Around the Tubes: April 8, 2022

              

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Crush, Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story, Dear Mr. Brody, Jack Johnson, The Weeknd, Oh Wonder, and Hayes Warner.

- Premiering on Hulu on April 29, CRUSH is Hulu’s latest Original Film from American High (Plan B, Sex Appeal) and also produced by Animal Pictures.  When an aspiring young artist is forced to join her high school track team, she uses it as an opportunity to pursue the girl she’s been harboring a long-time crush on. But she soon finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate and discovers what real love feels like.

- Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story premieres on Hulu April 21, 2022.  This is the story of how a story gets told, and how the media’s magnifying glass impacts the characters caught in the narrative. Siblings Ashley and Steven Stayner Jr. never knew their famous father Steven, the child victim of a shocking California kidnapping, who tragically died in an accident when they were young. In 1972, seven-year-old Steven went to school - and never came home. His mother Kay struggles to keep the media interested in the case, and to hold her family together. Then, after seven years, a miracle: Steven returns. The media can’t get enough of the story and frantically descend on the Stayner home - but this isn’t the Hollywood ending it appears to be.

- DEAR MR. BRODY, from Emmy-Winning filmmaker Keith Maitland (TOWER) available On Discovery+ April 28th.  In January 1970, hippie-millionaire Michael Brody Jr., the 21-year-old heir to a margarine fortune, announced to the world that he would personally usher in a new era of peace and love by giving away his $25-million inheritance to anyone in need. In a frenzied few weeks, Brody and his young wife, Renee, ignited a psychedelic spiral of events. Instant celebrities, the Brody’s were mobbed by the public, scrutinized by the press, and overwhelmed by the crush of personal letters responding to this extraordinary offer. Fifty years later, an enormous cache of these letters are discovered—unopened. In this riveting follow-up to his acclaimed TOWER, award- winning director Keith Maitland reveals the incredible story of Michael Brody Jr.—and the countless struggling Americans who sought his help—to create a deeply moving meditation on desire, need, philanthropy, and love.

- Multi-platinum musician Jack Johnson announces the release of a new studio album, Meet The Moonlight, available June 24 through Brushfire Records/Republic Records. The album’s lead single “One Step Ahead” is available today through all digital platforms, alongside an accompanying video. View here.   Meet The Moonlight is available for a pre-order through www.jackjohnsonmusic.com/store and features an exclusive 180g milky clear vinyl.  Meet The Moonlight, Johnson’s eighth studio album and first full-length release in five years, was produced by Blake Mills (Alabama Shakes, Perfume Genius, Jim James) and recorded both in Los Angeles (at Sound City and EastWest) and The Mango Tree (Johnson’s studio in Hawaii). The creation process marks a major artistic milestone from past work, taking shape from a one-on-one collaboration with Mills (whose contributions included everything from fretless guitar to Moog synth to steel drums) and unveiled an intimate and highly experimental process that involved embedding Johnson’s elegantly stripped-back arrangements with enchanting sonic details.

- The Weekend released the music video for “Out Of Time”, the latest single from his critically acclaimed album DAWN FM. The video was directed by Cliqua and features appearances from Jim Carrey, who is also on the song, as well as South Korean model and actress HoYeon Jung. The Weeknd also saw his previous singles “Blinding Lights” and “Starboy” became certified by the RIAA. With these certifications, The Weeknd becomes only the sixth solo artist to reach 3 diamond digital single awards.  Watch the video HERE

- Oh Wonder has today dropped brand new track “Fuck It, I Love You” – the second preview of upcoming album 22 Make, which will see its release on Republic Records on July 22^nd and follows the beautiful single “Magnificent”. The band’s huge run of global dates begins this week and includes a homecoming show at London’s Brixton Academy on April 21^st.  “Fuck It I Love You” is piano-driven pop at Oh Wonder’s finest, a bridge in many ways between the worlds of accompanying albums 22 Make and 2021’s 22 Break. It was written way back in the summer of 2020 and represented a glimmer of hope for the couple, then in the throes of what seemed like the end of Oh Wonder (and Anthony and Josephine’s relationship). “We clung to the demo for months, secretly hoping that we’d get to release ‘Fuck It I Love You’ in happier times. It was almost like the song was telling us that we couldn’t break up and disband because it needed to be released. It probably kept us together!” Now though, adds Josephine, “We’re struggling for a non-explicit version.”

- Hayes Warner has unleashed the video for her latest single, “Messy.” The song is a slow burn f-you to a careless partner who posted pics of a new romantic interest before her wounds even scabbed up. Here, Warner writes with visceral and evocative emotionality—sharing the full range of her emotions honestly while also weaving in a story arc of what exactly went down. At times, Warner sings from tender heartbreak, and, at other times, she lashes out with empowered rage. The song’s rugged beat, woozy atmospherics, and ultra-catchy-but-melancholy hooks hit like a ballad banger. Warner’s video for “Messy” is an intimate portrayal of post-breakup rituals. It’s haunting, heartbreaking, and at times, kind of hilarious. 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: April 3, 2022

 

Killing Eve: They really waited way too long to give an origin story of The Twelve to get me to care. And I really do not know why the cvzy French assassin was luring fireman to kill them.

 

The Walking Dead:  So we can now conclude why Stormtrooper Daryl comes to confront Maggie, and and her crew killed a bunch of other Stormtroopers because they killed some of Negan’s people for thinking they stole their weapons, but it turned out Daryl’s ex-girlfriend stole the weapons.  Well, that is complicated.  I still think Daryl is going to side with Maggie.  As for the other Daryl storyline, if the son got caught off and needs the money in the safe to keep his control, how were the Stormtroopers doing  his bidding if he had no money?

 

Billions:   So this very swanky resort has some zen chamber that flashes lights at you, but that chamber has a window letting natural light in and an open waiting room where the next guy can be heard talking on his phone.  How does this chamber not have its own sound proof room? This was a pretty cheap plot devise to inspire Chuck to rededicate his like to taking down douchebags.  And was Taylor really asking out the bland underling?  I took it as Taylor thinking about leaving the whole company, not just the party.  Then the bland chick is showering at Prince’s. Huh?  Being this is the tenth episode, I just this week remembered that Billions still does 12 episodes a season, and with this being such a filler of an episode, maybe it would be best if the show downgraded to 10 like most other shows from this era.  Or, like other shows from this era, not run on forever.

 

Super Pumped: The Fight for Uber:  I was beginning to worry with no Pearl Jam last episode, but we finally got another song for the end credits.   Speaking of music, as weird as it to have Pearl Jam and other 90’s alt rock song primarily soundtrack a show that took place last decade, it almost make ]s sense given Travis’ age, but much weirder to have an Olivia Rodrigo song that is half a decade from being released when that scene takes place.  But of all the actors they could have gotten from Billions to be on this show, she may have been the worst choice.  She is just so monotone it is hard to root for her.  Plus, as I said before, it is hard to take the commentary on the boys club at Uber seriously coming from a writing team that has their own boys club accusations hanging over them.

 

Snowpiercer:  I still do not understand Melanie’s motivation.  What would it hurt to look and see if the Horn of Africa was habitable?  If not, just keep going.  But I was wrong the writers just did this to make her the new antagonist for Layton, instead she turned on Wilford and agreed to split the train and let everyone decide which track they wanted to go.  Huh?  I thought Snowpiercer needed Big Alice because it no longer could produce enough heat like at the beginning of the season.  Then what was that thing at the end?  At first I thought it was a flare, maybe set off by Layton to let Melanie know that it was safe, but then it froze and kind of looked like a missile.  Could that be where Wilford went off to?

 

The Girl from Plainville:  This show is paced weirdly.  I really do not like that they started with Conrad’s death and then set up a duel timeline in the second episode.  With the two timeline, it makes it hard to tell when they are because there are no physical cues to Michelle, you just have to wait to see if Conrad is referenced in the current or past tense.  It really wished this show would have been more linear.

 

Moon Knight:  I came into this show with low expectations so I actually kind of enjoyed the episode.  Plus Ethan Hawke was giving me big Vigo the Carpathian vibes.

 

Survivor:  Why did they show us that Tori eventually finds the dumb phase advantage if they are going to send her to two Tribal Councils with an edit making it like it was her or someone else going home?  Well, of course Swati was going to be the one who goes home.  But that is three Tribal and three people using their Shot in the Dark.  And the third person to not get saved.

 

The Dropout:  Okay, that scene with lawyers at the newspaper was great.  Always nice when you can toy with lawyers.  I have been trying to avoid spoilers, but I will be really interested if the other lawyer scene with the Shultz family actually happened.

 

Halo:  The first episode was a bit of a bore.  They really should have introduced Bokeem Woodbine last week, because he may be the only interesting character on the show.

 

Big Sky: So there is someone selling tainted drugs onder the Indian’s noses?  Who could it be?  It kind of has to be the local drug dealer guy.  Unless they tie it into the storyline with Wolf and Ronald and the sex traffickers are also trafficking drugs.

Around the Tubes: April 2, 2022

             

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Only Murders in the Building, Candy, Cypress Hill: Insane in the Brain, The Valet, Florence + The Machine, Kae Tempest, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The TV Showrunner’s Roadmap: Creating Great Television in an On Demand World.

- Check out the first look at season two of Hulu's acclaimed comedy series, "Only Murders in the Building." The show's first teaser will air tonight during the 94th Oscars® and shows a sneak peek at Cara Delevingne and Oscars® co-host Amy Schumer in the new season. "Only Murders in the Building" returns on Tuesday, June 28th.

- Check out the latest teaser for "Candy" starring Jessica Biel and Melanie Lynskey airing tonight during the 94th Oscars® on ABC. "Candy" premieres on Hulu Monday, May 9 and will stream new episodes nightly until the finale on Friday, May 13.

-  SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN, which will premiere Wednesday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. As part of the network’s HIP HOP 50 banner, the documentary chronicles the legendary L.A. rap group and their decades-long career and influence.  Told through the intimate lens of photographer and director Estevan Oriol (LA Originals), CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN is a smoke-filled journey across the lives and careers of the groundbreaking, genre-defying Hip Hop group, Cypress Hill. Their unique sound, influenced by their Latin roots and West Coast upbringing, was built on a movement rooted in true authenticity: From cultivating the flower, to smoking it, to rapping about it, their influence is forever burned into the musical landscape of Hip Hop as they continue to stay relevant after 30 years. Using a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage captured by Oriol himself, as well as images of band members B Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog and Eric “Bobo” Correa, CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN tells the story of a brotherhood that has withstood the test of time to create a truly original, everlasting legacy.

- The Hulu Original Film "The Valet," starring Eugenio Derbez ("CODA") and Samara Weaving ("Nine Perfect Strangers"), premieres on Hulu and across Disney streaming services globally on Friday, May 20th. Check out the date announcement from @Ederbez HERE and @Hulu HERE!   SYNOPSIS: In “The Valet,” world famous movie star, Olivia (Samara Weaving) faces a PR disaster when a paparazzi snaps a photo of her with her married lover, Vincent (Max Greenfield). The hard-working valet Antonio (Eugenio Derbez) accidentally appears in the same photo and is enlisted to pose as Olivia’s new boyfriend as a cover up. This ruse with Olivia thrusts Antonio into the spotlight and unexpected chaos. In this fish out of water romantic comedy, two worlds and cultures collide as both Olivia and Antonio start to see themselves more clearly than ever before. “The Valet,” directed by Richard Wong and written by Rob Greenberg and Bob Fisher, is the English-language remake of the hit French film.

- Glass Animals Dave Bayley teamed up with Florence + The Machine to remix her recent single “My Love.” The original, co-produced by Bayley, is taken from Florence’s forthcoming fifth LP Dance Fever, out May 13th that was produced by Florence, Jack Antonoff and Dave Bayley. Listen to “My Love” Remix by Dave Bayley of Glass Animals HERE.

- British spoken word artist, rapper, poet, novelist, and playwright Kae Tempest reveals a new song today entitled “I Saw Light” with Grian Chatten—listen HERE. The track is the final to be released ahead of their highly anticipated fourth album The Line Is A Curve out April 8^th via American Recordings/Republic Records. It is the fourth album from the Lewisham-based artist and has been produced by long term collaborator Dan Carey, alongside executive production by Rick Rubin, and features additional collaborations with Kevin Abstract, Lianne La Havas, ássia, and Confucius MC. The record also follows the critically acclaimed play Paradise, which premiered at the National Theatre in London in 2021.

- Consequence (https://consequence.net/), the largest independently owned digital pop culture publication, today launches its new digital cover stories series. The first edition, available Friday, April 1, features iconic rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers.  In the exclusive profile, Red Hot Chili Peppers members Anthony Kiedis and Flea discuss the return of guitarist John Frusciante, the making of their 12th studio album Unlimited Love, and tease their upcoming stadium tour. "This [album] is the story of how we got here," Kiedis says. "Survival and just being a part of whatever moment. We were alive in the '70s, the '80s, the '90s, the 2000s ... I think anything is possible for us." Read the full story here.

- Industry veteran Neil Landau has released his latest book The TV Showrunner’s Roadmap: Creating Great Television in an On Demand World out today with Focal Press. This all-new edition of his previously released best-selling guide The TV Showrunner's Roadmap provides readers with the tools for creating, writing, pitching, selling, and eventually running their own hit streaming series. The TV Showrunner’s Roadmap is available for purchase now here.  Combining his 30+ years as a working screenwriter and professor, Landau expertly unpacks essential insights to the creation of a successful show, and takes readers behind the scenes with exclusive, enlightening interviews with showrunners from some of TV's most lauded series, including Fargo, Better Call Saul, Watchmen, Insecure, Barry, Succession, Ozark, Schitt's Creek, Euphoria, PEN15, global hit series Casa de Papel (Money Heist), My Brilliant Friend, Le Bureau, Unorthodox, and many more. Each chapter is a navigation point on the art and craft of writing for television -- with becoming a showrunner as the ultimate destination.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: March 27, 2022

 

 Killing Eve:   So they went through all that trouble to set up the crazy French assassin just to let her out of prison after one scene with little issue?  Why bother arresting her at all except for a cheap cliffhanger?

 

The Walking Dead:  The writers really got too cute with the nonlinear storytelling.  They should have shown the Aaron/priest scene first because then we knew what was going to happen to the red shirt on the horse.  And I am confused by the timeline.  So red shirt runs into Negann, gets a horse, goes back to get shot, then goes to Hilltop?  Huh?  Feels like something got messed up.  And this is where Negan went?  Are we really to believe this super religious dude who have a wall of evil doer’s skulls was going to is going to let Negan live there?

 

Billions:  What I really disliked about the whole Olympics plot was that its conclusion was obvious, that Prince was not going to be able to move the games to New York since that would deviate from reality too far.  I thought Prince’s attempt to remove Chuck was just as fruitless because there is no show without in a power position.  Well, despite the rousing applause, Chuck still got ousted.  So is Chuck going to go the way of Bobby and be written off the show?  Is Chuck going to be a puppet master to his replacement?  I guess he could always run for governor.  His first run did not go well.

 

Super Pumped: The Fight for Uber:  I am surprised they did not make a bigger deal of Bill getting locked out of Uber.  And while I knew Uma Thurman as Arianna Huffington was coming, I did not know she had a seat on the board at Uber.  But all the boy’s club antics of the show was kind of gross considering the accusation of Brian Koppleman’s other Showtime show Billions.

 

Snowpiercer:  So Melanie somehow had enough juice in her suit to walk to another train that apparently can pierce snow too despite being much smaller, then survived by going in and out of stasis.  Yet this is more believable than her turning on her daughter to rat out Layton’s plan to go to the Horn of Africa.  But I guess with Wilford locked up, there needs to be a new antagonist.

 

The Endgame:  The agents were once again stupid enough to think they got to the bomb in time.  If they knew the tech guy was in on it with the evil chick, they really should have known, that it was an act the caught the bomber in time.

 

Survivor:  Yet another episode where the editors spoil things, at least it was inadvertent this time.  But of course the Tribe that got zero scree time prior to the challenge was not going to go to Tribal.  But really bizarre that in the opening scene of the season they show us Tori finding the dumb phrase advantage yet she is going to be the last on the show to find it. 

 

But, wow, so much bad game play this week.  How do you explicitly tell someone you cannot risk losing your vote and then assume the other people will not risk their vote so you can get an Extra Vote?  Then what exactly happened with the vote?  Did Hai change his last minute from the guys voting for the guy and the girls voting for the girl?  It did not seem like he changed, so did they really go to Tribal without the votes correctly working out for them?  But Hai did the one smart thing and threaten to go the rocks.  Had he switched (and why would he if Daniel was adamant about not going to rocks as the only other vote) then he is clearly on the bottom of a five member Tribe and would be gone at next Tribal.  Not changing mean best case scenario, Daniel switches, his closes ally is safe, and Daniel is the new goat of the Tribe.  Worst case scenario, go to rocks with a one in four change of going home,   three and four chance of someone other than you or your only ally going home.  Really the only thing Daniel said or did this week was that he is not going to win.  I do not think anyone on this Tribe has a chance at this point.

 

The Dropout:  My biggest problem with shows about real life people is that I spend way too much time searching if such dumb, inconsequential events really happened.  Like did Tyler Shultz really drop out of college his senior year to go tour with Dispatch?  That was the most excited I have ever seen anyone talk about Dispatch before.

 

Big Sky:  Yeah, I was stupid for assuming multiple died last episode, especially since T-Lock was the only one we got confirmation of.  It turned out Ronald was the only one else who actually died yet.  But much like his brother, Wolf survived a bullet only to be killed by hand latter.  I wonder if there is a triplet out there.  Oh, and Scarlette somehow escaped after being stabbed in the neck.  Umm, okay.  Then it was bizarre that Ren mock the bomber for claiming he had information because everyone says that before dying, but then seemingly believed him after telling her that Stone was cop.

 

The Blacklist:  When the show is doing hot killer sex robot storylines, it is really time to end the show.  But I missed why Red wanted to investigate it when the guy with the ruby neckless was poisoned by his wife. 

Around the Tubes: March 26, 2022

            

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Only Murders in the Building, City on a Hill, The Hardy Boys, Eraser, James Bay, Ural Thomas And The Pain, Jessia, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and Theirs Is the Kingdom.

- Check out Hulu’s date announcement video for the upcoming second season of "Only Murders in the Building." The new season returns on Tuesday, June 28th.  Following the shocking death of Arconia Board President Bunny Folger, Charles, Oliver & Mabel race to unmask her killer. However, three (unfortunate) complications ensue - the trio is publicly implicated in Bunny's homicide, they are now the subjects of a competing podcast, and they have to deal with a bunch of New York neighbors who all think they committed murder.

- SHOWTIME has announced that the third season of its acclaimed Boston drama series CITY ON A HILL, starring Emmy^® nominee Kevin Bacon and Screen Actors Guild^® award winner Aldis Hodge, will premiere on Sunday, July 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and the network has released a first-look trailer for the new season. The series also stars Jill Hennessy, Lauren E. Banks and Matthew Del Negro, and joining the cast this season as guest stars are Emmy nominee Corbin Bernsen, Joanne Kelly and Ernie Hudson. Season three consists of eight one-hour episodes.

- Check out Hulu’s official trailer and key art for the upcoming second season of "The Hardy Boys," which premieres with all 10 episodes on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.  The second season picks up six months after the events of Season 1, building on the mystery and drama of the inaugural season and welcoming new friends and suspects. In Season 2, when a Bridgeport classmate mysteriously disappears, Frank (Rohan Campbell) and Joe Hardy (Alexander Elliot) drop their new normal routine to get back to detective work. But when they discover the mystical relic they destroyed last year is still in play, it becomes clear their simple missing person case is actually part of something far more sinister. The Hardy boys and their friends must quickly learn who they can and can’t trust as they race against time to unravel the truth, and ultimately realize that no one is safe from their past.

 

- We just released the never-before-seen trailer for Eraser: Reborn and wanted to share with you. Get in on the action and unravel the secrets with the explosive trailer here:  https://youtu.be/u2_IiOM0vkY.  A reboot of the 1996 blockbuster, Eraser: Reborn comes to Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD on June 7, 2022, and will be available for streaming on HBO Max in Fall 2022.  This all-new action-packed film stars Dominic Sherwood (Shadowhunters), Jacky Lai (V-Wars), McKinley Belcher III (Marriage Story) and Eddie Ramos (Animal Kingdom).

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist James Bay returns with a brand-new single entitled “Give Me The Reason” via Republic Records.  Listen to “Give Me The Reason” HERE and watch the official music video HERE.  On the new single and music video Bay said: “I wanted this song to feel huge and emotional. It’s about that moment when you feel like the sun is beginning to set on a relationship, it’s about the fight to stay together. I want it to explode with energy when I play it live. It’s about feeling your heart beat fast and love racing through your veins.”

- Following their barnstorming performances at this year’s SXSW festival, Ural Thomas And The Pain share the new single “Do You Remember The Times We Had?” from their upcoming album Dancing Dimensions out June 3rd on Bella Union/[PIAS].  On the track, Ural says: “To me this song is about that feeling everyone has sometimes, wishing we were kids again. As we go through life, childhood memories can start to fade away, Do You Remember The Times We Had? reminds us to never ‘grow old’ but also to live with joy in the moment.”  The band have previously shared an entertaining video for Dancing Dimensions’ irresistible title track - watch HERE - and announced a London Jazz Cafe show on Saturday 18th June.

- Multi-JUNO Award nominee and Canadian platinum-certified artist  JESSIA delivers the piano-forward, unfettered truth bomb of a track ‘Next Time’, available everywhere via Artist Driven Records in partnership with Republic Records. The vulnerability in her songwriting shines on ‘Next Time’, and JESSIA’s soft vocals steadily build from whisper to battle cry, with a robust crescendo that embodies crushing heartbreak so succinctly it leaves little for the imagination. There’s an aching familiarity to ‘Next Time’; the type of song that has you quietly reflecting on past relationships in one moment, and singing at the top of your lungs in wounded fury the next.  Listen to ‘Next Time’ HERE.  Watch the Lyric Video HERE

- We’ve got movie sign … again! This spring, the critically acclaimed television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 returns for a brand-new season of movie riffing. And this time, – thanks to a second record-breaking Kickstarter campaign – MST3K has gone fully indie and will be releasing episodes directly to the fans, without a network.  As Mystery Science Theater 3000 returns for its 13th season, the Mads – Kinga Forrester (Felicia Day), loyal henchman Max (Patton Oswalt), and grandmother Pearl Forrester (Mary Jo Pehl) – introduce the show's biggest, maddest experiment yet!  The new season kicks off on May 6th with three days of new episode premieres, only on the Gizmoplex!

- Theirs Is The Kingdom, the inspiring feature-length documentary that takes place at the intersection of poverty and portraiture, is poised to make its broadcast premiere.  Following film festival screenings from coast to coast, and the opening night feature slot at Justice Film Festival in San Diego on March 24, the film is making its broadcast premiere on WORLD channel nationwide. Screenings on select PBS stations including New York (WLIW), Los Angeles (KVCR), Chicago (WTTW), San Francisco (KPJK) and many others will begin in late March, leading to a national Easter Sunday premiere on April 17. The film is also available to stream for free on PBS.org until May 1, 2022.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: March 20, 2022

  

Killing Eve:  They have done a very job poor job explaining who the new Indian people are.  And now the sister has killed the brother.  Is she supposed to be the new crazy French assassin?  Then after wasting the crazy French assassin at church camp the first two episodes, now they have put her in prison.  This is just another waste of the character.  Though we know she can escape from prison.  But hey, at least they had completely unnecessary title card

 

The Walking Dead:  So the black chick with glasses was the chick talking to Eugene all along, but that chick was using a different name.  This feels like yet another set up.  And I forgot Oceanside was still a thing.  Is there anyone still there that I would remember?  I certainly did not recognize the chick who talked to the head Commonwealth lady.

 

Billions:  I was wondering a couple episodes ago where were all the gratuitous Olympics athlete cameos.  Though when I think Olympic stars, I do not really think soccer.  The World Cup is what makes soccer players stars.  But anyways.  Chuck (and reality) won, the games are going back to Los Angeles.  Maybe?  There are still four episodes left so I am not sure if Mike prince has another trick or two up his sleeves.  Or are the final four episodes just going to be him trying to get back at Chuck.  But what I found most interesting was that Kopelman was not able to get a Jay-Z song for when he performed at the Uber party, but was able to license Jay-Z for his other show.

 

Super Pumped: The Fight for Uber:  Wait; was there any proof that Uber got caught hacking phones and cameras of Lyft’s users?  Whenever an app asks if they can have access to a bunch of other apps, I usually gloss over and blindly click okay when I should be more selective, but there is a huge difference if you access someone else’s app.  That should put a lot of people behind jail.  And if there is no proof, that seems pretty liable.  While the show could not get Jay-Z and Beyoncé, or even their music, did they really get Mark Cuban to play himself turning Travis down?  That is a pretty big get even if he did not specifically turn down investing in Uber.  I have not been following the Uber story (but I at the very least knew Uber was not going to buy out Lyft) so I was petty shocked when Travis locked out Bill.  Travis vs. Bill seems like it will be much better than what the first couple episodes have been.

 

 Snowpiercer:  So the new chick is dead already?  What a waste of what could have been an interesting character.  We barely saw her, she rarely interacted with anyone, and now she is dead. 

 

The Endgame:  So the lasers stopped when they hit the floor.  No one thought to put something they could crawl under between the laser and the floor that they could get through?  But that the evil people went through all that just to back people up so they would find the secret safe was pretty funny.

 

Survivor:  That challenge was confusing, having two pairs from each team on the course at the same time just made it hard to figure out who was who and who was ahead.  It was not until everything was corrected until I figured out what was going on.  But I never understand why people just do not boot annoying people first.  Why do you (potentially) want to spend the whole game with them?  I get you want to sit next to them at the end, but if you are thinking that, so is everyone else.  Best to get these people out early.

 

Resident Alien: Wait, so even if half human, they would still have to worry about baby alien eating other humans?  That is gross.  Though it never actually ate a human.  But I do wonder if the two cops heard that gunshot.

 

The Dropout:  So this week’s notable actors that just randomly pop up are Jack son from Lost and the comic book store owner from The Big Bang Theory.  We still got some Walgreens, so hopefully my hope for a spin-off is still alive.  But poor chemist, killing himself to avoid everything.  Though if you are stuck between an NDA and being under oath in a court of law, doesn’t US Government supersede a private NDA?  At least consult a lawyer.  NDA seem to violate First Amendment rights.

 

Big Sky: Why did the doctor give Ronald the adrenaline he needed just to kill Scarlett?  Give him something poisonous and then kill her.  Oh well, at least they are both dead… I think.  Drew Carey’s brother seemingly died twice only to survive (and maybe will a third time).  Though, at least T-Lock is dead-dead.  I guess we will have to wait for confirmation of everyone else.

 

Around the Tubes: March 19 2022

            

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Lucifer, I Love You for That, Woke, Candy, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Ziwi, Eraser, The Honeymooner, and Hulu's Spring schedule.

- Indulge your deepest desires as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings you Lucifer: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD May 31, 2022. You’ll have a devilish grin as you indulge in all 16 hell-raising episodes from the fifth season with tantalizing deleted scenes, and a gag reel included in the bonus features. Lucifer: The Complete Fifth Season is priced to own on DVD at $29.98 SRP ($39.99 in Canada) and will also be available on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Archive Collection. Warner Archive Blu-ray releases are easily found at www.warnerarchive.com and on your favorite online retailer sites.  Lucifer: The Complete Fifth Season will also be available to own on Digital on March 28, 2022 via purchase from digital retailers.   In the fifth season, the stakes are higher than ever. Secrets will be revealed, Lucifer makes a tumultuous return from Hell, Chloe rethinks romance, Ella finally finds a nice guy, and Amenadiel adjusts to the whole fatherhood thing. In the first half of the season, Lucifer’s twin brother Michael secretly takes the devil's place on earth while he's back in Hell. Eventually, Lucifer must face the mess his brother made with his life. He’ll also finally confront his feelings for Chloe, and answer a question that fans have been asking since the very beginning: “will they or won’t they?” Then in the second half of the season, God makes his grand appearance. Except, Lucifer never prayed for this, and he already can’t wait to send dear old Dad back where he came from. Unfortunately for Lucifer, God isn’t going anywhere, and wants to get into every aspect of Lucifer’s life. But our heroes will soon discover that God is here for more than just some family bonding time!

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, the half-hour comedy series starring and executive produced by Emmy^® nominee Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live), with fellow nominee Molly Shannon (The White Lotus) and Screen Actors Guild^® Award nominee Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish) also leading the cast. The series will premiere on Friday, April 29 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, May 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. The eight-episode season will continue to drop a new episode every Friday via streaming and on-demand platforms before appearing on air Sunday night.

- Check out the official trailer for season 2 of Hulu’s Original comedy series "Woke."  "Woke" premieres with all eight episodes Friday, April 8 on Hulu.  

- Hulu has revealed a first look of the upcoming Original limited series "Candy" starring Jessica Biel, Timothy Simons, Melanie Lynskey, Pablo Schreiber, and Raúl Esparza.  "Candy" will premiere on Hulu Monday, May 9, kicking off a five-night event leading up to the finale on Friday, May 13.  Candy Montgomery is a 1980 housewife and mother who did everything right—good husband, two kids, nice house, even the careful planning and execution of transgressions—but when the pressure of conformity builds within her, her actions scream for just a bit of freedom. With deadly results.

- SHOWTIME has released the first five minutes of upcoming drama series THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, following its SXSW^® world premiere today. The new series stars Oscar nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris, along with Jimmi Simpson, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, Annelle Olaleye, Kate Mulgrew, Clarke Peters and Bill Nighy. The series will debut on Sunday, April 24 at 10 p.m ET/PT.  Custom posters at the Festival will include a unique QR code linking to the first 5 minutes of the series and non-festival fans can watch and share the first five minutes here: https://youtu.be/PLniMU6dJck.  Inspired by the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the iconic David Bowie film, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH will follow a new alien character (Ejiofor) who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future. Harris plays Justin Falls, a brilliant scientist and engineer who must conquer her own demons in the race to save two worlds.

- The critically acclaimed late-night variety series ZIWE, starring and executive produced by Ziwe (Dickinson, Succession, The Great North), will return to SHOWTIME for season two on Sunday, May 1 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, for the season’s first installment of six episodes. ZIWE will return for a second installment of new episodes later this year. The inaugural season of ZIWE included interviews with Phoebe Bridgers, Fran Lebowitz, Andrew Yang, Eboni K. Williams, Gloria Steinem and Stacey Abrams, along with musical performances by Ziwe, sketches and more – including unscripted and unpredictable interactions with everyday people.

- 25 years after the blockbuster hit, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will have you on the edge of your seat with the release of Eraser: Reborn, on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD on June 7, 2022. A reboot of the 1996 blockbuster, this all-new action-packed film follows US Marshal Mason Pollard, a specialist in engineering the fake deaths of witnesses that need to leave no trace of their existence. Eraser: Reborn will be available on Digital for $14.99 SRP ($14.99 in Canada), on DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.98 in Canada), and on Blu-ray for $24.98 ($29.98 in Canada), which includes a Digital Copy (US Only). Pre-orders for the Blu-ray and DVD will be available on March 22, 2022. Eraser: Reborn will be available for streaming on HBO Max in Fall 2022.  Eraser: Reborn will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

- MPI Media Group proudly announce the March 22, 2022 DVD release of THE HONEYMOONERS SPECIALS: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION.  Comes to DVD on March 22, 2022

- Here is Hulu's Spring 2022 Schedule:

FILMS / DOCS

Deep Water: Premiere Date: March 18, 2022, Trailer: HERE

Captive Audience: Premiere Date: April 21, 2022 - NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

Crush: Premiere Date: April 29, 2022 - NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

The Valet:  Premiere Date: Spring 2022

SERIES

The Dropout:  Finale Date: April 7, 2022:  Trailer: HERE

Life & Beth:  Premiere Date: March 18, 2022 (all-at-once), Trailer: HERE

The Girl From Plainville:  Premiere Date: March 29, 2022 (first three episodes, new episodes weekly), Finale Date: May 3, 2022, Trailer: HERE

Woke: Premiere Date: April 8, 2022 (all-at-once), Trailer: HERE

Candy:  Premiere Date: May 9, 2022 (five-night event leading up to the finale on May 13th), Teaser: HERE

Conversations with Friends:  Premiere Date: May 2022 (all-at-once), Teaser: HERE

Shoresy:  Premiere Date: Spring 2022, Teaser: HERE

KIDS & FAMILY

Madagascar: A Little Wild:  Premiere Date: April 4, 2022 (all-at-once)

The Croods: Family Tree:  Premiere Date: April 5, 2022 (all-at-once)

The Hardy Boys:  Premiere Date: April 6, 2022 (all-at-once), Teaser: HERE