Previewing China’s Megatomb Revealed

We have known for a while now that ancient rulers had very expansive thoughts of the afterlife, just look at the enormous pyramids in Egypt that houses the tombs of the pharaohs. But a recent tomb uncovered in China puts those Egyptians to same with a tomb to an emperor there that is the size of Manhattan and features an entire army made out of clay, including horses, carved in exquisite detail. And now explorer Albert Lin has been given unprecedented access to the tomb of China’s first empower for the new special China’s Megatomb Revealed premiering Sunday at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel.

“The Terracotta warriors are just the tip of the iceberg in the largest tomb complex ever discovered, which has gone largely unexcavated… until now. These silent statues guard explosive, macabre findings that paint a very different picture of the ancient world from what we thought we knew.” Some new information uncovered include evidence that Europeans were in contact with the Chinese millennia before Marco Polo. A skull with a crossbow bolt embedded in the back. And much more.

China’s Megatomb Revealed premieres tomorrow, Sunday, at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel.

Around the Tubes: 10/21/16

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 Twin Peaks, POV (Point of View), Years of Living Dangerously, Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night Democracy’s Series Finale: Who’s Going To Clean Up This Shi*t?, Green Day iHeartRadio Album Release Party on AT&T, Wheel of Fortune, Bob Hope: Home for the Holidays, Trolls: Crazy Party Forest, and Don the Con.

- Showtime has released the first behind-the-scenes look at the new Twin Peaks, which will premiere in 2017 on Showtime, on-air, on demand and over the internet. This first glimpse on set features original cast members Kyle MacLachlan, Miguel Ferrer, Kimmy Robertson, Harry Goaz, Dana Ashbrook and James Marshall sharing their thoughts on returning to the television phenomenon, as well as insight from new cast members Jim Belushi, Amy Shiels, Robert Knepper and Chrysta Bell into what fans can expect from the new Twin Peaks.


- Ryan and Amy Green faced every parent’s worst nightmare when their infant son Joel was diagnosed with brain cancer. But Ryan, an independent video game developer, imagined that something larger and brighter could come out of his family’s struggle: a poetic video game that would help him share an experience so rarely discussed—raising a child with cancer. Their heroic and life-affirming story is documented in Thank You for Playing, an Official Selection of the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, which will premiere during the 29th season of the PBS series POV (Point of View) on Monday, Oct. 24, 2016 at 10:00 (check local listings). American television’s longest-running independent documentary series, POV is the recipient of a 2013 MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.

- National Geographic Channel (NGC) will premiere the second season of the Emmy award-winning documentary series Years of Living Dangerously— Sunday, Oct. 30, at 8:00. Years of Living Dangerously will move to its regularly scheduled time, Wednesdays at 10:00, beginning Nov. 2. The full list of season two correspondents includes Jack Black, Gisele Bündchen, Ty Burrell, Don Cheadle, America Ferrera, Thomas Friedman, Joshua Jackson, David Letterman, Aasif Mandvi, Nikki Reed, executive producer Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ian Somerhalder, Cecily Strong, Sigourney Weaver and Bradley Whitford. They give first-person accounts from locations — some shockingly close to home, others in far-flung corners of the globe — where the effects of climate change are most prevalent. They cover crucial issues, like severe hurricanes, deforestation, the solar energy crisis, climate migrants, historic droughts and the rapidly increasing extinction rate of our planet’s wildlife. The result is a gritty and raw look at not only how our species has impacted our planet but also how we can save it for future generations.

- In an unprecedented partnership between The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Showtime, the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning late night host Stephen Colbert will bring his special brand of political satire and social commentary to a live Showtime election special. Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night Democracy’s Series Finale: Who’s Going To Clean Up This Shi*t? will air on Tuesday, November 8 at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.

- Tune in to watch Green Day iHeartRadio Album Release Party on AT&T, airing exclusively via nationwide broadcast Friday, October 21 at 9:00 pm ET/PT on the AUDIENCE Network, DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114. Green Day's new album Revolution Radio is out now on Reprise Records.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today that it has secured the telecast rights to season 31 of the iconic game show Wheel of Fortune, debuting Monday, October 24 and airing weekdays at 11:00 and 11:30am.

- There's no place like home for the holidays. And there really was no place like Bob Hope's home for the holidays with Bob, Dolores and the Hope family. Bob Hope's TV Christmas connection began on December 24, 1950 with The Comedy Hour and from then on, each and every holiday season, Bob invited friends from the world of entertainment and sports to celebrate the season in hilarious and heartwarming fashion. America's greatest entertainer hands out laughs galore in Bob Hope: Home for the Holidays! Street date, November 1.

- Ubisoft, a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, today announced that the extraordinary world of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls is coming to life in an all new mobile game, Trolls: Crazy Party Forest! Based on DreamWorks’ Trolls, the upcoming animated feature film transporting audiences into a fresh and irreverent broad comedy filled with music, heart and hair-raising adventures, Trolls: Crazy Party Forest! is a free-to-play game where players can build their own Troll village and interact with their favorite characters including Poppy, Branch and their friends from the movie. The new game, developed by Ubisoft’s mobile team, is now available for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices worldwide.

- DontheCons.com, the world’s leading website dedicated to the honoring the legacy of the world-leading con jobs promulgated by Donald Trump (a/k/a Don the Con), today announced the winner of greatest Don the Con Con Job contest. With over 20 million votes recorded in multiple rounds, The “Make Trump Rich Again” Con narrowly defeated Trump U as the greatest con of all time.

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

Once Upon a Time: I thought pulling out characters from a high school reading list was bad, but that may have been better than revisiting Cinderella’s origin story.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Shameless: So did none of the other Gallagher’s think to use a ladder to get to the second floor? Well I guess it was more entertaining to take a sledgehammer to the wall.

Masters of Sex: Interesting bit of quid pro quo with Virginia “admitting” that her agent took part in the survey and refused the second book because they did not include his data because he was too good in bed. And id Libby really going to hook up with the lawyer? Seems like a really bad match.

Supergirl: So the demotion to The CW means no more cave based DEO instead there is a new building base in city because… why not? Oh well, at least the show is still fun.
You can download Supergirl on iTunes.

Timeless: To let Lincoln die or not to let Lincoln die, that is the question. Might as well save him because they already messed up the timeline. Maybe Lucy’s sister would have returned had they saved Abe. I thought maybe they would change the timeline because Lincoln’s son became obsessed with finding Lucy and never married the person he was supposed to marry and they just messed up the timeline. But nice twist where it turned out Lucy’s father is not really her father even though I was disappointed nothing changed, I was kind of hoping there would be something that changed every time they traveled back in time.
You can download Timeless on iTunes.

Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: My main rule for the Hidden Immunity is never use it for someone else unless you can give it to someone in your alliance that will switch the numbers into your favor. At Tribal, I thought it was a bold move, but the more I think about it, I think it was the wrong move. Then the promo showed why it was a really dumb idea to give away your Idol because next week, Jeff says, “Drop your buffs.” So unless he is on the same tribe as CeCe and Jessica, dude will really want that Idol back.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes

The Good Place: So Chidi and Tahanni are really soulmates, right? But does that make Eleanor and the monk soulmates and that was the mix up?
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 10/14/16

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 Great Performances, The Affair, Kid Cudi, The Circus, Years of Living Dangerously, Mighty Planes, Punkin Chunkin, Untamed With Filipe DeAndrade, Garth Brooks/Yankee Stadium/Live, and #ChooseKindness.

- PBS announced today the broadcast premiere dates for the diverse slate of performing arts specials that will air as part of the 2016 PBS Arts Fall Festival. Compelling specials from Great Performances and Live from Lincoln Center, as well as Bill Murray: The Mark Twain Prize and Alan Cumming Sings Happy Songs, will join Hamilton’S America as a part of this year’s festival. “PBS is thrilled to unveil the full lineup and airdates for the 2016 PBS Arts Fall Festival,” says Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming for PBS. “The quality and variety of programs that compose this year’s festival, from Broadway performances to comedic tributes and cabaret acts, will keep viewers coming back to PBS every Friday night this fall.” As previously announced, Hamilton’S America, from Great Performances, launches the PBS Arts Fall Festival on Friday, October 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings).


- This week, Showtime released the first look video for season three of its critically-acclaimed series The Affair, premiering on Sunday, November 20 at 10:00. THE AFFAIR stars Golden Globe nominee Dominic West, Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson, Emmy Award® nominee Maura Tierney and Screen Actors Guild® nominee Joshua Jackson.


- Grammy Award®-winning multiplatinum artist and trendsetter KID CUDI debuts the visual for his latest song “Frequency” via Republic Records/Wicked Awesome Records this week.


- The SHowtime campaign documentary series The Circus is making an early return this week to cover the fallout from the dramatic new developments in the presidential race. The Circus is cutting its two-week break in half and will air all new episodes on Sundays at 8:00 on Showtime through the election.

- National Geographic Channel (NGC) will premiere the second season of the Emmy award-winning documentary series Years of Living Dangerously— Sunday, Oct. 30, at 8:00. Years of Living Dangerously will move to its regularly scheduled time, Wednesdays at 10/9c, beginning Nov. 2. Produced in collaboration with The Years Project and from executive producers James Cameron, Jerry Weintraub and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Years of Living Dangerously once again features some of Hollywood’s biggest influencers who are passionate about environmental issues, and it reveals emotional and hard-hitting accounts of the effects of climate change from across the planet. The full list of season two correspondents includes Jack Black, Gisele Bündchen, Ty Burrell, Don Cheadle, America Ferrera, Thomas Friedman, Joshua Jackson, David Letterman, Aasif Mandvi, Nikki Reed, executive producer Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ian Somerhalder, Cecily Strong, Sigourney Weaver and Bradley Whitford. They give first-person accounts from locations — some shockingly close to home, others in far-flung corners of the globe — where the effects of climate change are most prevalent. They cover crucial issues, like severe hurricanes, deforestation, the solar energy crisis, climate migrants, historic droughts and the rapidly increasing extinction rate of our planet’s wildlife. The result is a gritty and raw look at not only how our species has impacted our planet but also how we can save it for future generations.

- Season three of the popular Smithsonian Channel series Mighty Planes soars to new heights with some of the world’s most incredible aircraft. From one of the most legendary spy planes to NASA’s cargo-hauling giant, there is no shortage of extraordinary planes carrying out massive undertakings. MIGHTY PLANES tells the stories of the pilots, engineers, avionics specialists, load masters and ground operators behind the machines, and of course, the airplanes that bring it all home. The six-episode season premieres Sunday, November 6 at 8:00.

- Projectile pumpkins take over the sky as Punkin Chunkin returns to Science Channel with a three hour simulcast with Discovery Channel – that’s more primetime gourd-chunkin hours than ever before! Punkin Chunkin is the epic gathering of unconventional engineering teams and builders who compete using a variety of technologies - air cannons, catapults, trebuchets and other homemade contraptions - to see who can propel a pumpkin the farthest. This signature Science Channel television event celebrates the science and engineering skills of all those who compete, as well as their creativity, ingenuity, teamwork, and passion. Punkin Chunkin returns in all its glory after a two-year absence as a simulcast on Science Channel and Discovery Channel Saturday, Nov. 26 at 8:00.

- When filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade won Nat Geo WILD’s Wild to Inspire short film compeititon in 2014, he never dreamed that the opportunity would lead to his own wildlife series. However, his winning short film, “Adapt,” left audiences and judges moved and inspired, proving to Nat Geo WILD just how much experience and unmistakable talent the aspiring filmmaker possessed. Two years later, DeAndrade’s dream of using his passion for filmmaking to showcase his love for wildlife has become a reality — today at Wildscreen, Nat Geo WILD announced its new digital series, Untamed With Filipe DeAndrade, premiering on the network’s YouTube Channel in March 2017.

- AT&T's AUDIENCE® Network will present the exclusive concert event Garth Brooks/Yankee Stadium/Live. Filmed in 4K this past summer, the spectacular concert event will broadcast nationwide on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 8:00 across all AT&T platforms.

- Radio Disney Country Artist Jessie Chris announced today she is a proud supporter of Disney's new national #ChooseKindness Anti-Bullying Campaign. Jessie, who was the victim of extreme bullying in school herself, has filmed an Anti-Bullying PSA, and is joining several other artists and celebrities hoping to drive awareness to this growing epidemic.

The Voice Season 11 Blind Audition Power Ranking

I knew going into this season, The Voice was going to be a drag just by the announcement of Miley Cyrus as coach and I figured I would be going back to just watching the YouTube highlights. I did watch the post Olympics preview and was unimpressed by the two they featured. Unfortunately there was nothing else on Tuesdays so I did turn in those days, but found myself flipping around to wrestling and news to see what stupid thing Donald Trump said that day to avoid Miley who is just completely unwatchable. Then this week the Best of the Blinds happened and I realized, I have not even bothered to go back watch the Mondays show. Not a good sign. But for the first time in a long time, there was actually someone who tried out that I actually had on my iPod, except the dude from Mêlée did not get anyone to turn (granted for a reason). Then there was an actual ringer, Billy Gilman, who apparently had a hit record when he was a child and probably has already won. Oh and we got two daughters of famous athletes on this season: Ron Harper and Valeri Bure. Meh.

1. Whitney & Shannon (Team Alicia)
2. Nolan Neal (Team Adam)
3. Christian Cuevas (Team Alicia)
4. Brendan Fletcher (Team Adam)
5. Jason Warrior (Team Alicia)
6. Courtney Harrell (Team Blake)
7. Blaine Long (Team Blake)
8. Austin Allsup (Team Blake)
9. Halle Tomlinson (Team Alicia)
10. Halle Tomlinson (Alicia Keys)
11. Elia Esparza (Team Adam)
12. Josette Diaz (Team Miley)
13. Sa'Rayah (Team Miley)
14. Andrew DeMuro (Team Adam)
15. Karlee Metzger (Team Miley)
16. Simone Gundy (Team Adam)
17. Kylie Rothfield (Team Alicia)
18. Kylie Rothfield (Team Miley)
19. Courtnie Ramirez (Team Miley)
20. Dana Harper (Team Blake)
21. Gabe Broussard (Team Blake)
22. Khaliya Kimberlie (Team Miley)
23. Bindi Liebowitz (Team Adam)
24. Darby Walker (Team Miley)
25. Aaron Gibson (Team Miley)
26. Wé McDonald (Team Alicia)
27. Sundance Head (Team Blake)
28. Ali Caldwell (Team Miley)
29. Sophia Urista (Team Miley)
30. Billy Gilman (Team Adam)
31. Michael Sanchez (Team Alicia)
32. Dan Shafer (Team Blake)
33. Lauren Diaz (Team Alicia)
34. Natasha Bure (Team Adam)
35. Johnny Rez (Team Adam)
36. Riley Elmore (Team Adam)
37. Ethan Tucker (Team Blake)
38. Josh Gallagher (Team Blake)
39. Ponciano Seoane (Team Adam)
40. Maye Thomas (Team Miley)
41. Gabriel Violett (Team Alicia)
42. Dave Moisan (Team Alicia)
43. Belle Jewel (Team Alicia)
44. JSOUL (Team Adam)
45. Christian Fermin (Team Blake)
46. Charity Bowden (Team Miley)
47. Tarra Layne (Team Blake)
48. Preston James (Team Blake)


This is the time I usually give digital ink to how well the contestants did on iTunes, but to be honest, I never really cared enough yet this season to check. And really, it is not just Miley, the contestants have been stale for a while now aside from a small blip two seasons ago. Watching the early seasons of The Real World on MTV Classics reminded why The Voice is becoming stale; just like The Real World recycled stereotypes (the naïve county folk! The token black guy!! The hot lesbian!!! The douchebag frat boy!!!!), it is the same singers every season. Blake has to have his downhome boring county boy. Adam has to have his big voiced diva and cute but bland white boy. Even the weird indie chick has become a cliché. I should be disappointed that the chick that turned (Don’t You) Forget About Me into a jazz standard got montaged, but instead, I just went, meh. Really the two black sisters who sang Stevie Nicks were the only Blind Auditions this season that I thought were just a baseline of interesting. Season six was the only season where I jumped ship during the Battle Round and I get the sense that not only will that happen this season, but I may actually be done with the series.

Previewing Freakish

I tend to think I am up on television news, even if the show does not even air on television. Yet I had no clue what Freakish was when Hulu sent over their screener link for the show. Nor did I even recognize anyone in the cast other than The Walking Dead’s Chad L. Coleman. The press release actually had links from the cast list to their YouTube and Vine pages which also gave me pause. Then I started to watch the first episode and realized that the reason I had never heard of the show was because it was not made for me really looking back, casting YouTube and Vine stars should have also tipped me off).

So it was pretty clear that I am well out of the show’s targeted demographic as it is more aimed to teens. But the story is still as old as time… or at least as old as John Hughes because the detention setting has a very Breakfast Club feel to it, with Coleman as the coach is supervising. Except the school is extremely busy for a Saturday morning as computer club, orchestra practice, and a basketball pickup game are all going on.

Oh yeah, there is also a chemical plant explosion that happens on the same day and everyone has to head to the bomb shelter at the bottom of the school. Except most of the students do not want to spend the week their waiting fr the all clear, and that is when things get a little, are I say, Freakish.

Like I said, I am out of the show’s demographics but the show gave me some nostalgia vibes to the stuff I watched on Nickelodeon as a kid or the Saturday morning teen block of shows with a supernatural twist that gives it a modern flavor. Of course all the main characters (the bad boy, the basketball star and his cheerleading girlfriend, the computer nerd, the normal guy, and his violinist sister) have a secret. So if you have a teen in middle school (or are one), this may be something to watch together. Although I should point out to overprotective parents, even though the show seems to be geared to the younger set there is one curse word in the first episode.

You can stream all ten episodes of Freakish starting today on Hulu.

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

Once Upon a Time: Am I really going to dust off my high school reading list for this season? The Count of Monte Cisco? If they gang runs into the animals of Animal Farm, I may finally have to quit this show.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Fear the Walking Dead: Oh snap, Travis just totally went HAM on those people that killed his son. But Christopher should have known if they were so quick to kill their friend, they would do the same to him.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: C’mon Lester, how do you not know they you have to re-fog the window by breathing on it to get the phone number? But a weird “coat” party. Betty goes home with a gay do they stares at him lingering when he answers the phone. Is she going to use him to make her girlfriend jealous, or is she looking for an assistant of her own? Then it was a shame Libby and Bill did not stick around to take coats that could have had fireworks. Then pour Virginia’s assistant, almost a sad sack as Lester, but at least the latter got some.

The Strain: What exactly was Fet doing all day? He went into the tunnels at dawn but did not get to the nest until dusk while Ephraim was quickly able to get to the lair fairly quickly. And when he ran into Gus, they all seemed comfortable letting the hot chick and the crippled old man get to the surface alone.
You can download The Strain on iTunes.

Gotham: When Hugo Strange was creating new personas for the Indian Hills residents, I thought the Alice in Wonderland book was a Mad Hatter Easter egg. Turns out it was his sister. Who knew Mad Hatter had a sister? And for someone experimented on, she seems relatively even keel: she was able to get a job, was compassionate enough to torch the bar where she spilled her blood because she knows her blood is poison, and even saved James from her brother.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Timeless: I figured that when Lucy came back, her mother would be better, but oh my, they made her sister not exist because the Hindenburg did not crash when it was supposed to. I did find the Pilot entertaining, but the more I think about their time travel laws, the more it kind of bugs me. Okay, I get they cannot go back and try to get the Hindenburg to crash on schedule to avoid seeing themselves but why is that stopping three other people from going back in time? Or go back a day before leave a message for them and travel back?
You can download Timeless on iTunes.

Conviction: It is depressing that there was actually a person who watched this Pilot and thought, “yeah, I would rather have Haley Atwell star in this on my network instead of Agent Carter.” And then make her do an American accent… c’mon, she couldn’t be the Prime Minister’s rebellious daughter who emigrated to leave the watchful eye of her parents?
You can download Conviction on iTunes.

Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: Survivor has become so predictable that even when something shocking happens, it is actually predictable. When Gen X lost, I thought, obviously CeCe is going home, then in th testimonial, one of the guys said, CeCe was the obvious vote, which then made me think, wait, that means CeCe is not going home. So of course when the old dude who, c’mon, is really Baby Boomer, got targeted, I knew it was going to be him. Meh.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes

Blindplot: I never understand all the people who put their guns down to try to talk down a crazy person with a firearm. C’mon, stay put and let the fifteen year old empty her clip and then talk her down.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

The Blacklist: As a pretentious armchair television critic, I like to complain about procedurals, but I actually liked this show a lot better when they were taking down a new bad guy every episode instead spending all this time on Liz’s baby.
You can download The Blacklist on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 10/7/16

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 Rise Up: The Legacy of Nat Turner, Temple of the Dog, USO – For the Troops, Polar Bear Town, Polar Bear Town, Window Warriors, Supercar Superbuild, and I Was There!.

- In 1831, Nt Turner, an African-American slave and preacher, led a bloody slave revolt in Southampton County, VA. Turner is most remembered as a killer, rather than a freedom fighter driven by faith, but in Rise Up: The Legacy of Nat Turner, viewers will get a different perspective into his notorious legacy that extends beyond this rebellion. From executive producer Nate Parker, the one-hour documentary premieres on Friday, October 7 at 10:00 on National Geographic Channel, coinciding with the Fox Searchlight Pictures theatrical release of critically acclaimed, Sundance Jury and Audience Awards winner The Birth of a Nation which is directed by Parker and is the dramatic story of this historic liberation movement.

- To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the band’s landmark 1991 self-titled release, Temple of the Dog - the Seattle supergroup featuring Soundgarden's Chris Cornell, Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Mike McCready, and drummer Matt Cameron (who plays drums with both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) – today released a special 25th anniversary collection of the band’s first and only album, newly mixed by Brendan O’Brien. The collection is now available in four configurations, including a four disc Super Deluxe, a two CD Deluxe, and a single CD via UMe. A double LP will also be available on November 11. For a detailed list of the co ntents of each configuration, click HERE.

- PBS announced today that USO – For the Troops, an independent documentary film that chronicles the iconic American institution created 75 years ago to bring pieces of home to active duty troops around the world, will air Monday, November 7, 2016, 9:00-10:00 (check local listings) on PBS. The film is narrated by Oscar nominee David Strathairn.

- Every fall, approximately 10,000 tourists from around the world descend on “The Polar Bear Capital of the World,” Churchill, Manitoba. This community of about 800 people on Hudson Bay in Northern Canada is home to the annual migration of more than 1,000 hungry polar bears that pass through town as they wait for the Bay ice to return. The new Smithsonian Channel docu-series Polar Bear Town documents a season in Churchill, following this extraordinary migration of human and four-legged animals as they collide in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. This six-episode series premieres Wednesday, November 16 at 8:00.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today that many of the biggest names in retail have lined up as promotional partners for the new skill-based competition series Window Warriors, hosted by actress Garcelle Beauvais (“Hollywood Today Live,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”). GSN partnered with General Growth Properties (GGP), the owner and operator of 128 high-quality retail properties throughout the United States, including include Tysons Galleria in Washington D.C., Glendale Galleria in Los Angeles and Water Tower Place in Chicago. Top retail brands, including Macy’s, Anthropologie, Hot Topic, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics and Sprinkles will also serve as partners. Michaels, North America's largest arts and crafts specialty retailer, also provided many of the materials used to create the windows for the show.

- Smithsonian Channel is set to premiere new episodes of Supercar Superbuild, beginning Sunday, October 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series goes behind the inherent beauty, amazing mechanical prowess, and basic building process of some of the world’s leading luxury automakers as they attempt to produce what they hope is their next iconic car. The new episodes focus on the Pagani, Mustang, Viper and Porsche.

- Take a trip through sports history through the eyes of those covering the biggest events of all-time. In I Was There! sixty-five of the biggest names in sports broadcasting and journalism share their personal experiences at the Top 5 sports moments they each saw in person. From cultural phenomena like the Super Bowl, World Series, and Olympics to less-well-known sports and games, the people who brought you these moments on television and radio or wrote the stories you read in the newspaper or online give you a first-hand look at what made these events so special. Join legends of the business like Marv Albert, Joe Buck, Bob Costas, Jim Nantz, Bob Ryan, and Dick Stockton as they tell their stories from these indelible moments in time and explain why their five moments stand above all of the others they have seen, and find out why each of them are proud to say “I Was There!”

Previewing Shameless: Season Seven

One of these days, someone should go back and count the number of times Frank Gallagher should have died. In the previous six seasons of Shameless, it has definitely gotten over double digits. And add another one on at the end of the season when his family dumped his body off a bridge and let him sink. He somehow wakes up in the hospital after almost a month with a sizable bill for being taken care of during the coma. But luckily for Frank, I guess it is hard to collect that from a John Doe with no ID.

The rest of the Gallagher clan is also recovering from the events of the finale. With Sean out of the picture, Fiona is the temporary manager until they find a new one. Lip is just out of rehab (and disturbingly becoming more like his father every day). New mom Debbie is still adjusting to her new life and needs to find a way to support her child (again, she gets by doing things much like her father).

Then you have Kev and V who opened their home and bed to a new partner last season and now have to adapt to the polygamous relationship that looks like it will be messier than anything on Big Love. And what would the new season be without a new low in shamelessness and this season Carl learns he has a little extra going on than his brothers and goes to extreme measures to assimilate.

Shameless airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/1/2016

Once Upon a Time: So Emma is going to die? Alrighty. But who really care if we all now know you can escape from the afterworld? And wasn’t Aladdin part of the horrible spin-off? I vaguely remember it, but the only crossover was the one guy who was in the cast right after the show was canceled, did not do much besides flirt with Belle and quickly disappeared. I wonder if they will mention Wonderland with the addition of Aladdin.
You can download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: I thought they would drag out the new partners being secretly married for a while but Lester managed to out them pretty quickly. But the guy mentioning they have an open relationship should continue to make things interesting. Just who is going to hook up first? Virginia clearly need to find someone to help with her multiple orgasm study as the random guys she finds do not seem that interesting in her taking note. But Bill also seem like he is quick to want Virginia to be jealous.

Gotham: She may look much older but isn’t Ivy still a teenager at heart? She was pretty quick to kill that guy for not watering his plants. Now if only quick aging guy can age up the other kids on the show.
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: I said last week the dysfunction of the Millennial tribe was going to be the highlight of this season and their first appearance at tribal council did not disappoint. Although with all that chaos it ended up being a lopsided vote without any random votes. I hope they go on a losing streak because there will be weird things that go on if they keep going back I bet. Although I have to decry the promo monkey. C’mon, if you are going to tease a heart attack, dude cannot just turn out to be dehydrated.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes

The Good Place: With a show featuring Veronica Mars and Sam Malone, who would have guessed a monk who took a vow of silence would steal the show? Also, I want a “Shirt for brain” t-shirt.
You can download The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 9/30/16

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 Crooked Man, Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet, Clash of the Corps, Death on a Comet: The Rosetta Mission, Why Would You Do That, Fight Valley, and The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano.

- The Crooked Man, which airs this Saturday, October 1 at 9:00, kicks off Syfy's 31 Days of Halloween. While at a slumber party, twelve year old ‘Olivia’ is blamed for the horrific and mysterious death of her friend after singing a song, created by a reclusive mastermind, ‘Milo’ (Michael Jai White), which summons a demonic figure known as "The Crooked Man". Returning to her hometown six years later, a string of unusual deaths lead Olivia (Angelique Rivera) to believe that she's still being haunted by whatever she saw that fateful night. Once you sing the rhyme, everyone in the house is cursed to die by his hands.


- Dr. Michelle Oakley returns with an all new season of Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet. Follow her as she makes house calls across thousands of square miles in the Yukon Territory in northern Canada - where she's responding to some of the most unique and challenging cases of her career. From moving bears with tractors and horses with helicopters, to castrating angry boars and capturing wild bison, she'll have to use every trick she has to save these animals. Accompanied by her daughters and armed with humor as sharp as a scalpel, Dr. Oakley deftly juggles being a full-time veterinarian, wife and mom while taking us into the isolated regions of the Yukon.

- Fuse (www.fuse.tv), a national television network for the fast-growing, Latino and multicultural 18-34 audience, today announced that Clash of the Corps Executive Producer Dwayne Johnson will host the series’ premiere episode on his official Facebook page, as part of a Facebook Live viewing event for his over 56 million fans on Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00.

- The network announced today that on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7:20AM ET they will break into regularly scheduled programming to air live footage of the Rosetta spacecraft as it crashes into Comet 67P, the celestial body it was sent to study over a decade ago. At 10:00 on the same day, Science Channel will premiere the all-new primetime special, Death on a Comet: The Rosetta Mission, hosted by Dr. Dan Riskin. This one-hour special captures the history of the mission, and the emotional final moments as Rosetta gathers the last bit of science from the comet before its mission-ending crash.

- The outrageously funny stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco asks the questions most people won’t in his upcoming comedy event, Why Would You Do That?, premiering on Saturday, October 1st at 10:00 on Showtime on-air, on demand and over the internet. Directed by Joe Demaio, written by Maniscalco and filmed live at New York City's famed Beacon Theatre during one of the seven sold-out shows on his 2016 tour, the hour-long special is chock-full of skepticism. With his unique brand of sharp observational comedy, high-energy physicality and inimitable facial expressions, Maniscalco invites the audience to take a look at their own habits through the lens of his old-world, Italian-American upbringing where everyone and everything is suspect. From odd nicknames for grandparents and giving “parent prices,” to house parties where they make you take your shoes off, no one is safe from his quick-witted discourse.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today it has obtained telecast rights to 13 episodes of the hidden camera/comedy horror TV show Scare Tactics, hosted by actor/comedian Tracy Morgan. The show will be paired with the network’s new horror-themed game Hellevator in a “Friday Night Frights” programming block on Fridays from 9-11, beginning October 7.

- Fight Valley stars the world’s best female fighters including former UFC Bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey defeater Holly Holm, and UFC newbie Cris "Cyborg." In this action packed thriller a young woman is found dead after getting involved with an underground fighting ring. Her sister begins training under a respected ex-fighter as she searches for the killer. FIGHT VALLEY will be available on DVD October 25, 2016.

- More than three years in the making, award-winning filmmaker Joshua Seftel’s new documentary, The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano, will have its national television debut on public television’s WORLD Channel this Monday, October 3rd. Check local listings.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 9/25/16

Ray Donovan: It I weird watching the “previously on” montage and realized this whole season was based around Ray feeling sorry for a Russian prostitute he played Cat’s Cradle with. I actually thought last week that turning rat would be the only way out for Ray but of course he was able to get out from underneath the Russian mob without owing the FBI anything. I was hoping that Ray would be a rat and spend a little time in prison because the show may have been a little more interesting going forward if the series started out with hating his father so much he tried to kill him for being a rat only for him to do the same thing. Oh well.

Fear the Walking Dead: Did I miss something? The question of the past couple episodes was what happened to Ophelia and this week she is just on a road trip. How exactly did she get out of the hotel? The stairwell was pretty full of walkers when Alicia tried to leave that floor. So is she off to find her fiancée? Are we actually going to follow her or is something going to happen to her that she ends back at the hotel? Or is this the last we see of her?
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

Masters of Sex: So did approach her old therapist in hopes to get him to work with her or to get a free session? Or just to use him? Kind of a weird turn of events. Then her husband and her ended up not actually getting married (and decided this off screen) and now it looks like her daughter is leaving her too. Shame if you is gone for good because the daughter started out as one of the more interesting characters last season but did not really go anywhere with her. But hey, at least she has a new partner at the clinic and bizarrely is the husband(?) of Bill’s new co-worker. Interesting that Bill lied about his relationship with Virginia. I wonder if he was truthful their she would be truthful of her relationship.

The Strain: Being that we are just at the start of the season, I assumed the big worm that slithered away from the Master after being decapitated was the Master’s essence and he was not really dead. And that turned out to be the case and for some reason the Ancients knew this but did not bother to tell anyone to make sure the big old worm gets stepped on after you kill the host. So I guess the next question is who is the Master going to inhabit next. Nazi guy was very disappointed it was not him last time. Maybe he will be overlooked again and Eph’s wife will be the next in line. Though I think it would be better if the Master chose Eph’s son, that would be really twisted.
You can download The Strain on iTunes.

Gotham: Man, the Talon looked like he was wearing a Nightwing mask; I got a bit confused for a little bit. But not as confusing as the Koopa from the horrible live action Super Mario Bros. being in the beginning of the episode. And how actually did the Captain survive the attack from Azrael? Well, it is a comic book, I am sure this is not the last we see of Poison Ivy (mostly because of stupid casting spoilers that I for some reason still read even though I avoid all other spoilers).
You can download Gotham on iTunes.

Lucifer: Speaking of casting spoilers, I knew going in Trisha Helfer was going to end up being Lucifer’s mom but Lucifer miss identifying his mom multiple times was still funny. And is his brother losing his powers. His time stop ended before he could get the blood (and yet managed to not be arrested) and then he had trouble floating things.
You can download Lucifer on iTunes.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I am not sure if I am disappointed or relieved that Nick Cage is not reprising his roll at Ghost Rider. Probably the latter. I am definitely relived that Ward was not the Life Model Decoy. I figured it would be him or electro boy (except he got crossed off that list after appearing in the main cast credit during the Blindspot premiere. Instead we got a hot naked chick in a very humorous version of Ex-Machina type scene.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on iTunes

Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X: A Survivor first!!!! The first evacuation ever! But this begs the question, where exactly did they go? Probst said on Twitter that they took them to a quiet room all night, but just exactly where? Ponderosa? Did they have to leave the island completely? I think the best part of this season will be watching the Millennials be inept. Though I have to disagree with the worst shelter ever as they did not dig a hole in the beach which ended up being filled with water which happing during the first All Star season I believe. I really hope there is not an early tribe swap so no one comes and saves the younger tribe. Oh yeah, and the Legacy Advantage sounds stupid.
Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen. X on iTunes

Blindplot: How random was the phycologist hitting on Chrissy Seaver? Does he not remember what happened to her last boyfriend? But that was not the only personal storyline of the week as it turns out Kurt is going to be a father. At least his father set such a low bar he can just step over it.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: Much like Elliot, I fully believed Tyrell was in Elliot’s head since the moment when he got in the cab. Okay, unlike Elliot, I was not going to risk that theory against being shot. Poor Elliot, if only the cabbie had answered him when he asked the driver if he saw the guy sitting next to him (why the guy did not recognized the most wanted man in America is just something we will likely have to throw in the questions we will never get answered pile).

Almost as big a shock was we learned that the FBI has a whiteboard with Elliott and Tyrell in the middle. Much like the other big twits, there is a generous amount of poetic license because otherwise, why exactly would they have Elliot in prison for a lesser crime and not interrogate him then? Really the only reason to let him out is hoping he would leave you to Tyrell, except apparently no was tailing Elliot when he went to meet Tyrell. Hurumph.

And though I was bearish on this season, I got excited for a post credit scene after last year’s jaw dropper of White Rose dressed like a man in some sort of Illuminati club with the head of Evil Corp. It started out great (Kenny Rogers and Sheena singing Bob Seger!!!!!) but how disappointing the “big” reveal was Elliot’s prison buddy finding the F-Society lackeys who went on the lamb.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Notorious: I was not expecting much with this show but it somehow managed to go under my expectations. At least Julie Taylor trying to be a lawyer should be entertaining.
You can download Notorious on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 9/23/16

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 Freakish, Crowded House, Hooligan Sparroww, Jago: A Life Underwater, UNDERFIRE: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro, Meet the Press, and Dice.

- Check out the new official teaser for upcoming Hulu Original Freakish. The teen, horror series premieres all episodes on Hulu on Monday, Oct. 10 and stars digital influencers Liza Koshy, Meghan Rienks, Hayes Grier and Melvin Gregg as well as traditional actors such as Leo Howard (“Kickin’ It”) and Aislinn Paul (“Heroes Reborn”). Also, as part of a special launch week promotion called #FreakWeek, Tumblr will debut two new episodes of the Halloween event series from AwesomenessTV on a custom Freakish Tumblr page every day for a period of five days (October 10th – 14th). #FreakWeek is a first-of-its-kind event that will allow all fans and viewers to preview and discover Freakish for free on Tumblr (for a limited time), or stream the entire series on Hulu anytime.


- Crowded House will be celebrating their 30th anniversary by reissuing their entire catalogue in two disc deluxe CD packages and 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, unlocking a wealth of rare material that has been personally selected by Neil Finn and the band. They will be released on Friday, November 18 through Universal Catalogue, and are available to pre-order at the official Crowded House Store. Digital versions will also be available on November 4.

- The riveting documentary Hooligan Sparroww, which follows the incredible story of a group of activists in China who risk their lives to protest against the sexual abuse of school girls by their principal debuts on the PBS television series POV on Monday, October 17, 2016. (Check local listings.)

- Smithsonian Earth, the subscription video streaming service from Smithsonian Networks™ that delivers spectacular original nature and wildlife content, will feature the award-winning one-hour 4K film Jago: A Life Underwater, starting on September 22. The film tells the life story of Rohani, an 80-year-old seafaring hunter who lives in a Bajau village in the Togean Islands of Sulawesi, Indonesia.

- UNDERFIRE: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro chronicles the life of a man who played two risky roles in World War II: a combat infantryman on the front lines and a photographer who took and developed roughly 8,000 photographs of the war. Director Max Lewkowicz visits European locations where Vaccaro shot some of his most powerful photos, tracing his evolution from a young GI eager to record the war, to an elderly man increasingly horrified at man’s ability to wage it, having vowed never to take another war photo on the day the conflict ended. The HBO Documentary Film UNDERFIRE: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro will debut on HBO on Monday, November 14 at 8:00.

- After meeting with President Obama today in the Oval Office to discuss TPP, Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) sat down with Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd, telling him “the chances are miniscule” that he will be voting for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. “It’s very, very likely I will not” vote for Trump, said former presidential candidate Gov. Kasich. “It is country first, and I am unlikely to cast that vote.”

- Showtime has picked up a second season of the comedy series Dice with seven new, half-hour episodes to air in 2017. Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, season two of the scripted, semi-autobiographical series will dig deeper into the many facets of Andrew Dice Clay – beyond the character who once sold out Madison Square Garden – as the unemployed comic struggles in the Vegas suburbs to be a loving father, a devoted boyfriend and a professional gambler who is stuck dealing with the effects of his outrageous brand of fame. Production will shoot in Los Angeles and Las Vegas next year.

Fall 2016 Music Preview

This is usually the time when I bemoan the lack of marquee releases being released over the next couple month, even in the fourth quarter when tent-poles were usually released. Except there are a couple of albums coming out soon. Metallica released a first single that was straight fire. The new Green Day song is better than anything off their last trio of albums. The mellower side of me is also excited for new Norah Jones and Regina Spektor whose last albums were really good. Okay, that is about it, of those with solid release dates so far, Sting may come in at number five most interesting album coming out before Christmas. But here are a couple more albums that will at least b worth a spin on Spotify when they are released. Click on the album title to pre-order on Amazon. Click the artist's name to be take to their iTunes page.


Last Week
We're All Gonna Die - Dawes
Braver Than We Are - Meat Loaf
Three - Phantogram

Tomorrow
Chapter and Verse - Bruce Springsteen
Tightrope Walker - Rachael Yamagata
Natural Causes - Skylar Grey
Young as the Morning Old as the Sea - Passenger
Leap of Faith - Timothy B. Schmit
A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings - Beach Slang
The Art of Elegance - Kristin Chenoweth
The Prelude Implicit - Kansas

September 30
Remember Us To Life - Regina Spektor
The Alter - Banks
American Band - Drive-By Truckers
22, A Million - Bon Iver
Following My Intuition - Craig David
Atrocity Exhibition - Danny Brown
Keep Me Singing - Van Morrison
Dream too Much - Amy Lee
New City Blues - Aubrie Sellers

October 7
Day Breaks - Norah Jones
Revolution Radio - Green Day
The Malibu Sessions - Colbie Caillat
Swallowed by the New - Glen Phillips
13 Voices - Sum 41
50 - Rick Astley

October 14
Walls - Kings of Leon
The Heart Watches While The Brain Burns - Mike Doughty
Ruminations - Conor Oberst

October 21
saintmotelevision - Saint Motel

November 4
Being No One, Going Nowhere - STRFKR
Eternally Even - Jim James

November 11
57th and 9th - Sting
Jessica Rabbit - Sleigh Bells
Goodnight City - Martha Wainwright

November 18
Hardwired…To Self-Destruct - Metallica
Amateurs - Royal Teeth

TBD
Beck
Dia Frampton
Jimmy Eat World
Liam Gallagher
Lorde
Gorillaz
Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Ryan Adams
The Shins
Wu-Tang Clan
Zac Brown Band

And of course this could be the quarter when Dr. Dre released Detox.

The Twenty-Five Best Battle Round Performances from The Voice

In honor of the tenth season of The Voice, I decided to make a list of the best Blind Auditions in the shows run. Instead of doing the same for the subsequent round when they started, I decided just to do a new best of each round at the start of every new season. So of course Battle Rounds were the next up. Except I realized, oh yeah, I hate this round. So I decided at a smaller number because it was hard to even find twenty-five I did not hate. The general problem with this round is these contestants are stuck singing with someone they may not match with singing a song that may not even fit them and most end up boring. But at least there were a few trainwreck pairings that were so bad they were entertaining (see Shields Brothers vs. Erin Martin) except starting in season three they started montaging most of these so were never get to see how awesomely bad Beat Frequency vs. Laura Vivas really was. Of course some trainwrecks did sneak through since them because there have been plenty of inexplicable Steals throughout the seasons (seriously, Nic Hawk was saved for some reason). Oh well, here are the few Battles I did not hate:

1. Put Your Records On - Danielle Bradbery vs. Caroline Glaser
2. Vision of Love - Trevin Hunte vs. Amanda Brown
3. If I Ain't Got You - Jesse Campbell vs. Anthony Evans
4. Heart Shaped Box - Lindsey Pavao vs. Lee Koch
5. She's Gone - Nicholas David vs. Todd Kessler
6. As Long As You Love Me - Caroline Pennell vs. Anthony Paul
7. Ain't No Sunshine - Ryan Innes vs. Orlando Dixon
8. Put the Gun Down - Mis Z. vs. Ashley Morgan
9. Wherever You Will Go - Andi and Alex vs. Chance Peña
10. No More Drama - Kim Yarbrough vs. Whitney Myers
11. I Wish it Would Rain - Preston Pohl vs. Barry Black
12. Message in a Bottle - De'Borah vs. Nelly's Echo
13. Dog Days Are Over - Suzanna Choffel vs. Lelia Broussard
14. Sweater Weather - Ellie Lawrence vs. Tim Atlas
15. Everything Has Changed - Madilyn Paige vs. Tanner James
16. Samson - Korin Bukowski vs. Chance Kirby
17. Have You Ever Seen the Rain - Sawyer Fredericks vs. Noelle Bybee
18. Antes de las Seis - Mary Miranda vs. Cáthia
19. Elastic Heart - Hannah Huston vs. Maya Smith
20. When Will I Be Loved - Audra McLaughlin vs. Alaska and Madi
21. You Know I'm No Good - Jess Kellner vs. Taylor Beckham
22. Sugar - Abby Celso vs. Brian Nhira
23. Leather and Lace - Casey Weston vs. Tim Mahoney
24. Baggage Claim - Liz Davis vs. Nicole Johnson
25. Old Time Rock and Roll - Blind Joe vs. Blaine Mitchell


Battles by Coach

Blake - 5
Adam – 4
Pharrell - 4
Cee-Lo – 3
Christina – 3
Usher - 3
Gwen – 2
Shakira – 1


Battles by Season

Season 1 – 1
Season 2 – 4
Season 3 – 4
Season 4 – 4
Season 5 – 2
Season 6 – 2
Season 7 – 0
Season 8 – 2
Season 9 – 4
Season 10 - 2


Like I said, the Battle Rounds are a drag because of bad matchups and bad song selections, but almost as bad as some really head scratching picks. What makes some of these picks so bad is sometimes they seem purposely bad for instance it seems like Adam has one favorite every season then rids his team of any challengers to his chosen one. Then there are Shakira and Pharrell who literally said they pick people who need more of their help, and I am pretty sure Gwen goes by this philosophy too. With that said, here are the ten worst coaches’ decisions during the Battle Rounds:


1. Erin Martin over The Shields Brothers (Cee-Lo Season 2)
2. George Horga jr. over Juhi (Cee-Lo Season 5)
3. Ryan Sill over Jessie Pitts (Gwen Season 7)
4. Daniel Passino over Kristen Marie (Christina Season 10)
5. Taylor John Williams over Amanda Lee Peers (Gwen Season 7)
6. Deja Hall over Ddendyl (Shakira Season 6)
7. Nick Hagelin over Jessica Crosbie (Pharrell Season 10)
8. Olivis Henken over Stephanie Anne Johnson (Christina Season 5)
9. MacKenzie Bourg over Emily Earl (Cee-Lo Season 3)
10. Devon Barley over Rebecca Loebe (Adam season 1)


Some of the decisions in the first two seasons were so bad that starting in season three they added the Steal to keep some of the good talent from going home so soon, except there were some mind numbingly bad Steals which were clearly used by coaches as Knockout Round fodder and so here are the ten most wasted Steals in the history of the show:

1. Nic Hawk (Blake Season 5)
2. Collin McLoughlin (Blake Season 3)
3. Chevonne (Christina Season 3)
4. Music Box (Usher Season 4)
5. Jacob Rummell (Pharrell Season 8)
6. Alessandra Guercio (Christina Season 3)
7. C. Perkins (Usher Season 4)
8. Orlando Dixon (Adam Season 4)
9. Clinton Washington (Adam Season 8)
10. Anthony Paul (Christina Season 5)

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 9/18/2016

BrainDead: The one thing that defeated the bug people was shame because that is the one thing politicians do not feel? A little too much on the nose but still a pretty entertaining little show. Probably for the best there is no second season (aside from the lack of Ramona Flowers on my television every week) as this was a good enough end.
You can download BrainDead on Amazon Instant Video, free with a Prime membership.

Ray Donovan: So Micky is some sort of ping pong savant? Who knew? I figured something had to go wrong; the bookie going out like Elvis was not what I was expecting. I figure Hector would end up not throwing the fight (which could very well still happen) or the stripper would steal the cash, or Micky would give it to her outright. But he ended up giving the markers to the Russian dude. The big twist was the FBI found the niece who spilled everything. Is Ray going to have to turn rat to get out from under this? What a horrible turn of events for him if that is the way he has to go. He spent the first season trying to kill his father and eventually turns into him.

The Strain: So the first season, the exposed the Muppet looking Master to sunlight and all he had to do was shed the body and moved into the rock star. Now they cut off the rock star’s head and the worm slinks to the sewers. Hurumph. Not that I expected them to actually kill the Master during the third episode of a season.
You can download The Strain on iTunes.

Mr. Robot: When they brought in the little girl at the Commodore 64 with the whip marks and asking Angela if she ever cried during sex, I figured this has to be her version of Elliot’s eighties television delusion and the little girl will actually be young Angela. Nope, that apparently really happened and was just White Rose testing Angela for some reason. Alrighty. But the bigger news was the return of Tyrell… maybe. Elliot was not sure if he was really there or not so us the audience is left to wonder the same. I leaning towards he is a delusion, the driver would not confirm there was another person in the car and this Tyrell certainly did not act like he did in the first season and looked not as irate as I would expect someone to act one when seeing the person who set him up to take the fall for the worst economic collapse ever.
You can download Mr. Robot on iTunes.

Blindplot: After spending an entire season of is she or isn’t she Taylor Shaw only to be like, nope, in the season finale, it is interesting that in the second season premiere we got a definitive answer of who Jane really is and we get to meet her brother and her “mother” (that is not to say these people are not lying and that is the twist in this season’s finale). And was that a nuclear warhead at the end?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 9/16/16

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 Mission Critical, Global Citizen: The World on Stage, Mars, Star Wars, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and Waylon Jennings.

- Thursday, September 22, is World Rhino Day. As a network dedicated to animals and the people who love them, we aim to showcase and celebrate the brave individuals and organizations that are fighting to preserve and protect our world’s amazing wildlife. In honor of this special day, Nat Geo WILD is premiering Operation Sumatran Rhino: Mission Critical on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 9:00 with a special encore on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00. This is the second installment of our new monthly series Mission Critical. In Borneo, Sumatran rhinos’ numbers are down to just single digits. Conservationists are on a desperate mission to save the country’s last individuals. The only way to ensure the safety and survival of these last rhinos is to capture all remaining in the wild — a dangerous and costly operation. Follow Malaysia’s foremost rhino scientists in their incredible quest to save this critically endangered species.

- Tom Morello (Prophets of Rage) and Jon Batiste (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) will curate musical performances for Global Citizen: The World on Stage, an evening bringing renowned artists, world leaders, and influencers together as they address the world’s greatest challenges and make major policy commitments towards ending extreme poverty. The evening of advocacy and impact will take place at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, September 22. The event will feature performances by Tom Morello, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Regina Spektor, Aloe Blacc & Maya Jupiter, Moxie Raia, and The Kenyan Boys Choir. Speakers will include Cecily Strong, Forest Whitaker, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, The Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Nigerian Minister of Environment Amina Mohammed, and Yazidi human rights campaigner Nadia Murad.

- Of all the planets in our solar system, none has captured our collective imagination like Mars — a mysterious, indelible part of the zeitgeist. The quest to send humans to Mars has engaged the top minds in science in a modern-day space race, and it has infiltrated pop culture through blockbusters like Andy Weir’s “The Martian” and through out-of-this-world tweets from astronaut Scott Kelly. Now, National Geographic Channel; Academy Award- and Emmy-winning producers Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Michael Rosenberg of Imagine Entertainment; and Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning producer Justin Wilkes, Academy Award- and Emmy-winning producer Jon Kamen, and Dave O’Connor of RadicalMedia and visionary Mexican filmmaker Everardo Gout (“Days of Grace”), have joined forces to launch viewers farther into outer space than ever before with the global event series Mars. Premiering on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Mundo in the U.S. on Monday, Nov. 14 at 9:00 and internationally in 170 countries and 45 languages on Sunday, Nov. 13, 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.

- Global media company Turner has entered into multi-year licensing agreements for the Star Wars movie collection through unprecedented domestic deals with The Walt Disney Studios and 20th Century Fox that grant TNT & TBS the exclusive linear basic cable and companion ad-supported on-demand rights to Star Wars. The agreement with Disney for 10 films includes the network premiere windows to last year's record-breaking Star Wars: The Force Awakens and this year's highly anticipated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which opens in theaters on December 16, 2016. The Disney agreement also includes five of the six original classic Star Wars films, as well as the network television premieres of the next three yet-to-be-released movies. The installment that launched the franchise, Star Wars: A New Hope, comes to Turner through a separate arrangement with 20th Century Fox, thus making Turner the only company with basic cable rights to all 11 titles in the collection. The Star Wars movies will come to Turner beginning Tuesday, September 20, when TNT kicks off six consecutive nights of the original classic films (complete schedule below). The movies will also air in December, in conjunction with Disney's theatrical release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. TNT is set to premiere last year's blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens in early 2018, followed in 2019 by this year's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

- On September 24, 2016, the Smithsonian will open the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture. The opening will welcome President Barack Obama and some of the biggest influencers in politics and Hollywood. Smithsonian Channel has partnered with the National Museum of African American History and Culture to produce 130 videos for the inaugural exhibits. The videos, comprised of 450 minutes of footage with an estimated 8,000 images, will be displayed on monitors ranging in size from 22 inches to a massive 186-foot overhead screen.

- Country Rewind Records (a division of Hindsight Records, NY), will introduce one of its newest collections of country music’s hidden treasures—The Lost Nashville Sessions (Waylon Jennings). The project will be available October 21, 2016* via all major digital retail outlets.

The Most and Least Anticipated Questions of Fall 2016

Fall cable shows have been trinkling back all month but tonight is the start of fall television for me with the first network premiere Blindspot (okay, Dancing with… um Vanilla Ice and Rick Perry did start Monday, God help us all) after the season finale of America’s Got Talent even though next week it will be airing at an earlier time. I do wonder if these special times before regular timeslots work. But alas.

People have been talking about Peak TV for a while now, it was not until I saw there were 350 new and returning show having a premiere this fall, more than half (150) starting up in September alone. My goodness. Right now I plan on watching 28 of them which seems like a lot, 23 hours a week seems slightly more manageable but that is still over three hours per day even though some seasons will end before others begin. And I may still give try to some new show; I really have not been grabbed in by the trailers from Good Behavior, Notorious, People of Earth, This Is Us, and Search Party but may give an episode or two a try. And these numbers do not even include The Voice which I have demoted watching performances on YouTube to avoid Miley Cyrus. Maybe if I am lucky, some of these shows get canceled. But anyway. As I do every year, is my list of the most anticipated questions of the new season:

1. Who will be playing the Life Model Decoy? We got a tease at the end of the third season of Agents of SHIELD going ahead six months. We learn Daisy has gone rouge and Coulsen is no longer in charge. The more interesting tease came after the commercial break when we see the Irish doctor that the team saved earlier in the episode working on something called a “L. M. D.” which I think is safe to assume stand for Life Model Decoy, a life like android. But who did he model it on? It looked kind of feminine so is this how they bring back Mockingbird after her show did not get picked up? Not that could not end up being a dude. Electro-boy is the first person I thought of. If it ends up being Ward, I just may stop watching.
2. Where does Blindspot go in the second season? Last year I said I was going to enjoy the first season but was weary of it going on for multiple season. They almost reset the show with Jane avoiding the memory erasing serum, instead the season ended with Jane being arrested for Mayfair’s murder. So is the show going to be even more like The Blacklist with Jane as a federal prisoner helping the FBI or are we going to get something new?
3. Will Powerless get demoted to The CW next year? One of the more shocking news out of Upfronts this year was Supergirl moving from CBS to The CW giving DC Comics four straight nights on the network. Powerless was the lone network superhero show picked up this year (fear not funny book fans, there are countless new DC and Marvel properties coming to cable and streaming sites over the next year) and another DC property. If it fails on NBC, will The CW be willing to go five for five?
4. Will TNT and/or USA be the next prestige cable network? For years viewers flocked to USA for “blue skies” shows and TNT for CBS type procedurals why channels like FX and AMC racked up the awards with usually fractions of the audience (The walking Dead notwithstanding). But viewers are shrinking across the board (The Walking Dead notwithstanding). USA was first to breakout of the mold last year with Mr. Robot. Since then both channels have gone bold with little success this past summer be it Queen of the South or Animal Kingdom. Both have ambitious shows coming this fall; TNT has Good Behavior, a rare female lead anti-hero show at a time when male anti-hero shows are waning (see the previously mentioned Animal Kingdom). The USA has a weird looking show Falling Water that is about people entering other people’s dream. Mr. Robot was able to hit during a downtown in television, can these two show hit when there are so many other new shows to try?
5. Will The Good Place live up to its name? The show had me at “starring Veronica Mars and Sam Malone.” And though I laughed multiple times at the trailer, I fear for the show. Will it be too high brow comedy to those that watched NBC back when it was Must See TV around the last time Ted Danson was on the Peacock Network? Will it get crushed by the CBS comedies (and that is after NFL for the first couple weeks)? And just where does a show about a bad person in heaven go? Will Ronnie be sent to the Bad Place for the second season? If there is one?

As the great philosopher Butt-Head once pondered, how would we know if something was cool if there weren't things that sucked; here are the five least antedated questions

1. Will Premier Trump ban NBC from airing the Arnold version of The Apprentice? I fear for this country.
2. How many episodes of Miley Cyrus before I (and the rest of America) give up on The Voice? Seriously, I fear for this country.
3. Will people watch music on MTV again? It seems like every five years MTV tries to remember what the M in their name stands for and this fall they are going to give it a try once again with an Unplugged reboot which was last dusted off with an embarrassing Miley Cyrus special two years ago, but its been five years since it was an actual series. Then there is Wonderland which is being described as “first weekly live music performance series in nearly twenty years” (Um, wasn’t there a short live Pete Wentz live show that aired on Fridays a couple years ago?) which will feature three live performances and stand up acts. If these show are populated by the acts that were featured during the most recent VMA’s, or really any VMA’s in the past decade, hard pass on both shows. But to answer the question: no, people only watch music on YouTube these days.
4. Will Quantico continue to suck? I believe this was the worst show ever that I made it through a full season of. I was shocked that ABC renewed it. Now the question is will I bother to continue to watch?
5. Will The CW ruin Supergirl? No Cat Grant, a musical crossover with The Flash, not to mention a week long crossover with all the other DC show. I think we already know the answer to this.

And here is my way to big list of show I plan on watching this fall (Seriously, what happed to Tuesdays? Can we move some Monday or Sunday shows there?).

Mondays
8:00 – Gotham (September 19)
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (September 19)
8:00 – Supergirl (October 10)
9:00 – Lucifer (September 19)
9:00 – 2 Broke Girls (October 10)
9:30 – The Odd Couple (October 17)
10:00 – Timeless (October 3)
10:00 – Conviction (October 3)

Tuesdays
8:00 – The Middle (October 11)
10:00 – Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD (September 20)

Wednesdays
8:00 – Blindspot (September 14 at 10:00; timeslot premiere September 21)
8:00 – Survivor (September 21)
8:00 – The Goldbergs (September 21)
9:00 – Modern Family (September 21)
9:30 – Black-ish (September 21)

Thursdays
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (October 27)
8:00 – Superstore (September 22)
8:30 – The Good Place (two episode after the Voice September 19; timeslot premiere September 22)
10:00 – The Blacklist (September 22)

Fridays
8:00 – Last Man Standing (September 23)

Sundays
8:00 - Once Upon a Time (September 25)
8:00 – The Librarians (November 20)
9:00 – Fear the Walking Dead (already started)
9:00 – Shameless (October 2)
9:00 – The Walking Dead (October 23)
10:00 – The Strain (already Started)
10:00 – Masters of Sex (September 11)
10:00 – Quantico (September 25)
10:00 – The Affair (November 20)