idea evolved into an enduring mission shaped by the creativity, resourcefulness and passion of individual Americans.

- VH1 is giving the classic game show Hollywood Sqares a Hip Hop makeover with the help of Ice Cube and his Cube Vision production company in conjunction with Jesse Collins Entertainment and Jeff Kwatinetz’s The Firm. Slated for a Fall 2016 premiere, celebrity contestants will match wits and test their pop culture knowledge with the superstar squares, featuring the biggest names in hip hop, comedy and entertainment. According to Ice Cube: “Hip Hop Squares is going to be fun and spontaneous; unlike typical game shows, viewers should never know what’s going to happen next. When VH1 asked us to join the producing team, we jumped aboard as we have had success with VH1, and we love their team, excitement and commitment to the show.”

- Nat Geo WILD announced today that Emmy-nominated actor Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”) will narrate the upcoming global miniseries event Savage Kingdom, a rare look at warring animal clans battling for survival in a remote region of Africa that is drying up after years of flood-soaked abundance. The winners are rewarded with the richest hunting grounds in the kingdom, while the losers are fated to exile … or even death. Savage Kingdom premieres Friday, Nov. 25, at 9:00 on Nat Geo WILD and globally this fall in 134 countries and 37 languages.

- For six seasons, The Wonder Years captured the angst of growing up in suburban middle-class America in the late '60s, as seen through the life and times of Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage). Audiences eagerly followed his evolution as a typical awkward teenager who remembered every moment of his transition from childhood with excruciating detail and remarkable hindsight. From his first kiss with Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) to his friendship with Paul Pfeiffer (Josh Saviano) and the ups and downs of the Arnold family, fans shared in laughter, love, and loss, but above all, wonder. This 22-DVD set contains all 115 episodes from the six seasons of this landmark series that aired from 1988 to 1993. Included in this specially-priced slipcase set are complete show notes with episode synopses, cast member reflections, "Current Events," and more plus nearly 12 hours of bonus material, as well as an astounding soundtrack of over 300 classic period songs as they were featured in the original broadcasts featuring such artists as: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, and of course, Joe Cocker's unforgettable theme. The Wonder Years: The Complete Series Street Date: August 23, 2016.

- All aboard Smithsonian Channel this August, as the network sets sail on an epic journey to chronicle the spectacular life and times of the singular vessel R.M.S. Queen Mary, as both a luxury passenger liner and a wartime troop ship. Might Ship at War: The Queen Mary, a new one-hour special timed to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the famed ocean liner’s maiden voyage, will premiere Sunday, August 21 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- VH1 today announced the host and judging panel for the network’s upcoming reincarnation of America’s Next Top Model, premiering this fall. Singer, actress and entrepreneur Rita Ora will host the reinvented show with supermodel and body activist Ashley Graham, Paper Magazine Chief Creative Officer Drew Elliott and celebrity stylist and image architect Law Roach serving as judges. Show creator Tyra Banks and Ken Mok continue as executive producers of the iconic modeling competition, with Banks making surprise appearances throughout the season.

- TBS, a division of Turner, has greenlit Storyville, a new digital animated series co-created by OkayPlayer. The top-rated network is also in development on Think B.I.G., a scripted series based loosely on lyrics by the late, great Notorious B.I.G. The two projects are the first to emerge from a new strategic content partnership between TBS & TNT and New York-based content and media organization Mass Appeal.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 7/24/16

Ray Donovan: Welcome back FBI guy (although it was a little silly Ray got the epiphany to see him after seeing a chick in a “Federal Boobie Inspector” t-shirt), he and Micky’s parole officer are the best character on the show. I was actually thinking when he told Ray that he looks like a Bob Seger guy, how disappointing that we will not get to see Ray pretend to be a member of The Silver Bullet Band. Yet somehow FBI guy actually got Ray to do it. I wonder if Showtime asked for this so there would be some synergy with Roadies. That song got the asking price down three million, but apparently Ray does not have two million lying around (um, whatever happened to his buy a football team money?) and will look to get that Horseshoe money with Micky. Whenever those two work together, things never go well. Actually Ray needs that money because of killing all the Armenians for Micky.

Preacher: The hell is not as far as you think comment was really deep, too bad they muddled it by making Eugene turning out to be fake.
You can download Preacher on iTunes.

Roadies: Did someone already say the C-word on the bus before because the tour already seemed pretty cured up to now. The one guy fired everyone including Phil who seemed to be the lifeblood of the tour (bu hey, he got to go to space with Taylor Swift), they are on their third opening act (does My Morning Jacket count as the fourth or was Jim James just a stowaway), oh and this week the bassist went MIA with the band’s groupie. But I wonder if The Who cast is to explain the inevitable hookup of KellyAnn and the money guy. No way that is really happening without some devilish curse pushing them together.

Pretty Little Liars: Ugg, Ezra proposed to Aria? Still creepy after all these year. Hopefully Ezra’s not so deas fiancé comes back and ruins that relationship one more time.
You can download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Casual: I said last week the workplace would be weird if Pete Campbell found out about Alex and his fiancé and it is worse than weird, Pete Campbell plans to burn the company to the ground. Oops. And of course Alex then hooks up with her again, and it kind of looks like she is moving in as he brought a lot of luggage.
You can watch Casual on Hulu.

Mr. Robot: Fun Society? Alrighty. I fear we may be getting into Lost-ian territory of silly backstory told in way too cute of a way (the concrete scene was a bit much too). But it is hard out there for secondary characters from the first season, All Safe dude last week, hacker guy this week. I fear for the job security of Gloria Rubin. But the other hackers think it may be the Chinese. My first thought was Tyrell. Mr. Robot also crossed my mind as well as E-Corp who would rather dispense their own brand of justice than let the Feds deal with it.

Tyrant: What the frack? Why did they have and go kill off the hot chick? Sure her character was worthless but, um, yeah, oh well. And did they really kill Jamal too? Sure he was flat lining but that does not stop some people from coming back to life. I know this is a third world country, but he is a former president, so where were the doctors when he started to flat line? Still this guy survived driving off a cliff and being show at point blank range, certainly he can survive a pillow.
You can download Tyrant on iTunes.

The Challenge: Rivals III: Finally, a silly challenge harkening back to the early days and not some everyone takes turns to do something short and boring. The Jungle should have been better too except no one got dirty. How do you not pull a leg as they are going by?
You can download The Challenge: Rivals III on iTunes.