Around the Tubes: June 4, 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 POV, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Neneh Cherry, Sex Pistol, Anna Bates, Rachel Bilson, Spotlights, Entitled, NYC Points Gods.

- The 35th anniversary season of POV, America’s longest running documentary series, opens with the heart rendering observational film Wuhan Wuhan, about the first wave of COVID-19, in the city where the mysterious virus was first discovered.  Directed by Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze, This is Not a Movie), and produced by Diane Quon (Minding the Gap), Donna Gigliotti (Hidden Figures, Shakespeare in Love), and Peter Luo (Crazy Rich Asians, Marshall), the documentary goes beyond the statistics and salacious headlines to provide a human experience to the early months of the pandemic through the stories of frontline medical workers, patients, and ordinary citizens.  Wuhan Wuhan makes its national broadcast and streaming premiere on PBS television series POV, Monday, July 11, 2022 at 10pmET/9C and is available to stream free through August 11, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

- Beginning today and throughout June, The Marley Family, Island Records, and UMe mark the 45th anniversary of Exodus – named the “Best Album of the 20th Century” by Time magazine in 1999 – with the digital premiere of three of the four nights from Bob Marley & the Wailers’ historic run at London’s Rainbow Theatre and a consolidated, revised digital Exodus: Deluxe Edition.  Following an assassination attempt in Kingston, Jamaica, in December 1976, Bob Marley and his band moved to London – in “exodus” from their home country – and recorded tracks for what became both the Exodus and Kaya albums. Marley’s Exodus, featuring the timeless tracks “Jamming,” “Three Little Birds,” “One Love/People Get Ready,” and the epic title song, came first, which led to early positive reviews, ten early dates around Western Europe and shows at the Rainbow Theatre in London’s Finsbury Park during release week. But an injury to Bob led to the abrupt cancellation of the rest of the Exodus tour, including expected U.S. breakthrough shows scheduled for late summer, leaving June 1-2-3-4 the final performances by the Wailers that year.

- Neneh Cherry shares the TOKiMONSTA remix of Sia’s version of her hit “Manchild”. TOKiMONSTA has re-imagined Sia’s take of the Neneh Cherry classic into a technicolour mandala of futuristic melodies, house and IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) that encompass the Grammy-nominated DJ and producer’s sound. The remix arrives ahead of her upcoming album The Versions, a collaboration album of covers from her expansive catalogue by an all female lineup of some of the most exciting and revered artists of our time, due June 10^th.  LISTEN HERE

- For the first time in over 20 years, 20 of the Sex Pistol’s recordings from 1976 to 1978 are collected together to tell the story of one of the world’s most influential and extraordinary bands.  Sex Pistols: The Original Recordings (UMe) covers a historic period when the band were rarely out of the news or the charts and will be available on double vinyl, CD and limited edition double transparent green vinyl. All configurations of Sex Pistols: The Original Recordings can be pre-ordered, HERE.

-  Anna Bates, the Los Angeles-born and raised singer-storyteller, releases her debut EP Here’s To The End HERE on Neon Gold Records. Classically trained in piano from a young age, it wasn’t until as recently as 2020 that Anna Bates began to release music under her own name. After her track “Holy Smokes” went viral on TikTok, Anna packed up her Belmont dorm and moved back west to pursue a career in music. To celebrate her debut, she’s revealing the music video for “Holy Smokes” HERE.  Anna performs live on Monday June 6th @ It’s A School Night HERE.

- Actress and podcast host Rachel Bilson has announced the launch of her new podcast, Broad Ideas, now available on all major podcast platforms. On Broad Ideas, Rachel is joined by long-time best friend Olivia Allen to talk about sex, mental health, their belief (or lack of) in ghosts, and so much more. They’ll be joined by old friends, young friends, and some friends they haven’t met yet to have fun, casual conversations about the same kind of broad topics you'd find yourself discussing with your girlfriends. Actress and longtime friend Kristen Bell joins them as their first guest for the premiere episode, which is available now. Upcoming guests include Mandy Moore, Aubrey Plaza, Zooey Deschanel, Gina Rodriguez, Kristen Kish, Bobby Berk, and many more.  “We wanted to create a safe space where nothing is off limits, an open honest conversation on things you normally only share with your best friend. From taboo topics to bedroom secrets, we are just a couple of broads with some big ideas,” said Bilson. “Life is a lot. Anything we can do to help people laugh and cry through it. We’re here for it. We offer a space to get real. No filters or covers. We believe authenticity is the comfort people are craving,” said Allen.

- SHOWTIME has announced that the new half-hour anthology series SPOTLIGHTS: A SHOWTIME SHORT FILM SERIES will roll out Sunday, June 12 with all five episodes available on streaming and on demand for SHOWTIME subscribers. The episodes will also debut on-air weekly on Sundays at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. Produced for SHOWTIME by JAX Media (DESUS & MERO, Emily in Paris, Russian Doll), the episodic anthology series features the bold works of various emerging filmmakers, with each episode featuring two to three short films that vary in timely subject matter, tone and perspective. SPOTLIGHTS offers a curated approach to support emerging filmmakers, as well as mentorship opportunities for each filmmaker to engage with creatives and executives across Paramount Global. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.  To view a trailer please go to https://youtu.be/ZOzwooE5B3U.

- SHOWTIME announced today that the network has ordered the half-hour comedy series ENTITLED, starring Brett Gelman (Stranger Things, Fleabag) and created by Matt Morgan (Mister Winner, The Mimic), who will both executive produce. The series is co-produced by SHOWTIME and Channel 4 in the UK, in association with All3Media International.Harry Williams, Jack Williams and Sarah Hammond of Two Brothers Pictures – the producers of the Emmy^® winning Fleabag and International Emmy nominee BACK TO LIFE – also executive produce. Tim Kirkby (The Pentaverate, Don’t Forget the Driver, Veep) will direct season one and executive produce as well. Production of the eight-episode season of ENTITLED is scheduled to begin in Manchester, England in August, with the program scheduled to premiere in 2023. ENTITLED follows Gabe (Gelman), an American widower who must get to know his British wife’s estranged family In their crumbling gothic mansion in the English countryside, they compete for his affections – and his newly inherited fortune.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films is announcing NYC POINT GODS, spotlighting the enduring impact of New York City point guards who honed their craft and developed their legendary showmanship on the city’s iconic playgrounds and high school gyms in the 1980s and ’90s. The documentary extends the successful collaboration between SHOWTIME and NBA superstar Kevin Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman’s Boardroom. NYC POINT GODS premieres on Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and will be available across the network’s on-demand and streaming platforms at premiere.  The gritty blight of New York City in the ’80s revealed a cultural resilience, one that ultimately birthed East Coast hip-hop and inspired a style of play on the basketball court that endures today. The elegance of the city’s elite point guards, molded by the packed streetball courts, unwritten rules of bruising pickup games, and the perseverance required to survive everyday life, has come to define an era of basketball and American culture. Their transcendent style is etched in the consciousness of all who have witnessed these prodigies. The New York City point gods’ lasting impact on the game of basketball can be seen around the world, in virtually every league.

Lucifer: The Complete Fifth Season Review

 

Full Disclosure Notice:  Warner Bros. sent me this blu-ray for free so I could review it.

You cannot keep the devil down, neither Fox, who canceled Lucifer after three seasons, but was later saved by Netflix for three more season, nor the character himself.  At the end of the fourth season, Lucifer returned to Hell as a way to protect his new nephew from demons who may escape.  In the fifth season premiere (DVD and Blu-ray out today), which picks up about two months after the finale, he even tortured the person whose murder Detective Decker is investigating.  Though, it does not take too long for the devil to make it back to the City of Angels.

 

New daddy Amenadiel is not the only family member Lucifer runs into in the fifth season, one of which will look extremely familiar.  One character you will be seeing less of is Trixie who gets demoted to “Recurring” this season.  There are still plenty of cases of the week, or, well, episode since Netflix released the episodes in two bunches.  Lucifer even does some ripped from the headline stories like a pop star attempted to by a convent.  Granted, when Katy Perry tried to do this, there was significantly less murder.

 

Lucifer: The Complete Fifth Season comes with all 16 episodes spread across four Blu-rays (four episodes per disk).  There is not much in the way of bonus features; there is just a couple deleted scenes and a gag real.  Lucifer: The Complete Fifth Season, out today, 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 is also available to own on Digital now via purchase from digital retailers.

 

For those wondering when you can complete the Lucifer series collection, while no official date has been released yet, the first two Netflix season were released about a year after the last batch of episodes of that season were released.  So it is likely the final season could be released as early as this September.  Well, “final” season unless there is a reboot which does not seem out of the question.  Like I said earlier, you cannot keep the devil down.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 29, 2022

 

The Time Traveler’s Wife:  There are fewer things I need to see in this life than seeing a dude perform oral sex on himself.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  So Strand is a good guy all of the sudden, ready to make peace just by seeing Alicia?  But then is a band guy at the end when he refused to turn off the beacon?  Make up your mind.  Even more bizarre was they just yadda-yaddaed Wes escaping a horde of zombies stuck in the bunker only to just have Strand murder him moments later.

 

The First Lady:  They seem to be hinting at lesbian all season and they just came out and explicitly showed it this week.  And yes, a Wikipedia deep dive did reveal a female reporter did move into the room next door and there were rumors a plenty.  Lesbians took front and center in Michelle’s storyline where they openly implied Michelle was behind Biden’s statement which seems like a bigger stretch.  Then in the seventies, Betty was planning Susan’s prom.  Okay, she also campaigned for the ERA.  I laughed when they mentioned Regan was courting the far right but campaigning against it.  Today’s far right would consider Regan a RINO.  And probably would think he eats babies.

 

I Love That for You:  I predicted that if (when) Patricia finds out Joanna is lying about her cancer, she would continue to milk it for ratings, but Patricia actually being diagnosed with breast cancer is making me rethink that.  Things may get rough for Joanna if Patricia starts asking for help.  Luckily for her, I believe they would be seeing different types of doctors.

 

The Challenge: All Stars: How does Darrell lose that?  He was inches away but just could not get that final push. But what was really annoying is how Wes weaseled his way out of elimination for the second straight elimination that he definitely would have lost mostly because Brad was in a position of power.

 

Survivor:  Oh no, Probst said that stupid Do or Die twist was one of his favorite new twists.  They were lucky that both times they did it; the person did not die.  But the proposition of someone eventually “dying” is bad because it would be extremely lame if there is a Tribal Council where no one actually gets voted out.  Speaking of useless new twists, the Shot in the Dark was a huge dud.  They had a one in six chance and I believe it was played six times, but not one person got lucky.  Then the Turn Back Time twist got crushed by fans and players alike.  I think the only new twist introduced in “new” Survivor was the Caught Red Handed twist which was extremely literal.  I fear what dumb twists are coming next.  But it looks like they are actually casting disabled people again.  Survivor has talked a lot about diversity, even instituting a 50% people of color casting mandate, but disabled people are severely underrepresented.  There was a time where there was a deaf woman and two amputees, but then there was a large lull.  The amputee next season is reportedly a Paralympian so she will not be a pushover.

 

Oh, yeah, and Maryanne won.  She did give a much better Final Tribal performance and had the last big move of the season getting Omar out.  Though I still think Mike had a much better season as a whole.  But it was a blowout, much like every season has become a blowout ever since they switched to this forum Final Tribal format.  Maybe it is time to go back to the Q&A format just to get some more drama back into the final reveal.

 

The Flight Attendant: Rosie Perez getting on a flight for an airline she used to work for while being a wanted fugitive seemed like a really bad idea and Suspicious Minds seems like a horrible song to play at a wedding (though, I will say that is my favorite Elvis song) but after a sophomore slump, the finale was... perfectly fine.

 

I predicted Cheryl Hines was the doppelganger after the second episode because Grace became too obvious and Hines being the big bad did make sense (though, I do not understand what that thing in Cassie's pocket was that made the alarm go off).

 

I am glad the weird AA woman was not the big bad but turned out to be someone important to the story in a different way, though maybe a reveal that should have been in the penultimate episode.  Despite the sophomore slump, I am still looking forward to a potential third season.

 

Obi Wan Kenobi:  That was nice they put up a four minute “previously on” reminding us what happening episodes 1-3.  You know, if you cut the prequels down to four minutes, they are not half bad.  I thought maybe starting with Order 66; we were going to see how Grogu escaped the massacre.  But we did get a few surprise appearance, most notably a young Princess Leia.  Oh, and Flea.  I am sure I can nit-pick, but I really enjoyed this even if the prequels in full lengths were bad.

 

The Blacklist:  So no Aram or Park next season?  Will we be getting new agents?  But it looks like we already got a new Big bad as Marvin turned that assassin against Red and left him with a list of people Red informed on.

Around the Tubes: May 28, 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 The Gilded Age, The Beach Boys, Lord Huron, Amy Winehouse, Florence + the Machine, Vera Blue, The Happy Fits, Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s), and I Love That for You.

- Get ready to embark on a compelling journey through life in New York in the late 1800s, as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings The Gilded Age: The Complete First Season to DVD on July 26, 2022. Indulge in all 9 episodes from the first season of the historical drama that won fans over with its charming cast and compelling storylines with over two hours of bonus content including an all-new featurette. The Gilded Age: The Complete First Season is available to own on DVD for $24.98 SRP ($29.99 in Canada) and will also be available to own on Digital via purchase from all major digital retailers. The series is now available exclusively for streaming on HBO Max.  From Emmy^® and Academy Award^® Winning Writer Julian Fellowes (“Downton Abbey”, Best Original Screenplay Gosford Park), and recently renewed for a second season by HBO, The Gilded Age the Complete First Season takes place during a period of immense economic change, of huge fortunes made and lost, and the rise of disparity between old money and new.  A wide-eyed young scion of a conservative family, Marian, embarks on a mission to infiltrate the wealthy neighboring clan of her aunts Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook, dominated by ruthless railroad tycoon George Russell and his ambitious wife, Bertha, meeting new people like aspiring writer Peggy Scott, along the way. In this exciting new world that is on the brink of the modern age, will Marian follow the established rules of society, or forge her own path?

- The Beach Boys are sharing the sterling new stereo mix of their classic 1963 tune, “Shut Down,” offering up a blast of fun and sun to help soundtrack Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff to summer. The new mix is featured on their forthcoming remastered and expanded edition of their career-spanning greatest hits collection, Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys, due June 17 via Capitol Records/UMe. Originally released in 2003, the album soared to No. 16 in the US and stayed on the chart for 104 weeks. Now certified 4x platinum for sales of nearly four and a half million albums, the new edition has been updated in both number of songs and sonics as it expands the original 30-track best of with 50 more of the band’s most beloved songs for a total of 80 tracks that span their earliest hits to deeper fan-favorite cuts. Boasting 26 new mixes, it includes two first-time stereo mixes, plus 24 new-and-improved stereo mixes, which in some cases feature the latest in digital stereo extraction technology, allowing for the team to separate the original mono backing tracks for the first time.  Pre-order Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys and listen to “Shut Down.” https://thebeachboys.lnk.to/SoundsOfSummer

- Lord Huron released Long Lost (Deluxe Edition) as the definitive version of their critically acclaimed fourth full-length album, Long Lost. The band has expanded the tracklisting with two new songs: “Your Other Life” and “Ton Autre Vie.” Listen to Long Lost (Deluxe Edition)—HERE.  The tunes reflect two sides of the same coin. Over a dusky beat and dreamy instrumentation, Lord Huron vocalist and songwriter Ben Schneider performs “Your Other Life” in English, while Sarah Dugas sings over the same sonic backdrop in French for “Ton Autre Vie.”

- UMe, Island Records, and BBC announce the release of Live at Glastonbury 2007 – the iconic performance of Amy Winehouse’s Pyramid Stage set at Glastonbury 2007, coming to vinyl for the very first time on Friday, June 3rd.  Showcasing the inimitable artistry of one of the UK’s most gifted and accomplished singers of all time, this emotionally charged live set will be released as a 2LP on black vinyl, with an exclusive crystal clear edition available HERE. The 2007 performance on the festival’s legendary Pyramid Stage, 15 years ago this summer, was Amy’s second Glastonbury appearance and a performance that saw the world completely fall in love with her music. As well as a second set later that same day on the Jazz World Stage, Amy returned the following year to perform again on the Pyramid stage, cementing herself firmly in the canon of great Glastonbury performances.

- Florence + the Machine’s much lauded new album Dance Fever debuts at #1 on Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums charts, #2 on Top Album Sales and #7 on the Billboard 200—her fourth consecutive album in the top ten. In addition, the album debuts at #1 in the U.K., the band’s fourth LP to reach the top spot.  Last week, Florence Welch shared the deluxe version of Dance Fever featuring a cover of The Stooges’ “Search And Destroy” and acoustic versions of four album tracks—“Cassandra,” “Free,” “Morning Elvis,” and “My Love.” Listen here.

- Fresh from performing at BassInTheGrass Festival, Australian indie pop artist Vera Blue shares her new single “The Curse” today—listen HERE. The power ballad single is reminiscent of her iconic 2017’s “Mended”, with effortlessly climbing vocals, achieving the right balance of intimacy and grandiosity.  While “Mended” is a song about when a powerful love has ended, “The Curse” is what happens when true love can feel like torture. Chronicling the experience of falling in love with a friend and having to reckon what that might mean for the friendship itself, it finds the alt-pop songstress at the height of her powers, writing about a difficult subject matter with grace and ingenuity. “It’s been a long time since I’ve put out a song like this. I think it’s time to show those raw emotions again, in more of a deep, heavy way, with more sadness,” says Vera Blue.

- After wrapping up two wildly successful tours and releasing an irresistible track "Dance Alone,", lively alt/indie-pop trio The Happy Fits release its accompanying official music video today shot at the Cameo Villa, here.  The Happy Fits will also be dancing across the pond to Europe and the UK this fall. In addition to the European & United Kingdom dates, the band will be performing at festivals across the U.S. this summer including Napa's BottleRock Festival and Milwaukee's Summerfest. Find a full list of dates below, with tickets on sale now via thehappyfits.com/tour.

- SHOWTIME has announced that the documentary feature ELIZABETH: A PORTRAIT IN PART(S), directed by Roger Michell (Notting Hill, Venus, The Duke), will air on SHOWTIME this Friday, May 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be available on streaming and on demand ahead of the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee this June.  The film was a passion project for Michell, the late filmmakerwho finished the film on the day that he passed. With a reputation for making some of the most globally celebrated British films, Michell referred to this project as, “a truly cinematic Mystery Tour up and down the decades; playful, poetic, funny, disobedient, ungovernable, affectionate, inappropriate, mischievous … and in awe.”

-  SHOWTIME and QVC, a world leader in video commerce (“vCommerce”), announced today their official collaboration in support of the SHOWTIME original comedy series I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, currently airing new episodes on streaming and on-demand Fridays and on-air Sunday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.  The show’s star and co-creator – Emmy^® nominee Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live), who portrays a home-shopping host and avid fan within the fictional series – will co-host a live one-hour multiplatform shopping show today on QVC with QVC host Jane Treacy. The show, titled Vanessa Bayer and Jane Treacy’s Must-Haves, will be broadcast live from QVC studios in West Chester, PA today at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, and will also be available to stream live and on demand on QVC’s streaming service and on https://www.qvc.com/content/shop-live-tv.html. Additional information can be found at https://www.qvc.com/ilovethatforyou. 

The Most Anticipated Show(s) of 2022-23

 

Every May, I would scroll over the network schedules they produce during the Upfronts and make a list of the new shows coming next fall that I am most excited about.  That list has gotten smaller and smaller and this year the list is just one: Quantum Leap.  I guess unless you really love cop or doctor shows, networks are just not for you anymore.  Law and Order, FBI, and Chicago even have their own nights.  That does not count Grey’s Anatomy or NCIS which has two hour blocks or The Rookie that has two shows on different nights.

 

Of course this is because all the adventurous shows have moved to streaming.  Sitcoms used to be the one thing networks did better than streaming but there are no new sitcoms launching in September, Lopez vs. Lopez will get a late fall premiere.  Only two other sitcom got announced this year.  Not only will no new shows will be on the fall schedule, CBS and ABC both cut an hour of comedy each from their current schedules.  They both very recently had two two hour blocks of sitcoms each week, now CBS is down to two one hour blocks and ABC has one two hour block.  The previously mentioned NBC, who once had the once vaunted Must See TV Thursday comedy block, will launch with no sitcoms on their schedule for the second straight year.

 

So with very few new shows, my fall schedule looks very bare.

 

 Mondays

8:00 – The Neighborhood (CBS)

10:00 – Quantum Leap (NBC)

 

Tuesdays

9:00 – La Brea (NBC)

 

Wesnesday

8:00 – Survivor (CBS)

8:00 – DC’s Stargirl (The CW)

8:30 – The Goldbergs (ABC)

9:00 – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

10:00 - Big Sky (ABC)

 

Thursdays

8:30 – Ghosts (CBS)

 

 Fridays

8:00 – Young Rock (NBC)

 

Saturdays/Sundays

Nothing

 

 

While I am listing schedules, might as well also post my Summer Schedule which is disturbingly filling up.  Summer used to be a time to catch up on things, but there are a lot of originals coming

 

Mondays

9:00 – Ima Vep (HBO, June 6)

9:00 – In the Dark (The CW, June 6)

 

Tuesdays

Pistol (Hulu, May 31)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu, June 28)

10:00 – Motherland: Fort Salem (Freeform, June 21)

10:00 – What We Do in the Shadows (FX, July 12)

 

Wednesdays

Ms. Marvel (Disney+, June 8)

Reservation Dogs (Hulu, August 3)

She-Hulk:  Attorney at Law (Disney+, August 17)

10:00 – Grown’ish (Freeform, July 10:00)

 

Thursdays

Players (Paramount+, June 16)

Maggie (Hulu, July 7)

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime, September 1)

 

Fridays

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+, May 27)

Loot (Apple TV+, June 24)

 

Sundays

9:00 – Westworld (HBO, June 26)

9:00 – The Chi (Showtime, June 26)

9:00 – House of the Dragon (HBO, August 21)

10:00 – City on a Hill (Showtime, July 10)

11:00 - Flatbush Misdemeanors (Showtime, June 19)

 

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 22, 2022

 

The Time Traveler’s Wife:  I remember watching the movie based on the same book, but I do not remember the movie being as bad as the show is.  I do remember the time traveler seeing his wife as a child, but I do not remember those scenes being that creepy.  HBO is known for its quality and it is quite surprising just how much this feels like a lifetime show.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  So their big plan is to lead the zombies into the underground shelter and escape the same way Alicia did even though Alicia got trapped and bite going out that way.   Does no one want to take five seconds to realize why that was a bad idea?  Wes got caught in the bunker with all the zombies, yet shows up in the trailer for next week.  Sigh.

 

The First Lady:  Ha, Eleanor has a women reporter only press conference.  I honestly would not have guessed there were that many female reporters that long ago.  I have found the Michelle segments to be the least interesting, but snarky and fun Michele does make her segments much more entertaining.

 

The Man Who Fell to Earth:  I really did not need to see a cow being birthed.  The bee lady may have been more disturbing.  But we finally got all of the main player in the same place at the same time.  I did not see the Justin twist where she brutally killed a man, and the father of her child. 

 

I Love That for You:  Who knew you could buy condoms in bulk?  I mean, I did, but I am guessing most other people had no clue.  I am surprised that guy was not in a 90’s cover band considering they made such a deal out of the two loving the decade in the first episode.

 

The Challenge: All Stars: It does look like if you beat someone with multiple stars, you get all of them.  Maybe MJ should not be too mad at Kendall since he now has both of Cyrus’s stars.  Kendal got lucky that not one but two women left before elimination so for the second straight week no women’s elimination.  But no one gets Tina’s stars who was gifted a star from Melina without doing anything.  To make the gender’s equal, do they simply bring back Cynthia or will we get someone new?  Cyrus recently held a premiere party and I spied Laurel and someone we have not seen on television in a very long time: Tara from Northern Trail.

 

Survivor: Poor Omar, Drea just really blew up his game by outing him as the mastermind to his demise.  But will Maryanne follow him after being the mastermind to his demise?  She does have an Idol in her pocket and so does Mike so unless something goes horribly wrong, they are in the final four so they are guaranteed to at least make fire.  Johnathan has to win at five or he has no chance and if not him, Lindsay.  I have to image, which between Mike and Maryanne make it to Final Tribal will win, will be interesting who wins if both are there.  If Johnathan or Lindsey wins Immunity than fire, they might even have a chance.  Romeo is obvious a no vote getter.

 

Though Lindsey made a very fatal flaw in saying she should not play her Idol because it may go back into the game.  While played Idols do go back in play, why would she think an Idol that expires that week would go back into the game?  It would have been very interesting had she played that Idol for Omar.  That would have meant a 2-2 tie between Romeo and Johnathan.  That would mean Maryanne would have been able to cast the deciding vote in the revote assuming everyone else voted the same way.

 

The Flight Attendant: After the first episode, I was convinced Grace was the doppelganger.  After the second episode, it was so obvious that she was the doppelganger I assumed she had to be a red herring.  Then she just kind of disappeared after the third episode until she popped as the doppelganger.  And then killed herself because… um, I am not entirely sure what she rambled on about.  But apparently there is someone out there that was pulling her strings.  I guess it has to be the annoying chick from AA.

 

Under the Banner of Heaven:  Yeah, never trust a dude who wants to marry your teenaged children.  So where did those children go?

 

Made for Love:  Didn’t they say last week if they did not rescue real Hazel, she would disappear soon?  So why is Byron there six months later? 

 

Halo:  I did not realize until I listened to a podcast that John died.  So when Cortana took over she took over for good?  Then Makee is also dead I guess.  Will both show up in the Halo at some point?  And what happened to Soron?  I thought that was him flying the ship to rescue the other Spartans but apparently no one was flying that.  Okay.

 

Big Sky:  Jenny really set Travis free to find the chick Veer killed?  C’mon.  Of course she is dead.  But I am guessing the writers will probably have her sold off to the sex ring syndicate just to tie everything together.  But I guess that means the syndicate and the other Indian drug lords will be sticking around.  And just how did the son kill his father without anyone notice?  Don’t nurses rush in whenever someone flat lines?  But dude just stands there and gloats and then walks out of the hospital.  Such dumb writing.  I bet new sheriff will be owned by the sexy ring syndicate.  He kind of looks like Don-o’s more put together brother.

 

The Blacklist:  Way to spoil the show with the episode title: Marvin Gerard: Conclusion Part 1.  So you spoil that they will get Marvin but also spoil it will not be done this episode because you have to assume Part 2 is coming next week.  So when Red gets him at the airport, obvious he was going to escape.  

Around the Tubes: May 21, 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, We Hunt Together, Flatbush Mistameanors, City on a Hill, Beastie Boys, James Bay, John Legend, Em Beihold, Oh Wonder, Marcus King, Sarah Darling, Paris Jackson, Ural Thomas And The Pain, Bootsy Collins, Aubrey Haddard, and the Hulu Originals Summer 2022 Programming Slate/

- Check out Hulu’s new teaser and key art for the upcoming second season of "Only Murders in the Building." The new season returns on Tuesday, June 28th with two episodes. New episodes stream Tuesdays.

- SHOWTIME has announced the second season of the cat-and-mouse drama series WE HUNT TOGETHER will roll out Friday, June 24, when all six episodes will be available on streaming and on demand for SHOWTIME subscribers before making its on-air debut with its first two episodes on Sunday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. Subsequent episodes will air Sundays starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT.  The London-set series stars Hermione Corfield (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Eve Myles (Broadchurch) and Babou Ceesay (GUERILLA), and joining the series for season two will be Colin Morgan (The Fall).  From BBC Studios Drama Productions, all six episodes of the hour-long series are written by Gaby Hull. 

- SHOWTIME has released a first-look trailer of season two of the critically acclaimed comedy series FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS. The series is set to return to SHOWTIME on Friday, June 17 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, June 19 at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The series is created and written by Kevin Iso (That Damn Michael Che) and Dan Perlman (Cramming), who also star. FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS follows Dan and Kevin, who play two longtime friends within a richly drawn community of characters, seeking to climb out of their heads and connect with others. The series also stars Kristin Dodson (The Shivering Truth), Hassan Johnson (The Wire) and Kareem Green. The 10-episode second season was filmed in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.

- The third season of acclaimed Boston drama series CITY ON A HILL starring Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge will now premiere on Sunday, July 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. The original premiere date of July 10 has been moved due to scheduling shifts. The series also stars Jill Hennessy, Lauren E. Banks and Matthew Del Negro, and guest stars including Corbin Bernsen, Joanne Kelly and Ernie Hudson.  Season three of CITY ON A HILL brings us to Boston's high society Beacon Hill. Having left the FBI and thrown his badge into Boston Harbor, Jackie Rohr (Bacon) lands a lavish new gig running security for a wealthy family. Life is good until secrets begin to unravel. When an investigation opens, ADA Decourcy Ward (Hodge) sees an opportunity to finally rip out the machinery perpetuating a broken criminal justice system. Siobhan Quays (Banks), representing a construction worker who was severely injured on the Big Dig, encounters the city's corruption first-hand, all while coping with the traumatic events of her past year. As Jenny Rohr (Hennessy) can attest, given her history with her father, some experiences will haunt you beyond your breaking point.

- To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Beastie Boys’ multi-platinum album Check Your Head, on July 15, UMe will release a limited-edition reissue of the rare 4LP deluxe version of the album, originally released in 2009 as an artist store exclusive. The long out-of-print and much sought-after box set features the 2009 remaster of the original double album, plus two extra LPs of bonus content including remixes, live versions, and B-sides. All four LPs are pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a fabric wrapped, stamped, hardcover case. The Check Your Head 4LP box set can be purchased at participating independent retail outlets and will also be available to pre-order exclusively through the Beastie Boys online store, HERE.  Originally released in April 1992, Check Your Head was a milestone for Beastie Boys on multiple levels: It was their first album to be produced, in its entirety, by Beastie Boys with Mario Caldato Jr. and to feature keyboard player Keyboard Money Mark, as well as the first to be recorded at the band’s own G-Son studios in Atwater Village, CA. Most significantly, however, Check Your Head marked the return of live instrumentation to the forefront and backbone of the Beastie Boys sound, with the bulk of the album featuring Mike D on drums, Adrock on guitar and MCA on bass for the first time since the band’s early 1980s hardcore punk recordings.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist James Bay releases the official music video for his new single “One Life.”  Watch the official music video for “One Life” HERE.  On the “One Life” video Bay said: “From the moment I was presented with the idea for the video I was totally moved. It just felt right; the perfect way to tell the story of the song. The actors and directors did a beautiful job and I'm so excited for you to see it. Hope you love it x”

- Multi-platinum, 12-time GRAMMY Award-winner John Legend today released “Dope,” the first song from his forthcoming new album. Click HERE to listen.  “Dope,” produced by Ian Kirkpatrick and Ryan Tedder, is co-written by Legend, Charlie Puth, Ryan Tedder, Ian Kirkpatrick and rapper J.I.D, who is also featured on the track. The moving and infectious song sets the tone for getting summer started with its block-party vibes and sensual lyrics about everything you find dope about that someone special. HERE is a link to the Lyric Video for “Dope”  HERE is a link to John’s social Post for “Dope”

- Cemented as one of the hottest new artists of 2022, gold-certified Los Angeles singer and songwriter Em Beihold (pronounced bye-hold) reveals a new single and music video entitled “Too Precious” today via Moon Projects/Republic Records.  Watch the music video for “Too Precious” — HERE. Listen to “Too Precious”— HERE.  The track tiptoes between finger-snaps, jazzy piano, and a thumping beat as she asserts herself as an outlier once more. Right from the jump, Em confesses, “I’ve got my own idea of fun, don’t need to get drunk at the club, start kissing strangers, don’t need the danger.” Her voice teems with energy on the chorus, and she makes an empowering promise, “I do what I want.” The accompanying visual translates this vibe to the screen seamlessly as Em shines for the camera.

- Oh Wonder has today dropped brand new track “True Romance,” which is available now on Republic Records. The unique London band’s new album, 22 Make, will follow on July 22nd, previewed by brooding first single “Magnificent” and the anthemic “Fuck it I Love You.” Currently on a huge world tour, Oh Wonder is in the midst of the US leg, which wraps on May 31st in Los Angeles at The Wiltern.  Beautifully intimate electronic pop, “True Romance” was inspired by the film of the same name, and connected the dots for Oh Wonder between the 22 Break and 22 Make projects. “We recorded it three different times. It started out being way more pop and fast and really intense,” Josephine says, “but realised that it translated beautifully just singing it at the piano; it’s actually quite a simple, beautiful chorus. So we slowed it down, chilled out the production, and let the song breathe a little more.” 

- Marcus King announced the release of “Rescue Me,” the latest preview track from his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. The track, premiered today with American Songwriter, blends swampy percussion, fuzzed out guitar and King’s smoldering vocal delivery, sharing his plea for salvation from the path of excess he was walking at the time of making the record.  Listen here: https://mk.lnk.to/rescueme

- Sarah Darling has announced the release of her new EP, Darling, with the focal track, “Get To Me,” – out today. Released on BE Darling Records via ToneTree, Darling is available worldwide on all streaming services here. Darling spoke about the new EP, saying, “When I listen to the Darling EP, I hear a grown-up version of me. I feel like someone who’s let go and allowed myself to share some messy emotions. It sounds like freedom and takes me back to those first records that influenced me as a kid. There’s something in my soul that connects with those driving songs that take you somewhere, and throughout this entire collection, I feel that. I love who I’ve become through this body of work, and it’s helped heal some wounds. I’m so grateful to my producers, Cameron Jaymes and Emily Shackleton, for building this world with me.”

- Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, and activist paris jackson unveils her brand new single entitled “lighthouse” out now via Republic Records—listen to “lighthouse” HERE. “lighthouse” was produced by singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Butch Walker.  The single is released alongside the official music video, which was inspired by the iconic video for Nirvana’s “Sliver.” In the video, paris pays homage with a photo of Kurt Cobain—a full circle moment to the original video. Watch the “lighthouse” video HERE.

- With their new album Dancing Dimensions due out 3rd June via Bella Union, Ural Thomas And The Pain today share a final pre-release track, “Promises," from their much-anticipated LP.  Of the track Ural says:  “The song Promises talks about one of the most powerful things I believe in, that tomorrow is not promised to us so what we do today really matters. I try not to promise anything to anyone in the future, instead I strive to give all the love to the world that I can right here, right now.” Click HERE to listen. 

- In this day and age, a singular, definitive stamp of approval is a hard thing to come by. Unless, of course, you’re the modern funk band Lettuce and THE Bootsy Collins steps into the studio to put his timeless spin on your new record—which is exactly what happened when the band was tracking “Keep That Funk Alive” from their upcoming album Unify. Within the first few seconds of the track, fans are met with one of the dirtiest envelope-filtered bass runs since Mothership Connection, a glowing sign that this group is more than capable in their role of funky preservation. Not so much a passing of the torch as it is a welcoming with open arms, Bootsy and the GRAMMY-nominated sextet of Lettuce—Adam Deitch (drums), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone), Adam ‘Shmeeans’ Smirnoff (guitar), Erick ‘Jesus’ Coomes (bass), Nigel Hall (keyboards/vocals), Eric ‘Benny’ Bloom (trumpet)—all join hands in honor of, you guessed it, keeping the Funk alive; an idea which Deitch gleaned from a pre-vax Covid-era Instagram post of Bootsy’s before the two had even met. “Linking up organically with one of the inventors of funk music, eternally iconic bassist and vocalist Bootsy Collins, still feels like a dream,” says Deitch. “Bootsy wants to keep the Funk alive…and we wholeheartedly agree with that statement. Major props to Bootzilla for believing in us!” Fans can listen to “Keep That Funk Alive” right here, pre-order or pre-save Unify digitally ahead of its June 3rd release at this link, and pre-order vinyl and Unify-centric merch bundles here. 

- New York City-based indie-pop singer-songwriter, Aubrey Haddard releases her anthemic indie-rock third single, "Processing Power" today, where she confronts being inundated with constant information, along with a matching lyric video. Haddard's second full-length album, Awake And Talking, will be out August 19, 2022 and is available for pre-order now, via Beverly Martel Records. Aubrey Haddard will be hitting the road in select cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and more this summer. Find tickets on sale now here.  The guitar-driven, heavier-leaning "Processing Power" is Haddard in overdrive–it's the moment a system becomes overloaded. In a fast-paced, 24-hour news cycle that never seems to stop, one can swiftly become overwhelmed with uninterrupted information consumption. The result is a cathartic release where Haddard is able to unleash the emotions that come with being bound to such a perpetual system.

- Hulu Originals Summer 2022 Programming Slate

FILMS / DOCS

The Valet, Premiere Date: May 20, 2022, Rating: PG-13

Look At Me: XXXTENTACION. Premiere Date: May 26, 2022, Rating: TV-MA

Fire Island, Premiere Date: June 3, 2022, Rating: R

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, Premiere Date: June 17, 2022, Rating: R

The Princess, Premiere Date: July 1, 2022, Rating: R

Not Okay, Premiere Date: July 29, 2022 (DATE CHANGE), Rating: R

Prey, Premiere Date: August 5, 2022, Rating: R

SERIES

Conversations with Friends, Premiere Date: May 15, 2022 (all-at-once)

Keeper of the Ashes: The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders, Premiere Date: May 24, 2022 (all-at-once) 

Shoresy, Premiere Date: May 27, 2022 (all-at-once)

FX’s Pistol, Premiere Date: May 31, 2022 (all-at-once)

The Orville: New Horizons, Premiere Date: June 2, 2022 (weekly)

FX’s Under the Banner of Heaven, Finale Date: June 2, 2022

Love, Victor, Premiere Date: June 15, 2022 (all-at-once) (Also streaming on Disney+)

The Kardashians, Finale Date: June 16, 2022

FX’s The Bear, Premiere Date: June 23, 2022 (all-at-once)

Only Murders in the Building, Premiere Date: June 28, 2022 (Weekly)

Maggie, Premiere Date: July 6, 2022 (all-at-once)

Solar Opposites, Premiere Date: July 13, 2022 (all-at-once) - NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

Victoria’s Secret: Angels And Demons, Premiere Date: July 14, 2022 (all-at-once)

FX’s American Horror Stories, Premiere Date: July 21, 2022 (weekly)

FX’s Reservation Dogs, Premiere Date: August 3, 2022 (two-episode premiere, then weekly)

This Fool, Premiere Date: August 12, 2022  (all-at-once) - NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

FX’s The Patient, Premiere Date: August 30, 2022 (three episode premiere, then weekly)

KIDS & FAMILY

The Croods: Family Tree, Premiere Date: June 2, 2022 (all-at-once)

Madagascar: A Little Wild, Premiere Date: June 30, 2022 (all-at-once)

Trolls: TrollsTopia, Premiere Date: August 11, 2022 (all-at-once)

Dragons: The Nine Realms, Premiere Date: August 18, 2022 (all-at-once)