Around the Tubes: November 6, 2021

     

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Yellowjackets, Pen15, The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For, Even More Funny Women of a Certain Age, Animaniacs,   Lorde, Eddie Vedder, Foxes, James Blake, Chelsea Cutler, Soul Train Awards, JFK Resisted: Through the Looking Glass.

- SHOWTIME has released the premiere episode of its new survival drama YELLOWJACKETS for free sampling on streaming platforms and on demand. The episode is now available on Sho.com, Showtime.com and YouTube, as well as across multiple SHOWTIME partner platforms.  Starring Melanie Lynskey (Castle Rock), Oscar^® and Emmy^® nominee Juliette Lewis (Camping), Emmy nominee Christina Ricci (Z: The Beginning of Everything) and Tawny Cypress (Unforgettable), the series is created and executive produced by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson (Narcos) and will officially premiere on Sunday, November 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.  Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, YELLOWJACKETS is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.

- Everyone’s favorite middle-schoolers are back with the return of Hulu Original Comedy series “Pen15.” Check out the official trailer below and get ready to binge all seven new episodes Friday, December 3rd only on Hulu!

- “The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For” chronicles the unbelievable true story behind the rise and fall of the 2000s most iconic fashion trend. In this epic character-driven saga, Venice Beach surfers, gangsters, European garmentos and Hollywood movers and shakers all vie for control of the infamous brand — pushing it from obscurity to one of the most recognizable labels on Earth. After a decade of backstabbing, greed, and bloodshed, their lives – and pop culture – will never be the same.  All three episodes premiere Thursday, November 18 only on Hulu. 

- The hit comedy showcase FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE makes its return to SHOWTIME with a third comedy special, EVEN MORE FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE.  Emmy nominee and SAG Award winner Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives) leads a cast of female comedy veterans in her debut comedy special for a night of over-the-top uninhibited stand-up. The hour-long special also stars Carole Montgomery, Wendy Liebman, Monique Marvez, Leighann Lord and Marsha Warfield, who talk sex, dating and how they hilariously made it through the pandemic. Filmed at the Irvine Improv in Orange County, California, EVEN MORE FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE premieres on Wednesday, November 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.  To watch and share a trailer from EVEN MORE FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE go to: https://youtu.be/ErjsPhSLg8s

-  Hellloooo, season two! Hulu, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation have joined forces once again to bring you “Animaniacs.” This Emmy® award-winning animated series—and one of Hulu’s all-time most talked about shows on social media—returns with 13 brand new episodes out now.  Yakko, Wakko and Dot return for an all-new season of this iconic, family-friendly series with something for everyone: pop culture parodies, musical showstoppers, takedowns of historical baddies...and even some important safety tips. Join the Warners and Pinky and the Brain as they wreak havoc everywhere they go, from the Warner Bros. lot to an international beauty pageant and all the way into outer space. And keep an eye out for season one favorites Starbox & Cindy, as well as some rejected Animaniacs characters that were left on the cutting room floor.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum artist LORDE took to her Solar Power Institute Bulletin earlier this week to drop the surprise music video for “Fallen Fruit” and announce the release of her Solar Power bonus tracks, “Helen of Troy” and “Hold No Grudge” to DSPs. The songs are available to stream everywhere and the music video is available to watch now. Listen to “Helen of Troy” HERE.  Listen to “Hold No Grudge” HERE.  Watch the video for “Fallen Fruit” HERE.

- At this year’s Ohana Festival, Eddie Vedder performed his single “Long Way” for the first time during his headlining set. The song is the first track from his highly anticipated album Earthling. Fans can now be a part of the amazing performance which was shot and edited by Pearl Jam video director Blue Leach.  Vedder was joined by an all-star backing band including Chad Smith, Pino Palladino, Josh Klinghoffer, Andrew Watt and Glen Hansard who performed with Vedder two nights in a row during the festival’s first weekend.  Watch the video here

- Foxes releases her euphoric new single "Sky Love," the third track to be lifted from her highly-anticipated new album, The Kick, due for release on February 11, 2022 via [PIAS] Recordings. The disco-tinged track, produced by Roosevelt, comes accompanied by a stunning video directed by Florence Kosky. Alongside the single, Foxes also announces further details of The Kick including the artwork and tracklisting. The Kick will available on February 11, 2022 on Standard and Deluxe CD. Vinyl will be available later in 2022.  Discussing "Sky Love," Foxes says it’s about “craving the kind of love that seems unimaginable, drives you crazy and is all-consuming. A love that feels otherworldly and like nothing you’ve felt before.”  "Sky Love" follows on from previous singles "Dance Magic" and "Sister Ray," the first two tastes of her upcoming album. Her first album in over five years, The Kick was written and recorded remotely via zoom during the height of the pandemic, offering a form of escapism for Foxes. Inspired by the desire for freedom that the world collectively shared over the last 18 months of lockdowns, the near-animalistic desperation to socialise, and a longing to dance again, Louisa naturally pivoted the sonics to feed that escapism and create a record that simultaneously feels close to her euphoric, dancefloor-filling pop roots that brought us hits like ‘Let Go For Tonight’, ‘Youth’ and ‘Body Talk’, while still feeling completely fresh. Unafraid of the art of the well-loved melancholic-banger, lyrically The Kick touches on themes of loss and heartbreak, narrating painful places and soundtracking new beginnings to create an album for the post-pandemic world and a summer of never leaving the party early.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning UK singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer James Blake uncovers the music video for “Famous Last Words.”  Watch “Famous Last Words”: HERE.  It stands out as the latest single from his critically acclaimed 2021 album, Friends That Break Your Heart, out now via Republic Records – listen HERE. The album notably marks Blake’s first new full-length album in three years. Right out of the gate, it attracted universal applause.

-  In celebration of her new album When I Close My Eyes, Platinum-Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Chelsea Cutler announces her upcoming 2022 headline tour today. Kicking off in Austin at Stubb’s Outdoors on March 9^th, the “When I Close My Eyes Tour” makes stops in Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Portland, and more—see the full list of tour dates below. Adam Melchor and ROSIE will join as support.  Tickets will go on-sale via artist pre-sale this Wednesday, November 3^rd at 10AM local time, Spotify pre-sale on Wednesday, November 3^rd at 12PM local time, and official on-sale on Friday, November 5^th at 10AM local time at www.chelseacutler.com/.

- BET announced three-time GRAMMY® award-winning singer-songwriter and producer Maxwell will receive the ‘Legend’ award at the 2021 “Soul Train Awards.” Award-winning and multiplatinum singer/songwriter, actor, entrepreneur, and author Ashanti will be the recipient of the ‘Lady of Soul’ honor. The 2021 “Soul Train Awards” premieres Sunday, November 28 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and BET Her.   “It’s an honor to be presented with the Legend award by a community that’s been growing with me throughout my career,” said Maxwell. “I’m so grateful to be sharing this moment with everyone and returning to the Apollo for an evening of excellence.”

- SHOWTIME will air the world streaming and television premiere of Oliver Stone’s documentary film JFK REVISITED: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, starting November 12 on streaming and on demand. The film – which premiered this summer at the Cannes Film Festival – presents a fresh look at the vast archive of material that has been declassified, re-examined and placed in the public records since JFK, Stone’s renowned film on the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 30 years ago.  JFK REVISITED: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS will inform a new generation that this unresolved murder was indeed shocking and perhaps even calculated. Stone presents powerful evidence that in the Kennedy case, "conspiracy theory" is now "conspiracy fact." Narrated by Oscar^® winners Whoopi Goldberg and Donald Sutherland and featuring a renowned team of historians and witnesses, JFK REVISITED: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS will make its linear debut on SHOWTIME on November 22 at 7 p.m. ET/PT, the anniversary of JFK’s death.

- Imagicomm Entertainment has announced the availability of the first season of the popular new original series, Wild West Chronicles, on IMDb TV.  “This series has garnered unprecedented viewership and has consistently set new ratings records on the INSP Linear channel,” said Collins. “So many people are fascinated with the stories of the iconic characters, and famous heroes of the old West, and we are proud that this series is now available on IMDb TV where even more viewers can discover this treasure.”

 

 

Previewing Dexter: New Blood

A wise man once said, “Well, now, everything dies, baby, that’s a fact.  But maybe everything that dies someday comes back.”  In a time when the creators of the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer television show get announced as also doing a Cruel Intentions reboot television show, it may be time to take the “maybe” out of that quote, at least when dealing with the entertainment business.  From here on out, it seems like IP will never really die.  So it is probably only a matter of time before the creators of those previously mentioned shows complete the Sarah Michelle Gellar trifecta and makes a The Grudge television show.

 

The latest reboot is going to undo what was probably the most maligned series finale in television history, at least until Game of Thrones came along: Dexter.  The first couple seasons of the show were very good, a serial killer who only kills bad guys that he vets through his day job in the Miami Police Department.  In true Showtime fashion, the show went on far too long to the point that it was laughable that no one at the police department figured it out.  Well, except Doakes who figured that out in the first season and LaGuarta and Deb finally caught on to Dexter by the final season, but even then it took too long.

 

That knowledge wrecked Deb that led to a spiral and was eventually fatally shot.  In the end Dexter took her lifeless body out to sea during a hurricane and was presumed dead, leaving his son to be raised by another serial killer in a South American country, only for the final scene of the show to feature a heavily bearded Dexter working at as a lumberjack. 

 

It seems like the people behind the show want to let that show die and the show now has a new name, Dexter: New Blood.  But this is the same Dexter with the same back story of the pervious show.  Okay, he does have a new name, James Lindsey (Jeff Lindsey was the author of Dexter series of books), but to the rest of the world, Dexter Morgan is dead.  Despite the same main character, the show could not be further from the original, the show went from the sunny coastal city of Miami to the wooded small town up north.  Okay, one thing the two shows have in common is there is still a multi-ethnic cast of characters as there is a sizable indigenous population in the town.

 

Dexter, err, James, now has a more lo-key job working at a sporting good show (you may recognize his boss as the cat guy from Only Murders in the Building).  But the biggest change is that James is not a serial killer.  It is implied Dexter has not killed anyone since we last saw him.  He does not even kill animals anymore despite living in a big hunting community and sells most of the hunters their guns.  In fact, now he owns plenty of animals that he takes care of.  Instead of his surrogate father helping him cover up his crimes, now Dexter is visited by his sister who tries to guilt him into not killing whenever the urge bubbles to the surface.

 

Much like the rebooted Veronica Mars, Dexter: New Blood is dropping the case, or kill, of the week format with an overarching storyline which seemingly is going to cover the entire season.  But Dexter still has a Big Bad to take down and this time around that comes in the form of Clancy Brown, an imposing figure who runs the local truck stop diner, but has some other extracurricular activities no one else know about.

 

To be honest, James is kind of a boring dude with his no killing edict.  And most of the first episode is also kind of boring as we see James go along his boring day.  He has a boring girlfriend (who seemingly has some secrets of her own, but it will take a couple episode to figure out what), a boring job, and is stuck in a boring routine.  Seriously who line dances to Heart of Glass?  The song that opens the reboot is very on the nose.  The only interesting parts of most of the first episode are his interactions with Deb and a douchebag customer who is so annoying you really hope Dexter breaks his no murdering pledge.  There is a point in the first episode where I realize there is not even some Dexter narration to break up the monotony of his day.  Every time something interesting is about to happen, it turns out to be a red herring… until something interesting happens and the narration finally kick in.

 

So does the reboot redeem the show?  Based on the episodes I have seen (four as I write this) it is way too early to tell.  The change of scenery does add to the show along with almost entirely new cast with just Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter reprising their roles (there is a recast character that does pop up).  Though I am not sure all the new characters are needed.  Jamie Chung as a true crime podcaster seems completely unnecessary so far.  Mabel Mora she is not.  But a disadvantage of dropping the kill of the week just to focus on one storyline puts a lot of emphasis on if the season sticks the preverbal landing.  Hopefully after an eight year hiatus, the writers were able to come up with a good one.

 

Dexter New Blood airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 31, 2021

 

 Fear the Walking Dead:  Much like last week when I asked how exactly are the horses ok walking around when all the humans need gas masks, how exactly is it okay with the dog to jut roam outside.  And they really seemed to be playing fast and loose with that timer or I just cannot see very well.  It looked like when the car broke down they just had a half an hour left, so if they traveled for about five hours, how did they make it back to the sub safely?  But last week with the “Padre” letter, I was thinking it had to do with some father, but seeing it near the map, could South Padre Island be a safe place?

 

I had to look up who the guy at the end was.  Turns out it was Emile’s brother.  Okay.  So then I had to look up who the fork Emile was.  Turns out he was the bounty hunter Virgina sent to hunt down Morgan after they shot each other and was only in one episode.  Seriously, who actually remember these things?

 

American Rust:  I am no druggie, never even been in the presence of blow, but can one line of coke, even if it is laced with opioid, take down an teenage athlete within seconds?  I am also not an electrician, but if Harris cut the power, which I assume was to kill the alarm, but with the power out, how did he use the computer?

 

The Walking Dead: World Beyond:  So the one sister is not going back with the other.  Seems stupid.

 

Y: The Last Man:  They were really missing an episode following what happened to Y’s girlfriend.  She just shows up, leaves, and then is breaking in a couple episodes later.  How exactly did she get radicalize when she was dating a Senator’s kid.  What does this group even want?  But at least this group just executed the crazy Cabinet member.  She was a bit much.

 

Stargirl:  So they spent the whole back half of the season to break everyone up and now they are all back together in one episode.  But who exactly was Shiv calling?  The only one I can think of is Artimas who has not been seen since the big fight in the cafeteria.

 

La Brea:  Something strange happened in this episode: I kind of found it entertaining.  Sure everyone is still very dumb.  Like, when they were captured escaping, no one is going to say, oh you are from the future, I am from the future too, maybe we should team up to figure how to get back to the present.  But the sisters’ thing turned out to much creepier than expected.  I has predicted that the younger sister was really the older sister’s daughter, but it turns out she kidnapped the little sister.  But was the older sister really the father’s daughter or was she kidnapped too?

 

Supergirl:  Let me get this straight, that Lex is from the future alternative timeline where he was forking the imp?  What?!?  Thankfully only three more episodes of this crap.

 

Wu-Tang: An American Saga:  It seemed like they were wrapping the series up in a nice little bow in case it was not renewed as everyone was getting signed to their own solo deals, RZA was making beats for the solo albums… and then the pipe had to burst in RZA’s basement.  And that water came in pretty fast, getting waist deep even though the pipe busted a couple seconds earlier.  C’mon RZA, if you are getting a new place with a basement, you may want to make sure the sump pump is working first, especially if you are putting valuables down there.  But that stuff with him and the ODB was rough know just who put out his solo album.  But why not go back to Def Jam and tell them what Elektra Is offering and see if they will match, and at the very least run it by the ODB.  Sure getting your music back in twenty years is nice, but he did not even live to see that.

 

Dopesick:  Ooof, that rehab scene was rough.  So does the rep become the whistleblower at some point?  He seems to have some sort of a conscience but is still working for the evil empire. 

 

Survivor:  Much like how Probst does not know how dice work, making you draw them out of a bag for the Shot in the Dark advantage, apparently he does not know how hourglasses work either.  If you smash an hourglass, you are in essence stopping time, not turning back time.  But that is the problem with this season, none of these advantages really seem that well planned out.

 

It was confusing enough what was going on with the first twist of the episode with two team and two people sitting out, now this.  But Erika has to break the hourglass.  Giving up immunity is stupid, especially if you are spending two days away from camp right before the vote.  Sure you piss off half your tribe, but hey, at least one is going home and then you would be in a majority with the people you save.  And then, only the person who gets voted out should be mad (well maybe someone who then has to burn an Idol or advantage may also be mad) and it does not seem like that person will be on the jury.

 

The Challenge: Spies, Lies, and Allies: How was Amanda the only one smart enough to realize that if you claim you are going to infiltrate the green team if you win will keep them from sending you in?  The outwardly said it and still no one else said it.  At least Betina should have said she would have pick Amanda if picked.  The rookies this season have to be the dumbest lot to ever play and are ruining the season.

 

Doom Patrol:  I was really disappointing that no one else turned into puppets when rescuing Crazy Jane.  And why did she stay a puppet while Cyborg no longer had to be an action figure.  Now the confusing part: So Madame Rouge got her time machine from the Brotherhood of Evil who reverse engineered from the time machine Rita stole, which turns out was the exact time machine the Brotherhood of Evil first built.  So how did time travel get invented if the Brotherhood of Evil needed to see the time machine that they themselves built? 

 

Love Life:  It is weird seeing a bearded Chidi without glasses who seemingly can make decisions without breaking out in a cold sweat, but at least he still is making weird chili recipes.  But poor Chidi, no way dude can compete with a basketball player.

 

Guilty Party:  Oh wow, I was not expecting the Real Eleanor to just straight up murder a dude.  Though, I guess Chekov’s Gun gotta go off sometime.  But why are the evil illegal gun makers just starring at the two women after the gun went off with a bloodied body on the ground?

 

The Blacklist:  If Red is dying a slow death that he needs some voodoo priestess to keep him alive, why is he rebooting The Blacklist and signing up to be the new leader of some secret pirate club?  And is Dembe the new Lizzie now?  But wasn't her role of the task force the profiler?  Isn't Dembe just a redundant Ressler?

 

Around the Tubes: October 30, 2021

     

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Hip Hop 50, The Real Charlie Chaplin, Carol Ades, Benee, Olivia Vedder, Of Monsters and Men, Glass Animals, and Conan Gray.

- This December, SHOWTIME will kick off HIP HOP 50, its multiyear, cross-platform programming initiative celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Hip Hop in collaboration with entertainment company Mass Appeal, with the premiere of three documentaries celebrating the storied history of the music genre. Directed by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning music legend and Mass Appeal partner Nasir “Nas” Jones (Survival 1), VIDEO MUSIC BOX (w/t) will premiere Friday, December 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. RICKY POWELL: THE INDIVIDUALIST, directed by Josh Swade, will premiere Friday, December 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. And ROLLING LIKE THUNDER, directed by Roger Gastman, will premiere Friday, December 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.  HIP HOP 50 will continue to run over the next three years and will encompass unscripted series and features, podcasts and digital shorts by and about some of the foremost names in the genre, culminating with the 50^th anniversary of the genre in 2023. The initiative is driven by Nas and Mass Appeal Chief Creative Officer and Emmy-nominated partner Sacha Jenkins (WU-TANG CLAN: OF MICS AND MEN, BITCHIN’: THE SOUND AND FURY OF RICK JAMES).

- SHOWTIME announced THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN, a kaleidoscopic portrait of a man who became an immortal legend, whose life was as extraordinary as his art, will premiere Saturday, December 11, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. From award-winning directors Peter Middleton and James Spinney (Notes on Blindness) and narrated by Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who), the feature-length documentary begins its theatrical run at Cinema Village (New York) and Laemmle Monica (Los Angeles) on Friday, November 19.  To watch and share the trailer, visit https://youtu.be/0ApMSyQkk1c.  Having unprecedented access to the Chaplin archives, THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN blends dramatic reconstructions with never-before-heard recordings, intimate home movies, behind-the-scenes material, and newly restored classic films to reveal a side of the worldwide icon that – until now – has been shrouded in mystery. Tracing back a century ago – when Chaplin first stepped onto the screen – the film recounts his meteoric rise from the slums of Victorian London to the heights of Hollywood superstardom to his scandalous fall from grace. For decades, he was the most famous man in the world. But who was THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN?

- Globally successful singer-songwriter Carol Ades arrives today with the release of her debut EP. Through (AWAL) is a culmination of six deeply reflective songs from Ades, marking a powerful reclamation of personal artistry and creative control for the New-Jersey-born, LA-based rising star, who has penned fan-favorite hits by Demi Lovato, Benny Blanco, Ava Max and more. Years in the making, Through is finally available today at all DSPs HERE.  Two new songs are available to hear for the first-time today, including “Brunette Caroline” and the EP’s title track “Through,” co-produced by Mike Crossey (Wolf Alice, The 1975).

- Marking a momentous return, New Zealand’s platinum sensation BENEE proudly presents her new single entitled “Doesn’t Matter” today via Republic Records—listen HERE.  On the track, BENEE opens up like never before. Steady drums beat through dreamy guitar as her voice comes in and out of focus. The lyrics depict her mental health struggles with raw detail and poetic poise. Above this delicate musical hum, she confesses, “I know it doesn’t matter.” Shining light through the cracks, she asks, “there is a way through.”  BENEE recently announced the single on World Mental Health Day with a vulnerable post on Instagram—see HERE.
 

- At this year’s Ohana Festival, Olivia Vedder gave her first-ever live performance of “My Father’s Daughter”, her original, Oscar-contending song from the Flag Day soundtrack, which was written by her father, Eddie Vedder, and Glen Hansard. The film from director Sean Penn, MGM and United Artists Releasing was adapted from Jennifer Vogel’s memoir Flim-Flam Man: The True Story of My Father’s Counterfeit Life. The film also stars Sean Penn’s daughter Dylan Penn, with Katheryn Winnick, Josh Brolin, Norbert Leo Butz, Dale Dickey, Eddie Marsan, Bailey Noble and Hopper Jack Penn rounding out the cast.  “My Father’s Daughter” Live from Ohana Festival: FlagDay.lnk.to/MFDlive

- Multiplatinum Icelandic collective Of Monsters and Men release My Head Is An Animal (10^th Anniversary Edition) including two never before released songs: new single “Phantom” and “Sugar In A Bowl.”  Stream My Head Is An Animal (10^th Anniversary Edition) HERE and watch the official music video for “Phantom” HERE!

- Critically acclaimed, global-hit sensations Glass Animals made the late night television debut of their latest single “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” on The Late Late Show with James Corden—watch the performance and frontman Dave Bayley’s interview with James Corden HERE.  Following the exciting performance, this morning, Glass Animals were nominated for two 2021 American Music Awards—“Favorite Pop Duo or Group” and “Favorite Rock Artist.” The news arrives following the band’s biggest year of their career thus far, with their global and  Double Platinum smash hit “Heat Waves” becoming the UK’s biggest export from a British contemporary band and making Glass Animals the biggest band in the world right now.

- Gen Z pop king Conan Gray shares his new single “Telepath” today.  The new single is co-written by Conan Gray alongside powerhouse collaborators, Julia Michaels [Gwen Stefani], Ilya [Ariana Grande], and Caroline Ailin [Dua Lipa].  Listen to “Telepath” HERE via Republic Records.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 24, 2921

 

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  So Strand is just a full on heel now?  But how did Alicia get to the main cult’s lair?  I thought the cult leader locked her up in the basement of a mansion and then everyone who knew she was there died before telling anyone else.  And, really, how did the Senator’s aide get there too?  Is this just a ploy?  And just how do all the horses survive the radioactive fallout that humans need gas masks to survive?

 

American Rust:  Oh hey, a Giant Eagle reference.  That is where I do my shopping.  But it was weird seeing Billy in a suit without his mullet looks like a completely different person.  Without context I probably would not have recognized him.  Still, what was Grace thinking?  Her husband is significantly better person in every single way.  This is like a Divine Brown situation.

 

The whole diversion to Pittsburg was weird.  Where was the rest of the Brotherhood?  Why did the dude shoot himself?  Is Jeff Daniels sure she got all his DNA and prints? It was dark and he did not even check to see if any blood dripped before he put something on the cut.  Are we even sure that was the right guy?  Dude flees town, but he has now been working at a diner in the same town for about a year?  And why do they need to kill him?  If the Brotherhood went after people who got away with crimes, dude was right there, arrest him.  All of this seemed strange to the point I think I may have missed something.

 

The Walking Dead: World Beyond:  Okay, I like those new people who kidnapped the nerd and the conman.  It was funny they knew who they were but chose not to explain that since they tried and steal from them.  Unfortunately everyone else is still pretty boring. 

 

Y: The Last Man:  Kind of weird to have a show where the titular character does not show up once.  It is interesting to see a bunch of females going Ladies of the Flies in the juxtaposition of the storyline where the government is trying to keep everything together, but it is not very interesting enough to fill a full episode.  I cannot say I was disappointed to hear the show was canceled.

 

Only Murders in the Building:  I was a little irked that they started the show with Selena Gomez standing over a bloodied Tye-Dye Guy and that did not even tie into the Tim Kono murder… or seemingly it did not.  Amy Ryan did poison Tim, put the gun in his mouth, and even pulled the fire alarm.  What are the loose ends Steve Martin mentioned how could Bunny being murdered tie into it?  It seems like everything wrapped up nicely.

 

But I cannot ding the finale that much for that because drugged Steve Martin was forking hilarious.  Plus it looks like my Tina Fey commits murders to keep her podcast in business theory is still in play.  Maybe jealousy of the Only Murders podcast made her want to set them up.  Could her assistant be the one that texted them knowing of her plan?  It is going to be a long wait until next season.

 

Stargirl:  Wait, so The Shade is dead now after going through all that trouble to get his powers back?  Is there going to be a new Shade now?  Don’t they kind of need the guy to defeat Eclipso?  Well, they do have the real Dr. Mid-Nite back who spent all that time in the shadow dimension.

 

La Brea:  So how did everyone get to the ground safely?  The new guy needed a parachute, it seems like all the cars got damaged in the fall, how does someone fall out of the sky and can just start walking around like nothing happened?   But we should get some answers next week as that group seems like it is going to run into people who have been there for a while.  Maybe they have some answers.  And just what can the new ship do that the old one cannot?  I feel like the father and daughter are just going to end up stranded with the mother.

 

Supergirl:  If they destroyed the Hope Totem, why bother trying to stop the imp from getting the other totems? 

 

Wu-Tang: An American Saga:  It was interesting to see how the songs came together in the last couple episodes, but it kind of fell flat in the making of C.R.E.A.M.  We saw Deck come up with his verse a couple of episodes back.  Raekwon getting evicted did not really seem to tie in very well. Then Method Man walks in, RZA says the song needs a hook and Meth heads into the booth and pulls one out of nowhere.  I wish they gave the song more time and spent less time on the label stuff.  I already knew where they were going.

 

Dopesick: Well, Michael Keaton punching the pharma rep certainly was cathartic.  Not too surprising he got hooked because he did come across as a little shakey during the trail from the first episode.  Now someone needs to punch the person going to N.A. meeting and selling people there Oxy.  This whole show is just infuriating. 

 

Survivor:  I think this is the first time they have not shown someone getting the Idol until after letting us know they have one since Guatemala which was one of the first seasons with an Idol.  They really should do that more often.  But Naseer was lucky, as the one dude had to say the same dumb phrase every week; Shan had to repeat someone else’s dumb phrase, being as confused as a goat on AstroTurf is kind of an actual response one might say to the two other dumb phases.  And given his accent, people could just assume it is a local saying.  But next week buffs will be dropped, but Probst at least makes it seem like it may not be for a merge.  Could there be a swap, or will they just combine the two smaller tribes?

 

The Challenge: Spies, Lies, and Allies: Well, the mid-season promo spoiled the winner since we know Kyle will beg Devin not to send him in.  Which means it is very likely that Devin’s cell will win yet again in two week.  These mid-season trailers really need a better job not spoiling big things like this.  It seemingly happens every season.

 

Doom Patrol:  I was wrong that the Indian chick did not make it to the current time line, but the bird guy did not.  But I am not entirely sure what was going on with that giant bird cage.  What came out of it almost looked like flying butts with teeth.  But what exactly was Rita doing while the rest of the Sisterhood of Dada was rotting in a cell for decades?

 

Titans:  Not surprisingly a dumb ending to another dumb season.  And we did not even get a teaser to foolishly get our hopes up that the next season might be better before having our hopes dashed when the season actually premiere.  Though we did get a Roy Harper name drop.  Maybe we will get him and more A.R.G.U.S. next season. 

 

Big Sky:  Why exactly would the waitress not rat out the cartel people?  Did they promise to let her go if they set up the cop?  But then why kill the cop, which is what I assume what they are doing?  And why not tell the waitress to wait so the cops do not drive up before you can do it?  But it seems safe to say the cop is going to die, but whom else?  The two PI’s a pinned down by the psycho while the one kid is tied up with the other three lurking around.  It will be a shame if after all that just the cop dies and nothing else moves forward.

 

The Blacklist:  So Red is dying so he has Lizzie shoot him but she dies before that happens and two years later Red it still walking around?  This show has gotten so bad.  Since no one is in the field anymore except inexplicably Demmbe (who do you manage to become a field agent deep undercover in two years) so is there just going to be a rouge task force going forward?  The show really should have died with Lizzy… or really a few years before that.

Around the Tubes: October 23, 2021

    

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on The Great, The Expanse, Marvel's Hit-Monkey, History of the World, Part II, Vice, Smallville, The Killing of Kenneth Chambelain, Single Mother by Choice, Mother/Android, Super Pumped, Billie Eilish, Joy Oladokun, The Rolling Stones, and Fountain.

- Check out the official trailer for Hulu Original comedy series "The Great"!  Season two premieres with all ten episodes on November 19 on Hulu.  In season two of “The Great,” Catherine finally takes the Russian throne for her own — but if she thought coup-ing her husband was difficult, it’s nothing compared to the realities of ‘liberating' a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her own mother in a bid to bring the enlightenment to Russia. Meanwhile she’ll also battle her heart as Peter slowly transitions from much-hated husband, to prisoner? Ally? Lover? Ultimately Catherine will learn that to change a country, you must let it change you, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming 'Great', will ask more of her than she could have imagined.

- The sixth and final season of The Expanse, premieres December 10 on Amazon Prime Video, picks up with the solar system at war, as Marco Inaros and his Free Navy continue to launch devastating asteroid attacks on Earth and Mars. As the tensions of war and shared loss threaten to pull the crew of the Rocinante apart, Chrisjen Avasarala makes a bold move and sends former Martian Marine Bobbie Draper on a secret mission that could turn the tide of the conflict. Meanwhile, in the Belt, Drummer and what’s left of her family are on the run after betraying Marco. And on a distant planet beyond the Rings, a new power begins to rise.

- Check out the all new trailer and key art for Hulu Original series "Marvel's Hit-Monkey." The series premieres on November 17th, 2021 with all ten episodes.  After a Japanese snow monkey’s tribe is slaughtered, he joins forces with the ghost of an American assassin and together, they begin killing their way through the Yakuza underworld.

- Hulu has given a series order to Searchlight Television & 20th Television’s 8-episode variety series “HISTORY OF THE WORLD, PART II,” 40-years after the original release of Mel Brooks’ landmark 20th Century Fox film “History of the World, Part I.”  Executive produced and written by Mel Brooks, Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen and Kevin Salter.  The writers room begins this month and production will commence in Spring 2022.  Quote from Mel Brooks: “I can’t wait to once more tell the real truth about all the phony baloney stories the world has been conned into believing are History!”

- SHOWTIME announced that the Peabody Award-winner and two-time Emmy^®-nominated documentary series VICE will return to air the remaining seven episodes of season two starting Sunday, November 14 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Known for delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflict, civil uprisings and more from its team of global correspondents, the second half of the season covers a range of topics, from an investigation into the disturbing number of deaths in the Black community living in Louisiana’s so called “Cancer Alley,” to the new revolution in Cuba.  Watch and share a glimpse of Season 2 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpPgOSYXXmg

- #DCFanDome surprised fans today with a #Smallville 20^th Anniversary Celebration featuring a conversation with Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum. The full conversation with even more behind the scenes stories can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/W6IyPPkoRLY.  About Smallville The Complete Series 20^th Anniversary Edition, coming to Blu-ray for the first-time ever on October 19^th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment:  The groundbreaking, Emmy®-winning 10-season hit that redefined the origins of the world’s greatest super hero is all here – from Krypton refugee Kal-El’s arrival on Earth through his tumultuous teen years to Clark Kent’s final steps toward embracing his destiny as the Man of Steel. Relive a decade’s worth of thrills in fantastic adventures full of action, heart and humor in abundance, all anchored by the marvelous performance of Tom Welling at its center. Savor again the series’ thoughtful and imaginative integration and reinvention of the iconic characters of DC lore. And let your spirits be lifted up, up and away.

- Following the Gravitas Ventures day and date theatrical release, HBO Max has acquired exclusive streaming rights to the award-winning, critically-acclaimed film THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN. The film will debut on the platform Friday, November 19. Based on a true story, the film was directed by David Midell (NightLights), produced by Midell and Enrico Natale of Redbird Entertainment, and executive produced by Lori McCreary, Morgan Freeman and Gary Lucchesi of Revelations Entertainment, along with Sharad Chib, Chris Paladino and Milan Chakraborty.  THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN, which won a bevy of prestigious awards during its festival run, tells the heart-breaking true story of the events that led to the death of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., an elderly African American veteran with bipolar disorder who was killed by the police during a welfare check after his medical alert device was accidentally activated. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances and the overly aggressive policing tactics that make the news on an all-too-frequent basis, the life of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. ended at the hands of those who were sworn to “protect and serve.”  The film’s HBO Max debut date, November 19, 2021, is the 10-year anniversary of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr.’s death.

- SINGLE MOTHER BY CHOICE, a feature film from Two Hands Productions, will debut on HBO Max on November 2.  The fictional film that tracks actress Selina Ringel’s real-life pregnancy is the Latinx writer and producer’s feature film acting debut.  SINGLE MOTHER BY CHOICE tells the story of a single, workaholic woman who sets out to have a baby on her own terms; but is truly forced to go through pregnancy alone when the world throws the unimaginable year 2020 in her path.  Selina Ringel set out to create a fictional feature film tracking the experiences of her pregnancy in real-time; she never imagined she would encounter a pandemic. SINGLE MOTHER BY CHOICE tells the story of an independent, overachieving Latinx woman determined to have a baby on her own terms. When she is thrown into the isolation and uncertainty of the year 2020 she is forced to learn that asking for help and showing vulnerability are the keys to motherhood.

- Hulu has announced that “Mother/Android”, from Miramax, will release Friday, December 17 on Hulu.  Set in the near future, “Mother/Android” follows Georgia (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her boyfriend Sam (Algee Smith) through their treacherous journey of escape as their country is caught in an unexpected war with artificial intelligence. Days away from the arrival of their first child, they must face No Man’s Land – a stronghold of the android uprising, in hopes of reaching safety before giving birth. The film stars Chloë Grace Moretz (“Shadow in the Cloud,” “Kick-Ass”), Algee Smith (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Euphoria”) and Raul Castillo (“We The Animals”). 

- SHOWTIME has announced that Oscar and Emmy^® nominee Uma Thurman (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) will join SUPER PUMPED, a new anthology series with the first season based on Mike Isaac’s bestselling book Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber. Thurman will star as Arianna Huffington, the businesswoman and co-founder of The Huffington Post, who was an Uber board member. She joins Emmy winner Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Trial of the Chicago 7) who has signed on to star in the first installment as Travis Kalanick, Uber’s hard-charging CEO who was ultimately ousted in a boardroom coup, and Emmy winner Kyle Chandler (Bloodline, Friday Night Lights) as Bill Gurley, the plainspoken, brilliant Texan venture capitalist who bets his sterling reputation on Uber’s success – and then has to live with the consequences. Brian Koppelman and David Levien (BILLIONS, Rounders) and Beth Schacter (Soundtrack) will executive produce, write and serve as showrunners on the series. Allen Coulter (The Sopranos, RAY DONOVAN) has signed on to direct and executive produce the first episode.

- Vevo, the world's leading music video network, announces the release of Billie Eilish’s Official Live Performance of “Lost Cause” off her latest album, Happier Than Ever via Darkroom/Interscope Records. Vevo’s Official Live Performances are the result of close creative collaboration with artists and their teams, resulting in a series of very special exclusive performances. “Lost Cause” follows the release of Billie’s previous Official Live Performances of “Male Fantasy” and “Your Power.”

- Breakthrough singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun’s debut Spotify Singles session is out today. Listen/share HERE. Recorded at Sound Stage Studios in Nashville, the release includes a new rendition of Oladokun’s “sunday” as well as a version of Bonnie Raitt’s classic “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with special guest Jason Isbell on guitar.  Reflecting on the project, Oladokun shares, “I’ve been a rabid consumer of Spotify Singles since their inception. Being asked to do one was a dream come true and I wanted to bring in the best crew. I asked Jason Isbell to play guitar on the Bonnie Raitt cover and he absolutely smashed the energy and emotion of what I was trying to do. So excited to have these out in the world.” 

- The Rolling Stones today release 40^th anniversary, expanded deluxe editions of their chart-topping, multi-platinum 1981 album Tattoo You via POLYDOR/INTERSCOPE/UMe. Listen to Tattoo You (40^th Anniversary) here.  The newly remastered set, released today on October 22, is accompanied by no fewer than nine previously unreleased tracks from the era, including the unheard “Come To The Ball.” It follows the unveiling of the irresistible rocker “Living In The Heart Of Love” on August 19 and the never before released “Troubles A’ Comin,” an infectious and multi-faceted cover of the Chi-Lites original, on September 30.

- Watch: Fountain at YouTube or via Pitchfork.  FOUNTAIN, a sci-fi/horror short film written and created by Nik Fackler & Derek Pressnall (Tilly & The Wall, Flowers Forever) of Icky Blossoms is now available to stream on Hulu as part of 20th Digital Studio’s Bite Size Halloween. Directed by Film Independent Spirit Award-nominated filmmaker Nik Fackler (Lovely Still, Sick Birds Die Easy), the film features a score composed and performed by Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound.  After Fackler and Pressnall’s band, Icky Blossoms, finished promoting their 2015 album, Mask, the duo went to work developing the screenplay and the world of Fountain. The filmmakers enlisted Cox, who they had met through friends in the music community of Atlanta, for the distinct and haunting score.