57 Channels and Only This Is On: 11/18/2018

Supergirl: The season finale promised up Soviet Supergirl but it seems like she has only been on screen for about a minute and a half in the first five episodes this season. Certainly that storyline has to be better than this annoying anti-alien storyline.
Supergirl on iTunes.

Ray Donovan: So just how long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to New York City? I actually used Bing Maps and it actually took less than I expected: forty hours without traffic (though when I searched, Bing estimated nine extra hours with traffic). The trip while avoiding toll roads which I am guessing two fugitives would want to avoid would take at least forty-six hours (plus maybe twelve hours of traffic). Still, that is plenty of time for Daryll to hire some protection. Or does that set not have any protection. Last week Daryll said his dad was going to kill him, maybe get prepaired for that situation.

The Walking Dead: So five(ish) years later they never did finish the bridge (you would think how much Rick wanted it, you would think they would have continued) and Negan is still in prison. Oh, and Carol and Eugene have way more hair. Weird the different communities have lost touch, but of course theey are just starting to get back together. And was the “her” Michone talked about in HillTop Maggie or did she die in the missing years. And when did covering yourself in mud throw your scent off the zombies?
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Last Ship: I guess we now know what Saving Private Ryan would look like on a television budget. Though I guess the less personal and firepower can be explained away by the virus. And I joked about Tom Chandler going down with his ship a couple weeks back and it turns out I was right that they actually did sink the ship. Except Tom Chandler didn’t actually go down with it despite an apparent lengthy white light montage. Jokes aside, The Last Ship was a fun summer diversion (even though it crept into the fall in the last couple seasons), like a televised weekly action movie and still managed to go multiple seasons after no longer being the last ship.
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: Well I have been predicting Joe would kill Beck by the end of the season and it turns out I was right. Which brings up his death doll this season to six I believe. But whatever happened to the DNA the PI mentioned? Is there really no DNA in urine like Joe hoped? Was the PI just bluffing to see how Joe reacted? And though I was right about Beck, I was wrong about Candice being killed by Joe. So where has she been? Was Joe telling the truth that she really changed her name and moved to Italy? I just assumed the teeth were hers. So whose teeth were those?
You can download You on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: Do you believe in highly unlikelies!?! The curse of Bananas screwing over Sarah strikes again. And just in time for TJ to announce that twist of players being able to screw over their partner is back. I ridiculed Bananas for doing that, but for an extra half a million, I think I may just have to take that money. But then I thought about taxes. If you take the million dollars, you will ended up with $512,000.29 while if you split it, then you would receive $283,670.89 which is not as dramatic as getting an extra half a million dollars. But without Bananas and Tony, this may be the weakest finalist field ever. I guess if I had to make a prediction, I would go with Joss and Sylvia.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Survivor: David vs. Goliath: The rare we get to see no votes cast Tribal. You have to expect some weird shirt to happen when the editors pull that. But why not just show the obligatory one vote for Christian and one for Angelina? We still would have gotten that shock that, oh, why is John getting votes moment. But yeah, why exactly did John get votes? Was it that Davie did not tell everyone that he had an Idol, but devised a plan to get rid of strong Goliath and not just an easy pickings like Angelina with Christian and Nick? That seems the only plausible answer I can come up with.
You can download Survivor: David vs. Goliath on iTunes.

The Good Place: Isn’t it obvious why Doug Forcett is destined for The Bad Place like Shawn suggest even though Michael was shocked. Tahani’s whole reason for going to The Bad Place is because she did good for the wrong reasons and so it would also mean if the sole reason why you are doing good things is for the moral deserts of not being tortured for all eternity, then not only are you not getting those points, you are actually getting negative points for your efforts to subvert the system. But really disappointed that The Real Eleanor did not play a bigger role in the episode. Why even un-pod her just to be a random henchman in a bar brawl?
The Good Place on iTunes.

Blindspot: A couple weeks ago an episode with a tease of Jane getting caught by Kurt only for her to talk her way out of it pretty easily. I do not think that will happen this time. But if she is going to go rouge, how long until she teams up with Zapada?
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 11/16/2018

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 Affair, Comcast, Terrorism Close Calls, Game Show Network Daily Draw, Invisible Hands, Ariana Grande, Noël Wells, The Carpenters, and Cassadee Pope.

- Oscar® and Golden Globe® Award winner Anna Paquin (True Blood) has signed on as a series regular for the fifth and final season of the critically acclaimed Showtime drama series, The Affair. Paquin will play a pivotal role as Alison and Cole’s now adult daughter Joanie Lockhart, who returns some years in the future to a climate-change ravaged Montauk to piece together the truth about what happened to her mother, bringing the whole story full circle.

- Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) today announced it has selected two new African American majority owned independent networks to be broadly distributed on Comcast Cable systems beginning in January 2019. After a thorough evaluation of dozens of proposals, Comcast selected AFRO and CLEO TV, both of which will provide quality entertainment that highlights and features TV and movie content about African American and black communities.

- Looking for your next Netflix binge? Check out Terrorism Close Calls– a ten-part series investigating the world's deadliest terror plots that failed at an intimate event (now streaming on Netflix). The series features exclusive access to the agents involved in disrupting the plots as well as leading national and international authorities on counter-terrorism, intelligence, and law enforcement, including Mark Kelton.

- Game Show Network’s popular daily sweepstakes, Game Show Network Daily Draw, is super-sizing for the holidays by giving away up to $25,000 throughout its “Twelve Draws of Christmas.” On weeknights from Monday, December 10 through Tuesday, December 25 at 7 p.m. ET, host Trish Suhr will announce which twelve lucky viewers will win cash prizes ranging from $750 to $10,000! To play, viewers need to watch Game Show Network for the code word each weeknight from 8 pm – 2 am and then enter the code word online at https://www.gsntv.com/sweepstakes/dailydraw/ or send in a postcard for a chance to win. For more information go to gsntv.com/dailydraw/rules/.

- Invisible Hands exposes child labor and child trafficking within the supply chains of the world’s biggest corporations, which produce some of our most loved items. The film offers a harrowing account of children as young as five years old making the products we buy and consume every day. Chilling undercover footage shows children being sold like animals to the highest bidder and others being abused by this pervasive slave labor. Invisible Hands digs deep into a modern slavery system quietly supported by some of the world’s largest companies, demanding to know why top stakeholders continue to engage in this unlawful practice.

- Multi-platinum, record-breaking superstar Ariana Grande makes more history. Her brand new song, “thank u, next” claims the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with over 55.5 million streams in the U.S. On Apple Music, she broke multiple records. “thank u, next” now holds the global record for “#1 Most-Streamed Pop Song First-Week on Apple Music.” She also reaches rarified air as the “only female artist to chart in the Top 5 songs first-week of release on Apple Music.” It represents a milestone moment for the singer. At Spotify, it captured both “the U.S. and Global One-Day streaming records for a female artist,” generating over 9 million plays worldwide and 4 million in the U.S. on the platform. Not to mention, it soared to #1 on iTunes, Amazon Music, and Tidal. It also debuted at #1 on the Official UK Singles chart, becoming the highest selling #1 debut of the year in the UK.

- Actress, writer, filmmaker and comedian Noël Wells is proud to present the first single taken from her forthcoming debut album titled “Sunrise.” Streaming now, “Sunrise” was the first song written for the upcoming full-length, composed on a guitar Wells picked up in an AirBnB she was staying at in Austin, TX while she was shooting a film.

- The Carpenters are getting the royal treatment. Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is set for release worldwide December 7 by A&M/UMe. Featuring timeless hits and favorites, the album pairs Carpenters' original vocal and instrumental tracks with new orchestral arrangements from Carpenter, conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) at Abbey Road Studios. It is available now for preorder in digital, CD and 180-gram 2LP vinyl LP formats. The vinyl set will be released February 8.

- Tune in Friday, November 16 at 9:00 to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special “Cassadee Pope” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239. The show will also be available streaming on-demand through DIRECTV NOW and WatchTV.

Previewing Escape at Dannemora

At the dawn of twenty-four cable news station, we got inundated with these bizarre true crime stories about figure skaters who wacked their competition quite literal and women who cut off their husband’s manhood while they slept. A decade late, Nancy Grace rose to fame by spending whole episodes talking about missing hot white chicks. These cable networks would spend so much time on these types of stories it would become unwatchable at time.

But the thing is, I kind of miss those days because now it is ninety percent political news which is just a conservative nut job and a liberal windbag yelling at each other with us rational people in the middle wishing a pox on both their houses (which I think is the point because politicos have realized it is easier to get people not to vote than vote for you). Take the prison break in upstate New York a couple years back, a decade ago new it would have been wall to wall news for months, but in the summer of 2015 as the presidential campaigns were starting up, it barely made a blip and quickly faded from conscious after it was over.

Where the twenty-four news channels spend all their time reported on the latest stupid thing the president say, television and movies have picked up the slack on the retelling of the salacious news stories from OJ to the Menendez Brothers. Now that prison escape story from 2015 is getting its own true crime limited series on Showtime called Escape at Dannemore.

The show stars Benicio del Tora (Excess Baggage) and Paul Dano (Ruby Sparks) as the two prisoners who broke out of prison while Patricia Arquette (Little Nicky) is the prison work supervisor who helped them escape while David Morse (Treme) is another worker at the prison. Bonnie Hunt (Rain Man) also shows up as the Inspector’s General of New York.

I was a bit surprised at the format of the series. I assumed the manhunt would be the heart of the series, but that does not even begin until the final episode while the show starts in the winter of the escape that happened during the summer. Granted that final episode runs an hour and forty minutes (the show was originally announced as an eight episode miniseries so it seems like they just combined what was supposed to be the last two).

So really this comes off more as a six episode mini-series of how they escaped and then crammed the twenty-three day manhunt into a feature length movie. I do wonder if the show would have been better off evening the show between planning and escape because the planning episodes drag at times. And just when you start wondering if they ever revealed what exactly these two prisoners to land themselves in prison, we do get some graphic flashbacks showing us exactly what happened.

It was also a little disappointing that the whole show is not as weird as the trailer would have me believe. Sure Arquette and her on screen husband make interesting choices but must and other things get weird from time to time, but this is mostly a straight movie based on a weird story. Del Toro plays the suave inmate who paints portraits of Hilary Clinton (yeah, that is one of the weird parts) while Dano is the follower in the situation.

The musical choices are also interesting. Sure this is a period show, but that period was only three years ago. Apparently Uptown Funk was so invasive back in 2015 that it even got overplayed in prison. I was also weird to think we actually let Meghan Trainor to be a thing and this happened just a couple years ago.

Though the show takes it’s time in places, it does go to some interesting places. Part of the escape includes crawling through a pipe and you really feel the claustrophobic as one of the prisoner only goes a small distance. And when we get a long tracking shot from the jail cell to outside the prison, it is beautiful.

Escape at Dannemora airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 11/11/2018

Supergirl: Wait, The Real Eleanor did not die in the season premiere? I thought she got stabbed in the back of the head. Oh well, I guess she is dead now since her fiancé just bought a shirtload of guns. And why is Manchester Black, um, actually black now? Isn’t making a football hooligan black kind of racist? At least Russian Supergirl is back. That storyline seems much more interesting than the anti-alien one is. Granted Commie Supergirl will likely do something evil and everyone will think it is American Supergirl which will only enflame the racists old white dudes on the show.
Supergirl on iTunes.

Ray Donovan: Oh Bunchy, you have never been the smartest of the Donovan children (which says a lot) but murdering a prison guard to break out your father who is on death’s doorstep (though being a television show, Micky will undoubtedly make a full recovery) is the dumbest thing you have ever done. It is hard to imagine even Ray can fix that situation for you, but being a television show, he probably will. I guess that will involve a cross country trip to New York.

The Walking Dead: Wow, Rick got out of being gored by a metal rod pretty quickly. I guess the only way they could end an episode that the show heavily promoted as Rick’s last episode would be to not actually kill him off. Instead he was taken by the mysterious helicopter people whom will may never learn about on the show because the flash forward almost ten years. But it seems we may actually learn what was going on there with a big budget Rick movie. So will he die in that because I cannot image Rick would not do everything to get back to his daughter.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Last Ship: I joked last week they were killing off all the minority cast members in the final season, but c’mon, another one gone this week. But the Columbian dude killing all his generals because of Tarot card was wild even if they were planning a coup.
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: I have spent most of the season thinking the season would end with Joe killing Beck with the outside chance of her joining him and his murdering way. Now that she knows, it kind of has to end that way. Or maybe she gets shipped off to Rome with Candice. Is that really happen to Candice? On the cusp of being signed only to move to Europe and completely cut herself off from everyone, including not learning her brother died? Sounds fishy.
You can download You on iTunes.

Kidding: I knew the show was always dark, but I would not have ever guessed that is was slit Tara Lipinski’s throat dark.

Manifest: The little kid can speak Bulgarian now? I did not think the show could get much dumber. And why him? Is there were like eight people being experimenting on, why did no one else feel it? This show is so stupid.
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: Yeah, doing the math before you actually start plugging in the pegs seems pretty obvious. Should have been obvious for the stronger males, but they clearly got outsmarted. Unfortunately the other battle was just pure strength with the two bigger dudes winning in a blowout. But it will be interesting if the other teams can get Bananas out before the final, which looks may start next week.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Survivor: David vs. Goliath: Kind of a bad strategy from Elizabeth to wait until Tribal to stir up things. I almost thought it worked though when people started to get up and talk which has not been a good sign in the past. Though now I wonder what there were talking about because no one seemed to change their vote.
You can download Survivor: David vs. Goliath on iTunes.

Superstore: Weird to see Sue Heck play someone who is not Sue Heck. Good thing there is a spin off in the works for her. But since her replacement urinated in the middle of the store, she may be hired back next week.
You can download Superstore on iTunes.

The Good Place: The Real Eleanor is back! I was wondering why she was in a blink and you miss it first flashback and then did not appear in any more (the actree did say she was in the animal fair but she was cut). But then she shocking popped up in the present after the demons figured out how to get to Earth without going through the Judge’s door. This should be interesting. Hopefully she last longer than Trevor.
The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 11/9/2018

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 Family Business: Trump and Taxes, Dollface, MythBusters Jr, John Mellencamp, Matt Nathanson, Anthony Hamilton, Hailee Steinfeld, Brooke Moriber, Hudson Thames, A Murder in Mansfield, and Catfish: The TV Show.

- Showtime is offering the documentary short film The Family Business: Trump and Taxes for free online and across multiple platforms. Directed by Emmy® nominee Jenny Carchman and produced by Oscar® nominees Liz Garbus and Justin Wilkes of The Fourth Estate, the film follows a team of New York Times investigative reporters through their diligent and intense efforts in uncovering the information that led to this exclusive report. The film is now available for online sampling on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com. It is also rolling out across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites, applications and authenticated online services and their free On Demand channels.

- Today Hulu announced a 10-episode series order for Dollface, a new comedy from ABC Signature Studios. The new Hulu Original Series will star actress Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls), who is also set to executive produce the comedy alongside Creator and Writer Jordan Weiss (Harley Quinn) and Showrunner Ira Ungerleider. Additional executive producers include Margot Robbie, Brett Hedblom and Tom Ackerley for LuckyChap Entertainment; Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan for Clubhouse Pictures; Nicole King and Stephanie Laing (Vice Principals). Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West) will executive produce and direct the first episode.

- Adam Savage will return to television as host and executive producer of MythBusters Jr., when the new Science Channel series premieres on Wednesday, January 2 at 9:00. For the ten-episode series Savage has teamed-up with six of the nation’s leading young ‘makers’, robotics wizzes, builders, and inventors, all under the age of 16, who show off their amazing ingenuity and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) skills.

- John Mellencamp announces the preorder for his 24th album, Other People’s Stuff [Republic Records], available everywhere on Friday, December 7th. Pre-order Other People’s Stuff HERE.

- Tune in Friday, November 9 at 9:00 to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special “Matt Nathanson” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239. The show will also be available streaming on-demand through DIRECTV NOW and WatchTV.

- Iconic GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum-selling R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Anthony Hamilton is using his voice to speak out about the importance of the 2018 midterm elections and he’s doing so through a timely new song and music video via ESSENCE.com. “Love Conquers All” tackles tough, uncomfortable subjects like gun control, criminal justice reform, and prioritizing education,” Hamilton tells ESSENCE. “An artist has two choices. Stay quiet, or use your voice.”

- Academy Award®-nominated actress and multiplatinum recording artist Hailee Steinfeld releases Back To Life, from the upcoming motion picture Bumblebee. Get it HERE via Republic Records.

- Songwriter and ex-Broadway singer Brooke Moriber has released the title track of her upcoming Cry Like A Girl LP, recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, with legendary producer Fred Mollin (Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Shawn Colvin) at the helm. The song is a powerful country-pop cut that showcases Brooke's powerhouse vocal delivery and lyrics that challenge what it means to "cry like a girl". Watch The Last Goodbye.

- Singer, songwriter, and modern renaissance man Hudson Thames drops the video for his brand new single “Last Call” today via Republic Records. Watch HERE.

- Two-time Oscar®-winning director Barbara Kopple has partnered with America’s leading true-crime network, Investigation Discovery (ID) to explore the legacy of the notorious 1989 murder of Noreen Boyle in Mansfield, Ohio in the new documentary, A Murder in Mansfield. The film chronicles Noreen’s son Collier’s journey for answers and peace in the aftermath of his mother’s death nearly three decades ago. A A Murder in Mansfield will have its national television debut exclusively on Investigation Discovery on November 17, 2018 at 9:00.

– MTV today announced that new episodes of Catfish: The TV Show will premiere on Wednesday, November 28th at 9:00. “Catfish’s” next chapter will attempt the impossible: finding someone to replace longtime co-host Max Joseph. The explosive eight new episodes will feature Nev Schulman as he auditions actors, athletes and influencers to help him track down online daters and bring them face-to-face for the first time.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 11/4/2018

Supergirl: Ugg, they are really laying on the evil old white guy who hates alien immigrants really thick this season. It is becoming a harder and harder watch. They really need to bring back Saturn Girl to make it watchable.
Supergirl on iTunes.

The Walking Dead: So this is how Rick dies, impaled on a rail with two hordes converging on him? Kind of anti-poetic. Sacrificing himself for Daryl to get out of that pit would have been a better way to go. Granted he is not dead yet so maybe he makes it out of that situation only to go out in a more poetic fashion.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Last Ship: We have said goodbye to a few sailors early this season and I thought we were going to actually get through the siege without any casualties, at least to the people we know. But just like a horror movie, there is always one last death. Although, haven’t all the long standing characters that have died this season, all been minorities? Maybe they are setting up the big sacrifice of Tom Chandler. A captain does always go down with his ship.
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: So Joe and Beck broke up for three months. Yawn. Can we fast forward to the end of the season where Joe kills Beck, it is going to happen eventual. If not now, maybe the series finale. Or Beck becomes a killer. Oh crap, are they going to kill John Stamos together?
You can download You on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: Stacking cards up high? Someone has been watching Survivor. Here is hoping Bananas does not pull the Double Cross.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Survivor: David vs. Goliath: I thought for sure that Mike White was going to turn on a Goliath once again (actually I got very I am going to sacrifice myself vibe from Mike White right after the challenge) even though Lyrsa was the smarter vote. You cannot assume you are going to merge and with Lyrsa, you are not winning any more Immunity Idols. Of course right after voting out Lyrsa, there was a promo that there is a merge next week. Oops, maybe they should have voted out the more strategic threat than the way to beat Lyrsa.
You can download Survivor: David vs. Goliath on iTunes.

The Good Place: Wait, so Eleanor’s mom and Tahani’s sister do not even need any help getting into the Good Place? Kind of a filler episode if nothing that did helped their family member. At least Pill Boi was (presumably) put on the right track.
The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 11/2/2018

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 Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Beastie Boys, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Maggie Lindemann, Sigrid, America's Mississippi, Shut up and Dribble, Our Cartoon President: Election Special 2018, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Looking for Alaska, and Common Knowledge.

- Showtime has announced the next chapter of the Penny Dreadful saga with Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. John Logan, creator, writer and executive producer of the Emmy nominated series Penny Dreadful, will continue in those same roles. Joining him as an executive producer will be Michael Aguilar (Kidding). Production is expected to begin in 2019. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine, President of Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

- Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch Played a 15-Year-Long Prank on Ad-Rock:


- Ahead of the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 6, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee will air a bonus episode on Monday, November 5 covering local political races to make one final plea to viewers to please, for the love of God, vote. On Wednesday, November 7, the show will unpack the results of the elections and air footage taken at the polls. Both episodes will air on TBS at 10:30.

- After over 700 million career streams to date, rising alterna-pop icon Maggie Lindemann takes a refreshingly new personal approach with her new track ‘Human’. Maggie’s gift for elegantly crafted modernist pop remains in check, as does her ability to write melodic hooks which immediately embed themselves in the memory. But as the chorus sinks in (“I wish I was human, I wish that I could see shit like you do, where it’s sunny all the time but it’s useless, and if you saw through my eyes you’d understand why”), it’s clear that she’s exploring her personal challenges with mental health struggles.


- New video ‘Sucker Punch’ cements the Norwegian star Sigrid’s rise to pop prominence. Directed by AB/CD/CD the video is a confident, spontaneous, authentic pop-tastic visual.


- Smithsonian Channel turns its lens on the mighty Mississippi, a leviathan that carves through the American landscape and shapes the nation like no other river, in a new, visually stunning three-part series, America's Mississippi. Connecting the east to the west, the country to the city and America to the world, this iconic river supports and challenges both humans and animals – beginning as a mere trickle, beating through the heartland and becoming a wild force as it drives south toward the Gulf of Mexico. Filmed in ultra-high definition to reveal the true beauty of the river, the series captures the extraordinary abundance and diversity of wildlife that lives along North America’s greatest waterway. America's Mississippi premieres Wednesday, December 5 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Narrated by acclaimed sports journalist and commentator Jemele Hill, the highly-anticipated three-part documentary series Shut up and Dribble is a powerful inside look at the changing role of NBA athletes through the lens of our shifting cultural and political environment. Hill is among one of the many luminaries featured in the documentary that includes former NBA players, executives, sports journalists and pop-culture icons. Shut up and Dribble is directed by Gotham Chopra and executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Chopra.


- Just ahead of one of the most consequential midterm elections of our time, the Showtime animated series OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT takes a look at the political field in an expanded election special on Sunday, November 4 at 10:30 on Showtime. Our Cartoon President: Election Special 2018 focuses on Cartoon Trump’s deepening concerns about what he fears is a coming Democratic “Blue Wave” and his possible impeachment.

- Hulu announced that Jessica Williams, Nikesh Patel, Rebecca Rittenhouse and John Reynolds have been cast in the upcoming limited romantic comedy series Four Weddings and a Funeral.

- As announced by John Green via twitter, Hulu is excited to confirm that our leads for Looking for Alaska have been cast – Kristine Froseth as ‘Alaska Young’ and Charlie Plummer as ‘Miles Halter.’

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has added Joey Fatone (*NSYNC, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) as host of its new knowledge-based game show, Common Knowledge. The new half-hour series will premiere January 14 at 5:30 p.m. ET and will air Monday through Friday.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/28/2018

Supergirl: Ugg, they are really going to lay on the illegal aliens are the actual aliens allegory pretty thick this season aren’t they. And as an old white dude, I am kind of offended how old white dudes are portrayed this season on the show. C’mon, we are not all alien (illegal or actual) hating people.
Supergirl on iTunes.

Shameless: Wait, crazy Peg Bundy is a shrink herself? I guess it takes one to help one, maybe? But poor Fiona, she seemed to finally get her stuff together, only for everything to completely fall apart right before she is about to leave the show. I wonder if she will end up going out the way it almost happened back in season one in that she does run away with Steve in her final scene. And is Lwna really that oblibious that Supergirl showed up seconds after Kara left?

The Walking Dead: Okay preacher guy, when you’re crazy girlfriend asks if you are with her or will you report her, maybe not admit you are going to tell Rick.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Last Ship: They have killed off a bunch of cast members in this final season and those all of them survived this episode (except for that one dude’s leg), did they really need to kill that child that helped the Americans? But how very Red Reddington of the Florida traitor. What shadiness does she have up her sleeve? But c’mon, military, be smarter, you had to know the ambulance was a scam all along. I sniffed it out from the moment they arrived.
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: So Joe is really going to be okay with Beck breaking up with him? Is he just going to start obsessing over that new chick? Well, at least he was able to last more than a minute the first time with her.
You can download You on iTunes.

Manifest: So is the kid going to be some sort of messiah? First he just happens to find the Jamaican dude by when he claims was a feeling, no voices or visions like everyone else. And then he is apparently the only person in the plane to see the weird lights. So what is his connection, did he do this or did some other force (aliens) do it because of him?
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: The producers really do have a floating scale when it comes to giving people the boot. I was a bit surprised when it was not even discussed Sylvia head-butted Marie and after giving Cory a deserved boot, how did Tony not go with him? Putting your arm around someone tightly and asking multiple times, “are we gonna fight” seems like grounds for being sent home. Also, that had to be the lamest trivia challenge ever. Two wrong answers I think? Just too many Challenge related questions. Trivia should be common knowledge questions.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Survivor: David vs. Goliath: Oh my goodness, Angelina asking Natalie multiple times for her jacket after being blindsided is the greatest moment on the show since Andrea told Zeke he sucked at this game. I am not sure if she was being sincere or trolling her, but either way it was awesome.
You can download Survivor: David vs. Goliath on iTunes.

Superstore: Weird that the day after Megyn Kelly suggested that blackface is fine if done out of respect, and a day before her show was canceled for those comments, this show had the exact same discussion. And the anti-blackface side was only doing that so they could win the costume contest.
You can download Superstore on iTunes.

The Good Place: Did we really need to leave Jacksonville so soon? They could have spent the whole season trying to save the souls of Donkey Doug, Pillboi, or even Blake Bortles and I would have been perfectly fine with that.
The Good Place on iTunes.

Blindspot: So Jane explained the syringe that Kurt caught her with as what she wants to kill herself with. Um, Kurt, you are a moron. Are you not a little suspicious that she already had the poison in a syringe and not keeping it in a vile until it was time. But I really like these Patterson-centric episodes where we only get glimpses of the mission which is clearly done to keep costs down but are always well done.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 10/26/2018

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 Lost Tapes, Ariana Grande, The Avett Brothers, Van Morrison, Summer Walker, White Lies, Ne-Yo, and streaming on Turner.

- Smithsonian Channel’s hit series The Lost Tapes returns this fall with all new episodes, transporting viewers back in time to relive iconic moments in American history. From the chaos of the 2002 sniper shootings in Washington, D.C. and catastrophic super tornado outbreak of 1974 to the harrowing and heroic Apollo 13 mission, The Lost Tapes retells these unforgettable stories solely through contemporary footage, audio recordings and news reports. The effect is like channel-surfing through history – live, as it happens. As viewers experience the story break, rare and never-before-broadcast materials, seen exclusively in the series, add new depth and dimension to the screaming headlines, capturing the mood and instant reactions of Americans who found themselves, suddenly, a part of history. Beginning with the previously announced TET OFFENSIVE episode on Sunday, November 18, The Lost Tapes continues airing new installments on Sundays at 9:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Multiplatinum, record-breaking superstar Ariana Grande announces the first leg of The Sweetener World Tour. American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Thursday, November 1 at 10am local time through Saturday, November 3 at 10pm local time. Get Sweetener HERE.

- The Avett Brothers took the stage on Late Night with Seth Meyers to debut a new soon to be released song “Roses and Sacrifice.” Watch HERE. The Grammy-nominated band is set to headline the Concert for Hurricane Florence Relief at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, NC on Tuesday November 13th. The Avett Brothers recently released their Red Rocks dates (July 5-7) for 2019, see full tour dates HERE.

- Van Morrison releases a new track - Got To Go Where The Love Is – on all digital platforms today (25th October 2018). Listen to Got To Go Where The Love Is here.

- Critically acclaimed Atlanta songstress Summer Walker releases her full-length debut, Last Day of Summer [LVRN/Interscope Records]. Get it HERE. She preceded the album with the buzzing singles “CPR”which racked up nearly 8 million Spotify streams and “Girls Need Love” with over 5.4 million Spotify streams. The music video for the latter eclipsed 3 million YouTube Views in under a month and surpassed 4 million to date.

- Following news of their forthcoming album Five, today White Lies are pleased to share new track "Believe It" alongside its lyric video. Watch it HERE. To be released on February 1, 2019 through [PIAS] Recordings, Five sees the trio return following its predecessor, 2016’s Friends, while marking the tenth anniversary since their inception.

- Tune in Friday, October 26 at 9:00p ET/PT to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special
“NE-YO” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114. The show will also be available streaming on-demand through DIRECTV NOW and WatchTV.

- What's streaming in November on tntdrama.com, the TNT App, tbs.com and the TBS App:
Step Brothers: Streaming 11/1 - 11/30
The DUFF: Streaming 11/1 - 11/30
My Best Friend's Wedding : Streaming 11/1 - 11/30
Sully: Streaming 11/12 - 12/11
Jurassic Park: Streaming 11/1 - 11/15
The Hunger Games saga: Streaming 11/1 - 11/30

Previewing Ray Donovan: Season 6

Last season of Ray Donovan ended with Ray being led up to the top of a ten story building by his dead wife Abby and then jumped off the building into the Hudson River. And since that was the last season of Ray Donovan and not the final season, Ray miraculously survived. And naturally the new season starts with Ray punching the cop who fished him out. And then becomes friends with him. Even shacks up with the guy as he stays in New York.

Ray’s retirement, vacation, whatever you call it does not last long. Susan Sarandon is back and is looking for Ray’s particular set of skills when her preferred mayoral candidate runs into some problems and Ray needs so quid pro quo. And Ray thought the entertainment business can be rough, what until he dives into politics.

The rest of the Donovan clan is mostly scattered at the start of the season. Bridget is still in New York with the sick boyfriend with the bad hair who does not seem that sick anymore. And Terry is still training boxers in the Big Apple. The other brothers are still currently on the West Coast, Bunchy is in child court after that robbery from last season while Daryl is in the blackplotation business producing Micky’s movie and things is getting weird. Micky starts the season back in prison, but seemingly has come up with maybe the dumbest way to get release. And poor Conner, completely MIA in the first episode sans the credits.

Ray Donovan airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

Previewing The Guest Book: Season Two

The first season of The Guest Book was an interesting take on the anthology trend that has been going on. It was an episodic anthology when new main characters would check into a country inn while a recurring cast of characters would go about their lives in the background. That was until the final episode which was all about those townsfolk.

Season two follows that same template except now the rental is a beach house run by a pregnant couple turning his mother’s place into something they can make money on as they save up for a wedding and the birth of their child. Well, what the father thinks is his child; the mother crashed a party at the beach house that is at the heart of one of the episodes and may have done something that could question the paternity of the child.

The delivery guy and prostitute back as well as the musicians who end the episodes as they both have descended the mountain looking to start new lives. Michael Rappaport, the OCD guy from the first season, also rents the new property and also ruins Total Eclipse of the Heart in the process. There are also a couple more surprise returns later in the season. There are plenty of new renters this season including Will Arnett, Pete Davidson, You’re the Worst’s Kether Donahue.

Michael Kenneth Williams also pops up in a very weird role for an episode. And the show has just gotten weirder. The seasons set the tone with a guy who, despite on vacation at the beach, does not take off his virtual reality helmet in a storyline that has a very shocking ending. The season even ventures out of the guest house quite frequently as they even go to India via a customer support call from someone at the beach house and anyone who has been put on hold will laugh and be extremely frustrated at the same time. I cannot even explain where they go in the season finale. If you like the weirdness of the first season, things are only getting weirder in season two.

The Guest Book airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on TBS with back to back episodes premiering tonight.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/21/2018

Supergirl: Oh, hey, The Real Eleanor! Well, fork. They killed her off already. Shirtballs. And is it too late to have Saturn Girl be the token Legionnaire to stay behind because Braniac 5 may actually be more annoying than Toyman Jr.?
Supergirl on iTunes.

Shameless: Peg Bundy? Monica Geller? Danny Tanner? What nineties era sitcom star will be on next, Uerkel? But is that it for Ian? The actor announced he was leaving the show too. Seriously, can people just leave without announcing iy first? Once it is announced it is just a long slog until they are off the show. At least Ian just announced last week so it was not a long wait. Assuming he just rides off into the sunset with Micky. Kind of sad that is his big love. Is Jimmy going to come back for Fiona to take her away for her to leave?

Fear the Walking Dead: Is the preacher really going to hook up with the creepy Trash Lady? And what happened to his eye? I remember he was really sick last season, but I do not remember anything happening to his eye.
You can download Fear the Walking Dead on iTunes.

The Last Ship: Wait, the lesbian traitor is really an American mother of one from Orlando? I just assumed she was an ambiguous Latina who could pass as Caucasian. Being an actual turncoat makes her a much more compelling character. So just how and when was she turned? And I know in the post-pandemic world, they might be low on soldiers, but how do you not keep eyes on that house. At least pay a local.
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: So the Pretty Little Liar gets her head bashed in with a rock last week and looks none worse the wear the next day? Oh, but she is apparently dead now? It was quite absurd that Joe tossed the rock not far away from the body last week and I does not seem like anyone bother to canvas more than two feet from the attack, but c’mon, Joe had to have left plenty of DNA at the house, including a forking jar of urine. But Joe hallucinating his ex-girlfriend is giving me the sinking suspicion that the big twist at the end of the season will be that Joe was hallucinating some, if not all of what happened this season.
You can download You on iTunes.

Manifest: So now they passengers can see inanimate objects instead of just hearing voices tell them to do things? Meh.
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: Yeah, I laughed pretty hardily at Natalie in the ball pit. Big old shocker she actually won. Even bigger shocker Zach got the boot for medical reason. Always sucks when someone leaves for medical reasons. But had he stupidly not voluntarily put himself into that elimination that injured him, he would still be in the game uninjured.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Survivor: David vs. Goliath: So we got a brand new advantage, the Idol Nullifier where someone can play it and would wipe out the Idol that is played. But only if they play it for someone who actually plays their Idol. I will be quite shocked if this actually gets played correctly.

Then at Tribal you had the battle of the dumb moves. First you get the Black Dude David with the Idol who decides to try to get the Tribe to vote out the other David so he would not have to play the Idol even though he would still be in the minority for any future Tribals with this group. I never understand the hold on the Idol for later strategy. If you think there is more than ten percent chance you are going home, play it now. Then tomorrow, go out and look for another one. I am too lazy to do the research, but I am pretty sure more people have been booted with an Idol in their pocket than have played one correctly. In Survivor you should worry about getting to tomorrow and then worry about tomorrow then.

But Black David was bailed out by the White Dude Goliath who had a dumber move of his own when he decided to turn on his majority for what appeared to me for no apparent reason. So now he is in the minority and why would anyone trust him? It is just amazing to me how whenever these Tribe swaps happen that the majority seemed to vote one of their own more often than the easy vote. I would be interested to go back and see how many of these early Tribe Swap turncoats actually make it very far. I would be shocked to see either of these two morons in the finals. I would be surprised if either get to the merge.
You can download Survivor: David vs. Goliath on iTunes.

The Good Place: Isn’t Michael telling the group about The Good Place point system kind of a backdoor to still get them in? Since they know about the points, any points they accumulate would be void, but now they think there is no way to get to The Good Place, actually they can get those points for doing good because they are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, not because it will get them moral deserts of an decent afterlife. Right? I think I hurt my brain coming up with that theory. But hey, of course Jason has his own infectious disease named after him in Jacksonville.
The Good Place on iTunes.

Blindspot: Oh no, Jane got caught with a syringe. Oh wait, the promo for next week sees the team working together with no tension. I guess she is easily able to explain this like she did taking photos of Patterson’s board. I really need to stop watching promos.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 10/19/2018

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 Real World, Anthony Hamilton, Kansas, Mr Little Jeans, HONEYHONEY, America in Color, Cover Story, TEAMCOCOHOUSE, M.D. Live, and Black Monday.

- MTV Studios, a unit of Viacom’s (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) MTV, announced today a partnership with Facebook Watch to reimagine the groundbreaking series MTV’s The Real World for three all new seasons debuting Spring 2019. Drawing on Facebook’s global platform, the new seasons will be native productions in Mexico, Thailand and the United States, respectively, to explore friendship, and the cultural and social environment in each. Available exclusively on Facebook Watch, the new seasons will introduce interactive social and community features that empower fans to shape the action and connect across mobile, desktop and Facebook's TV app.

- Iconic GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum-selling R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Anthony Hamilton made a stop by his hometown radio station WUNC for a candid conversation. The Interview, which lasted for about 48 minutes, touched on few topics regarding Hamilton's thoughts on being married, not being the star of the church choir, racism and more. Check out the full interview on WUNC.org.

- America’s preeminent progressive rock band, KANSAS, will be touring select cities in the United States and Canada next spring, expanding the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of their massive hit album Point of Know Return. For the first time in history, the band is performing the album Point of Know Return in its entirety. The tour showcases more than two hours of classic KANSAS music including hit songs, deep cuts, and fan favorites. Tickets and KANSAS VIP Packages for most dates go on sale to the general public Friday, October 19, 2018. Ticket information can be found at kansasband.com.

- Norway's Mr Little Jeans (Monica Birkenes) returns today with her politically charged track, "Unfollow", premiering on THE FADER. With glitchy textures and a slow-building bass line, the song has a breezy aesthetic, but carries a darker narrative that tells of the now LA based artist's political frustrations. She explains - "Lyrically, Unfollow was something that had been rummaging around my head ever since Trump got elected. The sinking feeling of this new, horrid reality is something I'll never forget. I was completely unprepared for even the possibility of this happening, let alone how deeply this would depress and affect me. It brought to a harsh light how much of a bubble my closest and I had been living in."

- CBS Television Studios released this week the soundtrack for Season 1 of their hit TBS comedy series The Guest Book. Available everywhere, Season 1: Live at Chubby's features an 11 track collection of cover songs and new original songs written and performed by the critically acclaimed Americana duo HONEYHONEY. Comprised of Benjamin Jaffe and Suzanne Santo, who also have recurring roles in the show, HONEYHONEY were approached by Executive Producer Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl, Raising Hope) and Music Supervisor Jonathan Leahy (Girls, Mr. Robot) to write several songs for the series, along with the award-winning theme song "Fine By Me", and were eventually cast as actors as well. After it's debut season last year, The Guest Book became the highest rated new comedy show on cable reaching more than 3 million viewers per episode. The New York Times raved "Helping considerably: the music of the alt-country blues duo HONEYHONEY, which is smartly deployed throughout the series." Watch the video for "Arrow of Love" HERE.

- Smithsonian Channel continues putting the color back into history, restoring it to life with the return of America in Color. Season two dives even deeper into historical archives, private collections and home movies, digitizing over 23 miles of footage, in search of the people, places and moments – big and small – that helped define the 20th century. Through rare imagery of the birth of American traditions like the Girl Scouts and the first Indianapolis 500 to in-game footage of the infamous 1919 Black Sox World Series and even the legendary Rockefeller family’s own home movies, the series continues to use startlingly detailed restoration and colorization to bridge the decades and present history as it was lived – in color. Building on the decade-by-decade approach of season one, season two captures the country’s explosive transformation: the men and women who drove it, its impact on the land and society at large, and the birth of a mass culture that we still recognize today. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to the Wild West and organized crime, the new season explores some of the most significant moments in American history, now in color for the first time. AMERICA IN COLOR returns Sunday, November 18 at 8:00.

- Tune-in Sunday evening to explore the incredible stories of contestants who won the largest prizes and had the most memorable wins on some of the most popular and beloved game shows. From Ken Jennings’ record 74-game-winning streak on “Jeopardy!” to Caitlyn Burke guessing a 27-letter “Wheel of Fortune” phrase with just one letter, to Georgia School Superintendent Kathy Cox winning $1 Million on “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” this Cover Story will go in depth with never-before-seen interviews of TV’s greatest contestants and delve into the effects of the winnings on their life - what they did with their huge prizes and where they are now.

- Team Coco and TBS are bringing back the successful comedy pop-up which launched last July at San Diego Comic-Con. TEAMCOCOHOUSE will open its doors as part of the 15th annual New York Comedy Festival, on Wednesday, November 7th at SONY HALL, 235 W 46th St New York, NY 10036. The newest version of TEAMCOCOHOUSE will showcase a daily lineup handpicked by Conan – stand-ups, podcasts, musical acts, magicians, a talk show, and special appearances by friends of Team Coco, as well as O’Brien himself.

- On the heels of the 10 episode series order of M.D. Live (working title), the groundbreaking, live, factual series that seeks solutions worldwide for people with medical mysteries and crises who are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, Turner today announced that renowned, award-winning journalist Ann Curry has signed on to anchor and executive produce. The innovative show that will tap into the worldwide phenomenon of medical crowdsourcing is co-produced by Turner and Lionsgate Television.

- The new SHOWTIME comedy Black Monday is adding to its guest star lineup with Emmy® and two-time Oscar® nominee Bruce Dern (Big Love), Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory) and Horatio Sanz (Saturday Night Live, Glow) signing on, along with Julie Hagerty (Airplane, Instant Family), Vanessa Bell Calloway (SHAMELESS, Saints & Sinners), Tim Russ (iCarly) and Jason Michael Snow (Book of Mormon). The 10-episode series is executive produced and stars Emmy® nominated and Golden Globe® winning actor Don Cheadle and stars two-time Tony® Award nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Girls Trip). Paul Scheer (The League) also stars. Creators David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl) serve as executive producers and showrunners. Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Preacher, Superbad) are executive producers and directed the pilot. Currently in production, BLACK MONDAY will premiere in January.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/14/2018

Shameless: Oh Frank, of all your stupid ideas, electroshock therapy to your own junk has to be the worst. But getting conned by Peg Bundy in pursuit of drugs does totally seem on brand.

The Walking Dead: I feel like I missed something. A dangerous mission to DC for a plow and a wagon? And what exactly were you expecting pulling those things over a glass ceiling? And is It really that hard to make your own plow?

The Last Ship: Oh yeah, Tom Chandler still has children, that was the first sighting of the season. And right during the episode Chandler said he was back full time. And what a weird juxtaposition of a siege with a fight with the daughter.
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: So Peaches is just the female Joe? I can work with that. So when does Peaches get a POV episode? Is it a flashback to when Peaches met Beck? Although we are already seem to be done with Beck monologing. But of course Peaches is not dead, she just got interesting. And how exactly does Joe get out of this? He stupidly threw the weapon nor far from where he attacked her? Shouldn’t there be enough DNA on it?
You can download You on iTunes.

Manifest: So now the people on the show can solve crimes by following the voices in other people’s head? And kind of lame that the big cliffhanger of the person who went on television being murdered ended up being the maid.
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: You know what Marie, if you did not want the Lavender ladies to turn on you, maybe you should not have voted with Banana’s last week creating that tie.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Blindspot: So Jane and Tasha are bad guys now? Alrighty. Not that I think that Tasha will do anything to hurt her old team. I guess something had to change to make the show more interesting.
You can download Blindspot on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 10/12/2018

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 Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Enemies: The President, Justice and the FBI, The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, Keb’ Mo’ and Rosanne Cash, Meg Myers, Finesse Mitchell: The Spirit Told Me to Tell You, Fair Game with Kristine Leahy, Kidding, Raised By Wolves, Misery Index, The Wild Andes, China From Above, Naomi Watts, Too Stupid To Die, and M.D. Live.

- Hulu has given a straight-to-series order to Wu-Tang: An American Saga. The upcoming drama series created and written by Alex Tse (SuperFly) and Wu-Tang Clan front man The RZA, has received a 10-episode order from Hulu and will be executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer (Empire, Genius) and Francie Calfo (Empire, Genius), Wu-Tang Clan’s The RZA and Method Man, and Tse. Imagine Television creative executive James Seidman will oversee the project for Imagine. Based on one of the most influential and important groups in hip-hop history, the series marks the latest high-profile original series order from Hulu that aims to deliver authentic, culturally-relevant storytelling to today’s audiences. The series will explore and expand the world of the Wu-Tang clan, and marks Hulu’s second project with Brian Grazer’s Imagine following the Emmy and Grammy Award winning documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years.

- As the ongoing clashes between the Trump administration, the Department of Justice and the FBI continue to make headlines, Showtime will premiere a new documentary series from Oscar and Emmy award-winning director Alex Gibney. Enemies: The President, Justice and the FBI will provide an in-depth look into the long history of conflict between American presidents and the FBI. The four-part documentary series will premiere its first episode on Showtime on Sunday, November 18 at 8:00.


- The Avett Brothers will headline “Concert for Hurricane Florence Relief” at Minges Coliseum on Tuesday, November 13th, 2018. Future Islands and Valient Thorr, both illustrious bands with connections to eastern North Carolina, will perform in the benefit show. Tickets -- $75 Lower level and $65 --Upper level go on sale on Friday, October 12th at https://ecutickets.net and by phone at 800-DIAL-ECU (800-342-5328). Proceeds from the concert will entirely be donated back to the resilient people and organizations contributing to Hurricane Florence Relief efforts.

- On the one-year anniversary of his passing, The Lumineers today release their version of Tom Petty's Walls. "Tom Petty is a musical hero of mine, and Walls is such an incredible song," shares the band's Wesley Schultz, continuing "When I got married, my wife walked down the aisle to the song." All proceeds from the song will benefit MusiCares, a charity of the Recording Academy™, which provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need.

- Keb’ Mo’ and Rosanne Cash have released the official music video for their timely anthem song, "Put A Woman In Charge," an upbeat track with a timely message about female empowerment and embracing women in leadership roles. Following the recent passing of his mother, Mo’ hopes the track can be a gift to women everywhere, that were like his mom; intelligent, hard-working, savvy, and resilient.

- MTV yesterday confirmed that Academy Award®-nominated actress and recording artist Hailee Steinfeld will host and perform at the “2018 MTV EMAs” airing live globally from Bilbao Exhibition Centre, Spain on Sunday, November 4 at 7:00. MTV revealed Steinfeld as host this morning through a Facebook Live sketch that broadcasted across its international platforms.

- Meg Myers arrives to today with her brooding and powerful visuals for her song, "Jealous Sea," premiering exclusively on Refinery29. The video was directed by Clara Aranovich, who also directed the video for "Numb", and sees Meg walking the streets of Los Angeles at night, as she slowly embraces her inner powers and wild side. Clara elaborated on the visuals- "Anyone who’s seen Meg perform live can attest that she has incredible presence; it’s as if she becomes someone or something else all together, as if she’s channeling odd forces. For JEALOUS SEA, I was compelled to make something that showcases this side of Meg, this power she has, a power I feel all women secretly hold."

- Finesse Mitchell takes the stage in his first stand-up special Finesse Mitchell: The Spirit Told Me to Tell You, premiering on Friday, October 19 at 10:00 on Showtime on-air, streaming and on demand. In the hour-long special directed by Devon Shepard and shot at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California, the Saturday Night Live alum discusses everything from L.A. life and staying out of the club to juggling the non-stop demands of marriage, fatherhood and “adult-ing.”


- FOX Sports announced the premiere of Fair Game with Kristine Leahy on Monday, Oct. 22 (5:30 PM ET) on FS1. The network’s new weekday sports show features host Leahy in conversations with the biggest names in sports and entertainment.

- Showtime has ordered a second season of its comedy series Kidding, starring two time Golden Globe® winner and Emmy® nominee Jim Carrey in his first series regular role in more than two decades. Ordered for 10 episodes next season, Kidding is created by Dave Holstein (WEEDS, Raising Hope). The first season of Kidding currently airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, with its season finale on November 11.

- Turner's TNT has greenlit straight to series Raised By Wolves, a serialized sci-fi series from master storyteller and filmmaker Ridley Scott (The Martian, Blade Runner, Alien: Covenant), who will also mark his television directorial debut with the series. Acclaimed writer Aaron Guzikowski, the visionary behind the highly lauded film Prisoners, will serve as showrunner as well as a writer. The series is being produced by Scott's Scott Free Productions in association with Turner's Studio T and Madhouse Entertainment, with Scott, Guzikowski, David W. Zucker (The Man in the High Castle) and Jordan Sheehan (The Terror), and Madhouse Entertainment’s Adam Kolbrenner (Prisoners) and Robyn Meisinger (Prisoners) serving as executive producers. The International rights to the series will be distributed through Turner International. Raised by Wolves centers upon two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task.

- Turner’s TBS has ordered the comedy game show Misery Index, a new unscripted series inspired by the outrageously entertaining card game Sh*t Happens. Critically acclaimed and in demand comedy troupe The Tenderloins — Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray, Joe Gatto and Sal Vulcano — creators and stars of truTV’s Impractical Jokers, cable’s #1 original comedy series, have joined the series to help infuse comic relief. The game will feature two teams — each consisting of one contestant and two Tenderloins. Teams will compete against each other by attempting to determine the ranking of hilarious and miserable real-life events — from getting fired to accidentally sexting your grandfather — on a scale of 1-100.

- For more than three years, filmmaker Christian Baumeister and his intrepid team braved volcanic peaks, caustic lagoons, dense tropical forests and lightning-strewn salt flats to capture the remarkable diversity of life and landscape found in the Andes Mountains. Traveling to six countries and covering more than 20,000 miles by off-road vehicle, they faced extreme challenges as they ventured to seldom explored locations in search of some of the world’s rarest creatures. The Wild Andes showcases this spectacular region and its animal inhabitants in striking detail with a new three-part series, premiering Wednesday, November 7 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- A country of staggering contrasts, China is home to the world’s highest mountains, arid deserts, bustling megacities, the ruins of ancient civilizations and the source of Asia’s biggest rivers. Now, a new four-part series from Smithsonian Channel reveals the secrets and patterns of life in traditional and modern China in stunning ultra-high definition, portraying 40 locations across all four corners of the country. Through a combination of innovative aerial photography and on-the-ground human stories, China From Above showcases this breathtaking nation like never before and reveals a country that has long fascinated and mystified. China From Above premieres Monday, November 12 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Showtime has announced that Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated actress Naomi Watts has joined the cast of the network’s upcoming eight-episode limited series about Fox News founder Roger Ailes. Based on extensive reporting by Gabriel Sherman for his bestselling book, The Loudest Voice in the Room, the series stars Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) in the title role. Crowe also serves as an executive producer on the series. Emmy® nominee Kari Skogland (The Handmaid’s Tale) will direct the first two episodes. Production is set to begin next month.

- MTV, in conjunction with Gunpowder & Sky, today announced that its new stunt series Too Stupid To Die will premiere on Friday, November 2nd at 9:30. The highly anticipated series, developed with Zach Holmes, the online sensation and daredevil who was banned by YouTube, will feature bizarre pranks, hilarious antics and outrageous stunts.

- Turner announced M.D. Live (working title), the first live, non-fiction series that taps into the worldwide phenomenon of medical crowdsourcing. The two-hour weekly event set to premiere in 2019 will feature patients battling various ailments that are undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or uncured. A recurring panel of highly accredited doctors will discuss potential diagnoses before throwing live to the crowd for additional feedback, solutions and support. TNT has ordered 10 episodes of the series from Lionsgate Television.

Previewing Light as a Feather

The first time AwesomenessTV teamed up with Hulu, they produced the very cheap looking Freakish. The acting was bad, the writing was poor, the zombie theme was played out, and it really looked like some webseries from a decade earlier. But the thing is, but the time the second season, the show killed off some of the worsts actors and replaced them with much better ones, moved outside the school, peppered in some political intrigue, came up with some compelling plots… and was promptly canceled quietly after.

The duo’s next attempt at the horror genre is Light as a Feather based on the childhood game because I guess Ouija was already made into a movie franchise. Right of the bat, the show actually looks professionally made, a step up from Freakish. And instead of social media stars the show cast actual actors, okay, no one that recognizable but not doing their casting via Instagram and YouTube is an improvement.

For those unfamiliar, Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board is a game where the participants lift someone who pretends to be dead. In the television version new girl Violet, who was only invited because another girl in the group accidentally sprayed her with fake blood in a very Carrie type scene, wants to put a twist on the game where they predict each other’s death while playing. And then someone ends up dying exactly the way Violet says right down to the severed arm. And then things get weirder.

So yeah, Violet seems like she could be a witch while the remaining girls have to figure out how the new girl made this happen before their deaths play out like predicted while playing the game. But the thing is, this is not the first rash of deaths. McKenna, whom Violet seems most infatuated with, had a twin sister die previously. As we get closer to Halloween, Light as a Feather may not conjure up too much gore (beside the so creepy growth on Violet’s back) at least in the first half of episodes, but it keeps the tension up enough if you are into the teen-light version of horror.

All episodes of Light as a Feather are available tomorrow on Hulu.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 10/7/2018

Shameless: About half way through the episode I thought to myself, for the hundredth episode, this week was fairly tame for such a milestone. Then Frank went and started a race riot. That is more like it.

The Last Ship: I always found the lesbian relationship completely weird, out of place, and just randomly popped out of nowhere at the start of this season. It really just screamed something shady was going on. And apparently I was right. Too bad Alicia did not figure it out before me because she is yet another character to die this season. Is anyone going to get out of this final season alive?
You can download The Last Ship on iTunes.

You: Ooo, a change in format. But maybe I was too harsh on Joe monologing because Beck is not that more compelling at it. I actually assumed the Captain was her father the moment he offered money (I guess I forgot she mentioned he was dead). Though does Peach actually think he is dead with her dead dog an analogy for her father or does she just think the father is just dead to Beck? Really weird to tell everyone, even your best friend, your dad is dead when he is not. But did Joe really leave Beck alone in his apartment with her panties, shirt, and phone when returning the book or did h take that stuff with him. Joe is kind of sloppy for a meticulous stalker.
You can download You on iTunes.

Manifest: So this show is just going to be miracle of the week format? Meh. I am much more interested in the shadow figure who may be going around and killing passengers from the plane. My prediction: it is someone who was on the plane.
You can download Manifest on iTunes.

The Challenge: Final Reckoning: Do these people seriously forget they are playing for a million dollars? I am not risking a chance at a million dollars to play chicken with my partner. And Zach is clearly in the wrong because Amanda’s alliance is clearly stronger and easier to be one on one. And how did they lose that elimination? C’mon, at one point how do you not realize that Zach needs to climb across and shake that last flag off? I was thinking that after the third try failed.
You can download The Challenge: Final Reckoning on iTunes.

Survivor: David vs. Goliath: The promo monkey really was trolling us last week. It seemed like both tribes were targeting a woman of color, which would have been another in a long list of women of color being voted out first. Unfortunately, the show reverted back to an older trope of voting out the most attractive females early. Meh.
You can download Survivor: David vs. Goliath on iTunes.

The Good Place: Oh my goodness, the American Café was just offensively brilliant. Maybe even better was the explanation of how the Jacksonville Jaguars and Blake Bortles got suddenly good.
The Good Place on iTunes.

Around the Tubes: 10/5/2018

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 Marvel’s Runaways, Black Monday, Escape at Dannemora, The Family Business: Trump and Taxes, Rod Stewart, Cover Story, Vanessa Hudgens, Her, Gun Tracks of Vietnam, FOX Sports Films, and Shut Up and Dribble.

The official teaser for Hulu’s Marvel’s Runaways season 2 is now available! All episodes of season 2 will be available to steam on December 21st.


- Showtime has released a provocative first look at its new comedy series Black Monday, starring and executive produced by Emmy® nominated and Golden Globe winning actor Don Cheadle and starring two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Regina Hall (Girls Trip). The series was created by David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl), who will serve as executive producers and showrunners. Emmy nominees Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Preacher, Superbad), who will also executive produce, directed the pilot.


- Showtime has unveiled the posters and a behind-the-scenes video for Escape at Dannemora. The seven-part limited series stars Academy Award® winners Benicio Del Toro (Traffic) and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), and Golden Globe® nominee Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, There Will Be Blood), and is executive produced and directed by Emmy® winner Ben Stiller. Escape at Dannemora is based on the stranger-than-fiction prison break in upstate New York in the summer of 2015 which spawned a statewide manhunt for two convicted murderers, aided in their escape by a married female prison employee who reportedly carried on months-long affairs with both men. The series will premiere on November 18 at 10:00


- On the heels of The New York Times' breaking news story revealing new information about President Trump’s financial history, SHOWTIME has announced The Family Business: Trump and Taxes, a new documentary short film directed by Emmy® nominee Jenny Carchman and produced by Oscar® nominees Liz Garbus and Justin Wilkes of The Forth Estate. The film follows a team of New York Times investigative reporters through their diligent and intense efforts in uncovering the information that led to this exclusive report. The Family Business: Trump and Taxes will premiere this Sunday, October 7 at 8:30 on Showtime, after an all new episode of The Circus.

- Two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rod Stewart will release his 30th solo album Blood Red Roses, which critics and fans around the world are raving about experiencing as a complete album collection today and live in concerts during Stewart’s sold-out North American summer tour. Released last week by Republic Records in the U.S. on CD, vinyl, digital download and across streaming platforms, Blood Red Roses’ release has been heralded by first single “Didn’t I,” which scored Stewart his 23rd Top 10 Hit on the Billboard AC airplay chart.

- Game Show Network’s Cover Story, a one-hour documentary series that looks at the fascinating personalities, memorable moments and outrageous scandals in and around the most popular games and shows of all time will return to Sundays this fall at 7 p.m. ET, beginning on October 21 with Cover Story: Game Show Super Contestants.

- Los Angeles-based electronic duo Phantoms (aka Kyle Kaplan and Vinnie Pergola), alongside superstar actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens, release the official music video for new single “Lay With Me” today. The music video is inspired by the history of friendship between Phantoms and Vanessa, giving a wink to the TV/Film phenomenon, High School Musical.


- Her unveils the live video for “Neighborhood” filmed at Studio La Fabrique in Paris—watch and share HERE! The video, directed by Rodrigue Huart, is part of the upcoming film “Are You Still Here” set for release this November.


- Smithsonian Channel is set to honor American veterans this November with two premieres offering unique perspectives and new insights on crucial aspects of the Vietnam War. One-hour special Gun Tracks of Vietnam premieres Sunday, November 11 at 9:00 and explores the ingenuity of American servicemen and the ongoing legacy of one of America’s fiercest fighting units. The following Sunday, November 18 at 9:00, The Lost Tapes returns with Tet Offensive, bringing to life a defining moment of the Vietnam War. Both premieres feature rare audio and exclusive never-before-televised 8mm films – some shot directly by soldiers during combat.

- This month, FOX Sports Films, in association with Major League Baseball, expands the company’s coverage of America’s pastime with documentaries, honoring legendary player moments from Kirk Gibson, Jim Abbott, and Aaron Boone. The three one-hour films air throughout the month of October as FOX Sports also delivers the Major League Baseball Playoffs starting at 5:00 pm ET with National League Division Series (NLDS) Game 1 Thursday, Oct. 4 on FS1. The announcement was made by Charlie Dixon, EVP, Content at FOX Sports. The first documentary, Walk-Off Stories: Improbably Gibson, debuts Sunday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 pm ET on FS1 following the MLB on FS1 postgame coverage. Set Apart: The Jim Abbott Story premieres Sunday, Oct. 14 on FOX. Walk-Off Stories: From a Battle to a War airs Sunday, Oct. 21 on FOX.

- Showtime has announced the airdate for its upcoming docu-series Shut Up and Dribble, with the first episode premiering on Saturday, November 3 at 9:00 on Showtime on-air, streaming and on demand. The remaining two episodes will continue at 9:00 on Saturday, November 10 and Saturday, November 17. Narrated by acclaimed sports journalist and commentator Jemele Hill, the three-part documentary series is a powerful inside look at the changing role of NBA athletes through the lens of our shifting cultural and political environment. Hill is among one of the many luminaries featured in the documentary that includes former NBA players, executives, sports journalists and pop-culture icons. SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE is directed by Gotham Chopra and executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Chopra. To watch and share a first look from the docu-series, go to: https://s.sho.com/2OsUXt2.

Previewing Into the Dark

Sure they mostly got shut out at the Emmy’s, but Hulu did seem to muster plenty of discussion this spring and summer with weekly releases of Handmaid’s Tale and Castle Rock. But it looks like Hulu is going to mirror that other streaming service and start releasing all their shows all episodes at once starting with this fall. I do have to question that logic as discussion of The First died before network fall television even started. It will be interesting if they continue this or if Handmaid’s and Castle Rock still with their weekly released.

There is one glaring exception to the fall episode dump and that is Into the Dark which not even airing episodes weekly, instead is airing a new episode every month. The show comes from Blumhouse and if you are unfamiliar with the studio, it basically produced almost every horror or thriller movie you have watch in the past decade from Paranormal Activity to The Purge to Get Out. Then the show is an anthology that will feature a new episode based around a holiday that month.

Naturally with the show starting in October the first episode, entitled, The Body, which involves a hitman who uses the guise of Halloween to transport a body where his employer wants it to be found. We even get a four hour ticking clock by when he needs to get the body to the destination. Naturally complications arise and he ends up with a group of people at a party who take interest in his very real looking costume.

Okay, I figured out exactly how the episode would end about ten minutes in, but it was a fun ride as a couple members of the group provide plenty of comedic relief. And I came away from the episode wondering why Rebecca Rittenhouse is not in more things as she really steals the show.  Unfortunately the same the guy who plays the hitman as he lacks even a hint of charisma. Really, had they gotten a better actor, this episode could have been a feature film.

Next month features a teenage girl who has not left the house since her mother died and the murder remains unsolved. Ironically as the main character is agoraphobic, as the viewer, this episode feels very claustrophobic. Sure she can reach her arm out to the mailbox that is affixed the house but cannot quite reach the package left on the far edge of the porch. So obviously the therapist comes to her. Then as the anniversary of the death of her mother approaches on Thanksgiving, the girl’s mind starts playing tricks on her and leaving the house may be the key to her survival. Dilemma, dilemma.

Of the first two episodes, the Halloween one is defiantly the better of the two thanks to some comedic moments. And I have been using the term “episode” loosely, the first two run eighty-two and ninety-three minutes respectively. Really, they are feature film length which makes me wonder if they are films Blumhouse thought about making and are only producing them under the Into the Dark label because they did not think they garner a theatrical audience. Really the Thanksgiving episode could have taken place any time of year and could have just been jammed into Thanksgiving to fit the series theme.

Still, these first two episodes were good enough that I will stick around all year to check out the rest. I am just curious what holidays will be coming next. The promo did suggest Christmas and New Year’s Eve (though they both technically fall in December) before skipping to April Fool’s Day before filling the screen with holidays that are probable (St. Patrick’s Day) and some absurd. They are not actually going to do National Grandparent’s Day, are they? And where every month has an obvious holiday or three, I do have to wonder what Into the Dark has in store for August. My calendar only has listed Civic Holiday which is Canadian and (Eid) al Adha which Google tells me is an Islamic holiday also referred to as the Festival of Sacrifice. I guess we have to wait ten months for that.

Into the Dark airs new episodes every month starting tomorrow on Hulu.