Around the Tubes: June 25, 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 Hulu movies, The Territory, Vice, James Bay, Marcus King, Kira Kosarin, KISS, The Black Beauty Effect, The Day the Music Died: The Story of Son McLean's "America Pie," and Syndrome K.

- The studios that brought you some of the biggest blockbusters and award-winning movies bring the big screen to your screen on Hulu. Stream classics like the "Predator" Franchise, new releases like "The Bob’s Burgers Movie," as well as new indie releases including "Minamata," and highly anticipated Hulu Original films "Not Okay" and "Prey," all summer long.  Hulu, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures present: "Get the Big Screen on Your Screen"

- THE TERRITORY provides an immersive look at the tireless fight of the Amazon’s Indigenous Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people against the encroaching deforestation brought by farmers and illegal settlers. With awe-inspiring cinematography showcasing the titular landscape and richly textured sound design, the film takes audiences deep into the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau community and provides unprecedented access to the farmers and settlers illegally burning and clearing the protected Indigenous land.  Partially shot by the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people, the film relies on vérité footage captured over three years as the community risks their lives to set up their own news media team in the hopes of exposing the truth.  The film will be released in theaters in select cities on Friday, Aug. 19, including New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Seattle and Austin, with a continued nationwide rollout to follow. THE TERRITORY premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Documentary Competition and won the Special Jury Award for Documentary Craft as well as the World Cinema Documentary Audience Award, followed by many other awards, including the True/False True Life Fund Recipient 2022, CPH:DOX Special Jury Mention, the Movies That Matter Activist Documentary Award, the Seattle International Film Festival Golden Space Needle Award for Best Documentary, the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival Audience Award, the Provincetown International Film Festival John Schlesinger Documentary Award, the International Wildlife Film Festival Best Sustainable Planet Category Award and Best of Festival Award, the DocsBarcelona Amnesty International of Catalonia Award, and the MountainFilm Minds Moving Mountains Award.

- SHOWTIME announced that VICE will return to air starting Sunday, July 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Currently airing its third season, the midseason finale will air this Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, followed by a brief hiatus. Season three will come back with eight all-new episodes airing on Sundays, leading to the season finale on September 18. Known for delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflict, civil uprisings and more, VICE continues to cover groundbreaking stories from its team of global correspondents.  Watch and share the latest VICE trailer here:  https://youtu.be/N16hCKaP4d4.  In this Sunday’s midseason finale, VICE News' Alec Luhn reports from Moscow and Dagestan on how propaganda has convinced a majority of Russians to support Putin's bloody and costly invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, VICE News’ Ben C. Solomon travels to Kharkiv and Donbas to explore how the frontline has evolved since the start of the war in Ukraine.

-  Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Bay reveals a new single entitled “Everybody Needs Someone.” Listen to “Everybody Needs Someone”—HERE. It’s the latest track to be released from his highly anticipated third full-length album, Leap, out July 8th via Mercury/Republic Records. Pre-order and pre-save Leap—HERE.  On the new track Bay said: “In these last couple weeks before Leap arrives, I want to share one more song with you. It’s called “Everybody Needs Someone. I love this song so much. I know in hindsight that despite lots of fun work and touring back in 2019 I wrote this song because I was feeling lost and alone. The feeling came like a quiet tidal wave. It really threw me around for a while. But thanks to the people closest to me in my life, I made it through that time. They know how to hold me up when I’m down. I hope you all love this song too. So excited for you to have it. x”

- Marcus King today announced the release of “Lie Lie Lie,” the latest preview track from his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. The track premiered today with FLOOD Magazine. Shuffling rock drums, wild soloing and fuzzed out psychedelic guitar riffing combine into a towering sonic inferno. At the core of the blaze are King’s vocals, which share a revelation.  “‘Lie Lie Lie’ for me captures the spirit of this record.” King shared. “You can feel how natural the vibe was in the studio. This track showcases each player’s energy, it shines a light on the production and the SOUND of Easy Eye Sound. At the two-and-a-half-minute mark the band locks into a groove that becomes a sonic representation of why I do what I do! I LIVE for that feeling!”  Accompanying the song release, King released a live video, created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it HERE.

- Gaining momentum with the steady release of new music, 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kira Kosarin unveils a new music video for “goodbye & thank u” via Republic Records today. Watch the “goodbye & thank u” music video – HERE.  The song sees Kira nostalgically say goodbye to a chapter in her life before welcoming a new one.  “I wanted to write an ode to the first home that I moved into on my own, because it felt like a main character in my life through my early 20s. Those walls saw me live through so many firsts, held me through so many ups and downs and watched so many people come and go,” she says. “When I found that outgrowing and saying goodbye to an apartment could feel as bittersweet, intense, poignant, and heartbreaking as any other breakup - I poured all that emotion into this song and I hope it carries people through bittersweet and grateful goodbyes of all kinds.”

- On September 9, rock icons KISS will release the next installment of their popular Off The Soundboard official live bootleg series with KISS – Off The Soundboard: Live In Des Moines 1977, recorded during the Alive II tour at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, IA on November 29, 1977.  This is the latest in a series of live releases by the band and will be available to stream and download, with a 17 song 2-LP standard black vinyl set, single CD, and a limited-edition 2-LP set pressed on 180g purple vinyl available exclusively through the Official KISS online store. All configurations of KISS – Off The Soundboard: Live In Des Moines 1977 are available to pre-order, HERE.

- Comcast NBCUniversal and FaceForward Productions announced their partnership for the upcoming docuseries The Black Beauty Effect, releasing this fall exclusively on the Black Experience on Xfinity channel, a first-of-its-kind destination of Black entertainment, movies, TV shows, news and more. From creator and executive producers Andrea Lewis (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Black Actress), Emmy-nominee CJ Faison (Giants & Junebug), and Jackie Aina and Kahlana Barfield Brown, the docuseries will closely examine the social change, past and present, within the beauty industry, through the lens of the successful Black women who have led the charge.  The Black Beauty Effect is a three-part docuseries capturing the current evolution, revolution, and disruption taking place within the beauty industry. Black beauty influencers, celebrities, and entrepreneurs have taken up the torch passed down from their pioneering predecessors. Each hour-long episode examines a different aspect of beauty – hair, skin, and makeup – through the lens of some of the beauty industry’s most iconic game-changers. The Black Beauty Effect peels back the gorgeous glow we see in advertisements to tell the ugly truths that have plagued the beauty industry for far too long.

-  Paramount+ recently announced that THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED: THE STORY OF DON McLEAN’S “AMERICAN PIE” will premiere exclusively on the service Tuesday, July 19, both in the U.S. and internationally where the service is available. Additionally, the documentary will have a special Academy qualifying run in New York City and Los Angeles starting on July 8 and will screen in Showcase Cinemas and associated theaters globally on July 14 and July 17.  With a narrative running deeper than a catchy tune and cryptic verses, “American Pie” is a musical phenomenon woven deep into the history of American culture, entertaining audiences around the world for over 50 years. In THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED: THE STORY OF DON McLEAN’S “AMERICAN PIE,” McLean will, for the first time, powerfully reveal and share the secrets behind his iconic song. In addition, the documentary highlights cultural moments in America’s history that are as relevant now as they were in 1971 when the song was released. The film tells stories of the people who were a part of this moment from the beginning and shows the point of view of a new generation of artists who are motivated by the same values and ideas that inspired the song’s creation.

- Freestyle Digital Media,  the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has acquired North American rights from Insanely Practical Productions the second documentary film directorial effort from filmmaker Stephen Edwards’  (acclaimed composer of “Requiem for My Mother”, and musical contributor to award-winning films such as “Nomadland”, “Dallas Buyer’s Club”), captivating new documentary “Syndrome K.” “Syndrome K” will be available to rent and own on U.S. digital HD internet, and satellite platforms on August 16^th, 2022 through Freestyle Digital Media.  The last film to be narrated by acclaimed screen icon Ray Liotta (“Goodfellas,” “Field of Dreams”), “Syndrome K” shines a light on the truly amazing story of three Roman Catholic doctors, who created a highly contagious f ake disease during the Nazi Occupation of Rome to save Roman Jews in a Vatican-affiliated hospital from deportation to Auschwitz during WWII.

Previewing The Chi Season Five

 

There are plenty of benefits to the shorter seasons of six to twelve episodes.  But one thing that we typically lose in the shrinking of seasons from the twenty-two episodes strung out across nine months are less holiday episodes.  NBC experiments this year with special Christmas episodes of Young Rock and Mr. Mayor but usually these short seasons rarely acknowledge holidays.  Or they just do what The Chi is doing and airing a Christmas episode less than a week after Independence Day.  But hey, The Hallmark Channel celebrates Christmas in July every year.

 

And with record highs already across the nation, watching a show taking place in snowy Chicago may be just the reprieve we need this summer.  There is no big mystery that starts this season, no who shot the mayor, who killed Coogie, or what happened to Kiesha.  Well, unless you count how long will Emmitt say celibate for.  Yes, that is an actual storyline this season, but a mystery much easier to solve than previous ones on the show. 

 

Other low stakes questions being asked this season include will Jada stay will her younger man or get back with her baby daddy?  Will Papa and Jake make up after Papa goes hard on him in front of the whole school?  Will Kevin embrace his inner geek to get a girl?  Can Trig turn his community action into real change while running for city council?  Or more importantly, why is Trig rocking afro puffs this season?

 

The Chi airs Sundays at 9:00 on Showtime.  New episodes are released early on Friday streaming and On Demand so you can watch the premiere now.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 19, 2022

 

The First Lady:  So the show ends with Eleanor losing her husband and getting a new job, Betty opening up a rehab facility and Michelle, well Michelle is dealing with a douchebag moving into her house.  I said it before, but way too soon to include Michelle on this show.  But it turns out that Eleanor ignores her children so much to the point I was surmised when the only child we saw said she had six.  We rarely saw any Ford children besides Susan, but they did show up.

 

The Man Who Fell to Earth:   There is home security and then is biological weapons than make someone’s head explode.  I think I have to concede that Newton is still alive after that plot, yet something still seems off with his conversations with Faraday.  I just get strong Kal-El talking to his dead parents in the Fortress of Solitude vibes from those scenes.  But then we get the explosive reveal at the end that Newton’s plan is to bring his people to Earth.  So what becomes of the humans?  Just how many of his people are left?  Will Faraday even go along with this?

 

I Love That for You:  Okay, I laughed so hard when Ryan Philippe came in at the end.  We were told he was a gust at the telethon, but I certainly was not expecting him to show up as the only to have an audio response to Joanne admitting she was not actually sick. I have predicted that Patricia would still want to profit off of the fake sickness if she ever found out, but now that Ryan knows, can she still keep up the ruse?

 

In the Dark:  So Murphy is out already… with the drug lord drugs with her.  Oops.  So that is why Darnell get shot?

 

The Challenge: All Stars: There have been dumb answers throughout the years in trivia, but “Lance Armstrong” being the first person on the moon is up there as the dumbest ever.  But it was nice to see The Treehouse go from the majority to the minority in two short weeks.  No confirmation from TJ, but will be actually have the final start next week without the Sabotage anymore?  Based on the episode count, seems like there will be one more elimination.  Maybe the mercenaries is why we no longer have a sabotage.

 

Obi Wan Kenobi:  If the Third Sister was really hunting Darth Vader this whole time to get revenge for her fellow younglings, why has she not done it already?  I am pretty sure she was alone with him an episode or two ago.  But anyway.  Gotta love any plan that hinges on a ten year old understand advanced electronics.  Why exactly did they build that place so small no normal human person could fit into it?

 

Ms. Marvel:  Illumin-aunties may have been the greatest nickname ever.  So the new dude is evil (calling him your cousin is a weird way to hide your crush’s identity)?  Never trust a dude who recreates Phoebe Cates in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  Though his mom might be the real Big Bad.

 

Players:  I really enjoyed American Vandal and only gave this show a try because it was by the same people.  I am not sure it is because I know nothing about e-sports or the key of the other show was potty humor and this show lacks it, but, man, this show I boring.

Around the Tubes: June 18, 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 Supreme Team, POV, John Legend, James Bay, Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Vince Guaraldi, and The Handmaid's Tale.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for SUPREME TEAM, a three-part documentary series directed by Grammy^® winner Nasir “Nas” Jones and Peter J Scalettar for Mass Appeal that will premiere at the Tribeca Festival on this Sunday, June 19 at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), ahead of the on-air network premiere on Sunday, July 10  at 10 p.m. ET/PT. All three parts will be available on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers on Friday, July 8 at 12 a.m. ET (July 7 at 9 p.m. PT).  In collaboration with Mass Appeal as part of the network’s HIP HIP 50 banner, the documentary chronicles the Supreme Team, the notorious Queens, New York crime syndicate, and tells the real story directly from its two leaders, Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff and Gerald “Prince'' Miller. Through the voices of these two infamous entrepreneurs and the syndicate’s members, as well Hip Hop legend LL Cool J, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, journalist Joy Reid, singer Ashanti, producer Irv Gotti and others in the local community, politics, law enforcement, academia and popular culture, viewers are given access beyond the headlines to examine the broader cultural dynamics and the impact that this small group from South Jamaica Queens has held on hip hop and society at large.  To watch and share the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/SAo_IXWhhXY. Tickets to the screening at Tribeca Festival can be purchased here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/supreme-team-2022.

- PBS television series POV presents an intimate look at the citizens of a small fishing town in Maniitsoq, Greenland as they reckon with their Danish colonial past and a promising future by an American industrial company in the eye-opening documentary Winter’s Yearning, directed by Sidse Torstholm Larsen (Living on the Ice) and Sturla Pilskog (Urban Hunters), and produced by Are Kvalnes Pilskog, Vibeke Vogel and BAFTA Award winner Emile Hertling Péronard (Borgen).  The national broadcast premiere is Monday, July 25, 2022 at 10pmET/9C, and is available to stream free until August 25, 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. POV is America’s longest running documentary series and is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season.  Watch the Trailer Now.

- Multi-platinum, 12-time GRAMMY Award-winner John Legend today released the video for “Dope,” the first song from his forthcoming new album. The Christian Breslauer-directed video takes place at a soulful, eclectic retro house party, where Legend performs and parties with friends – including rapper J.I.D who is also featured on the track -- into the wee hours of the morning. Watch the video for “Dope,” HERE. Listen to the song HERE.

- Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Bay returned to The Today Show on NBC for a powerhouse performance of his recent single “One Life.” Watch it HERE.  The performance marked the U.S. television debut of “One Life.” He brought the house down with a moving rendition of the song. The track remains a standout from his highly anticipated third full-length album, Leap, out July 8th via Mercury/Republic Records. Pre-order and pre-save Leap—HERE.

- To kick off The Beach Boys’ yearlong 60^th anniversary celebration and provide the perfect summer soundtrack, Capitol Records and UMe today proudly release a newly remastered and expanded edition of the group’s career-spanning greatest hits collection, Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys. 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.  Stream/purchase Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys: https://thebeachboys.lnk.to/SoundsOfSummer

- Written, performed, and produced entirely by Paul McCartney, his three eponymous career-spanning solo albums (1970’s McCartney, 1980’s McCartney II, and 2020’s McCartney III) will now be packaged together and available in one special boxset for the first time.  McCartney I II III box set will be available in three different formats – Limited Edition Color Vinyl, Black Vinyl Edition, and CD – each including three special photo prints with notes from Paul about each album. The newly created boxset cover art and typography for the slipcase are by Ed Ruscha. To pre-order McCartney I II III, please click HERE.  Bookending 50 years of unparalleled work, each album demonstrates Paul McCartney’s restless creativity and adventurous artistic spirit. McCartney, the Number One Album was Paul’s first solo album released in 1970 and features timeless tracks “Every Night” and “Junk,” along with the immortal classic “Maybe I’m Amazed.” This album saw a global music superstar pioneer a novel homespun approach to recording that would, in time, become a sought-after sound and the highly influential precursor to the “lo-fi” alternative genre.

- UMe announces the 50th-anniversary reissue of Elton John’s Madman Across The Water. Available to order now on stunning 3-CD and 1 Blu-ray Super Deluxe Box Set, 4-LP, 1-LP Limited Edition colored vinyl, and 2-CD formats. Order here.  Spawning the hits “Tiny Dancer” and “Levon,” Madman Across The Water was Elton’s fourth studio album, released only two years after his debut. Recorded in 1971, it was a foundation stone of what was to become a dazzlingly prolific decade for the global-icon-in-waiting. Madman Across The Water was largely written after Elton had made his initial foray to America, offering the opportunity for lyricist Bernie Taupin to witness first-hand the landscapes and people he’d only seen on a screen or on the page. Recorded at Trident Studios in Central London in February and August 1971, it was the first album where all five players of Elton’s fabled band lineup (Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone, and Ray Cooper) were featured. The album also featured Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who plays Hammond organ on three songs.  A newly unveiled Piano Demo of “Tiny Dancer,” taken from the archives and previously unheard, will be available to stream in full later today Here. Watch a preview of the track now Here. Recorded at Dick James Studios in central London in Spring 1971, it is an intimate performance of the song with Elton alone at the piano as a guide for the band later to follow.

- Craft Recordings proudly announces the definitive edition of Vince Guaraldi’s evocative soundtrack to the 1966 animated television special, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, from Charles M. Schulz, creator of the PEANUTS® comic strip, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions. Remastered from newly discovered analog session reels, the album features seven previously unreleased alternate takes—all of which offer fascinating insight into Guaraldi’s creative process. The package also includes new liner notes by PEANUTS® historian Derrick Bang, with contributions by the family of Lee Mendelson, the Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning producer and co-creator of the PEANUTS® animated specials. Additionally, a note by Mendelson (taken from the 2018 edition of the album) rounds out the release. To celebrate the discovery of these incredible archival recordings, Craft is issuing the album in several formats, including multiple vinyl options. Available across all major retailers is a 45-RPM pressing on black vinyl, housed in a standard jacket, as well as a 33 1/3-RPM pressing on pumpkin-shaped translucent orange vinyl, housed in a clear sleeve, both accompanied by a four-page insert. Available exclusively at CraftRecordings.com is a collectable edition 45-RPM pressing (limited to 500 copies) in a “Pumpkin Patch” splatter design. The album will also be available on CD and digital formats.  It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Original Soundtrack Recording) is available for pre-order beginning today and is set for release August 26^th. Listen to the first digital single, “The Great Pumpkin Waltz (Alternate Take 2),” available on all digital platforms today. A second pre-release track, “Linus and Lucy (Alternate Take 2),” is scheduled for release on August 5^th.

- "The Handmaid's Tale" will return on September 14th with two episodes. New episodes stream Wednesdays on Hulu.  SYNOPSIS: June faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose. The widowed Serena attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead’s influence creeps into Canada. Commander Lawrence works with Aunt Lydia as he tries to reform Gilead and rise in power. June, Luke and Moira fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah.

Previewing Flatbush Misdemeanors: Season Two

 

Things went down at the end of the last season of Flatbush Misdemeanors.  Drew shot someone and the fallout hit Dan and Kevin hard.  Dan was suspended from his teaching job while casing strains in their friendship with Kevin moving out.   

 

Season two picks up four months later.  Dan is trying to get reinstated, having to work at his step-father’s while Kevin has moved back home to live with his parents.  It does not seem like the two have communicated much since Kevin moved out.  They are so separated; they get each get their own episode without the other appearing in it.  Oh, and Drew is on the run for the whole shooting thing.

 

While the two leads spend the first couple episodes apart, it still feels very similar to the first season.  Plus with the two starting off the season separated, we do get to meet some new characters.  Dan’s NA sponsor is partiuarly the biggest stand out of the new people we meet.

 

Flatbush Misdemeanors airs Sundays at 11:00 on Showtime.  Episodes are released early on Fridays on the Showtime streaming site so you can watch the premiere now.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Eleventh Season

  

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

 

Last decade we only got two seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but we already got two seasons in the first two years of this decade.  I guess Larry David did not have much to do during the pandemic than write because this was the quickest turn around for a season since the fifth, back when he was pumping them out every year to fifteen months.

 

The crew is back for the the eleventh season:  Jeff Garlin (as manager Jeff Greene), Susie Essman (as Jeff’s wife Susie), Cheryl Hines (as Larry’s ex-wife Cheryl), JB Smoove (as Leon).  Of course, what season of Curb be without some celebrity cameos and of course Ted Danson and Richard Lewis are back as themselves as well as a few other familiar faces playing themselves.  Vince Vaughn is back as Marty Funkhouser’s half-brother while Tracey Ulman, Julie Bowen, and Kaley Cuoco also make appearances this season.

 

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Eleventh Season is available now on DVD and digital platforms.  All ten episodes are here on two disks, but do not expect much in the way of extras.  Now we sit and wait until Larry gets inspired enough to write season twelve.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: June 12, 2022

 

The Time Traveler’s Wife:  Wait, so the time traveler is dating Ygritte and the blonde at the same time?  I do wonder at what point do they just have an orgy with multiple versions of the time traveler.  If dude is willing to soak his own deck, you have to imagine he would be down for that.

 

Fear the Walking Dead:  We learned before the last break that Madison was coming back but did they really have to wait until the very last episode and an episode after Alivia (seemingly) died?  For a second, I thought the zombiefied version of the mother kind of looked like Alicia, I wonder if that was intentional.  But I am really having trouble believing someone who needs oxygen could survive a zombie apocalypse very long.  No way Madison is aking it long enough after the mother destroyed her tank.

 

The First Lady:  I am glad they finally got Betty out of the White House because she probably as the most active post-White House life of any First Lady other than Hilary Clinton.  Actually they could have gotten her out sooner because two and a half episodes do not seem like enough.

 

The Man Who Fell to Earth:  I have had an issue with tone while watching this show; it just seems all over the place.  But this was the first episode that actually felt cohesive.  I liked the devise of the alien talking to his wife.  The show may have been better off if had just been him telling his story on Earth to his wife.  But they found the original alien?  Living unground in a mountain in Cambodia?  Alrighty.  I have questioned if he was actually still alive or not and… and I still am questioning if that is really him.

 

I Love That for You:  Oh my, I was not expecting that good ol’ southern boy to be having sex with a woman.  But now that Beth Ann is on to Joanna, thinking she is dating her father who is pretending to be her doctor, I wonder how long until she figures out the entire ruse. Oh, and I really hope clip on bangs are not a real thing. 

 

Irma Vep:  I liked this show when Alicia Vikander was on screen, but really disliked it whenever the Fresh director was on screen.  Hopefully he gets fired from the film.

 

In the Dark:  Ugg, they are doing the stupid, three months earlier trope.  Let me guess, the blind chick gets released early for turning on the queenpin and the bald chick shoos her buddy.  But why is she not telling the guard that someone put a razor in her sandwich?

 

The Challenge: All Stars: Good riddance to treehouse.  Is Sylvia really that horrible of a person or is she trying way too hard to be part of a possible rivals season?  I just cringed at her completely unnecessary hate towards Kellyanne.

 

The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans:  This show just cannot get through a whole season without someone leaving.  Though they seem to be having a harder time getting casts back together if they had to jump from season two to nine.  Next up would be Back to New York, but I am guessing you are not getting The Miz to take two weeks off.  Rumors they may have to jump to Austin (season 16) or Key West (17).  My suggestion is go back to the start and get as many from San Francisco and as many from London and just combine seasons if you cannot get a full cast to show up.  Or maybe it is time to try Road Rules Homecoming.  Who would not want to see a bunch of forty and fifty ear olds spend a week or two in a Winnebago?  I was kind of hoping someone from Road Rules would show up and steal their robotic dog again.  Oh well.

 

Obi Wan Kenobi:  Why knock out the Stormtrooper and drag them into an empty room if you are not going to steal their armor? A disguise would have made things a bit easier. But I guess you cannot hide Leia in the suit.  Then Boba's lay down Bacta Tank seems like a much better alternative than having to be suspended like Darth and Obi-Wan were. But nothing gets me more than the lighting up a lightsaber in a dark room. Chills every time.

 

Ms. Marvel:  Well, that was a delight.  It has been a while since I laughed as hard as I did when the dad walking in in his Hulk costume.  For a second, I thought the show was just going to straight up murder a teenage girl with Thor’s hammer.  Hopefully the show does not get ruined by Ms. Marvel actually getting powers.

Around the Tubes: June 11, 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 We Hunt Together, POV, Kenny Loggins, Blondie, UB40, Smash Mouth, James Bay, Neneh Cherry, Marcus King, Kid Cudi, Kira Kosarin, Of Monsters and Men, McEnroe, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Sofia, and Uninterrupted.

- The second season of the cat-and-mouse drama series WE HUNT TOGETHER will now premiere Friday, July 1, 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, July 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT and next two episodes Sunday, July 10 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 of WE HUNT TOGETHER are written by Gaby Hull.  

- 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.  Watch the Trailer Now

- Pop icon Kenny Loggins is enjoying the resurgence of his 1986 hit “Danger Zone.” The track was featured in the original Top Gun soundtrack and makes another appearance in Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick (May 2022). Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster and has grossed $282 million at the box office worldwide, the largest opening in history for a Memorial Day weekend release.  Although Loggins re-recorded "Danger Zone" for the project,  the film's producers decided to use the original version for the sequel.  Loggins revisits the story behind the hit via American Songwriter here.

- In what has become another major year for Blondie, the New York legends mark a career milestone with the release of the first ever authorised and in-depth archive in their history, a rarity for a band almost 50 years into their career with 40 million records sold. Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 will be released on August 26^th via UMe and The Numero Group, and is available to pre-order now.  Pre-Order Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982: ​​https://blondie.lnk.to/AgainstTheOddsPR

- UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro will release their new album Unprecedented, July 1 via UMe.  The album will be released as a black 2LP, a limited-edition white-color 2LP, 1CD, limited-edition cassette as well as digitally.  All formats include their new single “Sufferer”, which Ali has dedicated to his beloved friend and bandmate of over four decades, Astro, who tragically passed away last November.  ‘“Sufferer,’ is a song that Astro and I have always loved, from the brilliant Kingstonians,” comments Ali. “Astro was so proud of our version of this song, as am I. It’s the first track off our new studio album Unprecedented which will be out in the summer. This song is more poignant and special than I ever realized after Astro heartbreakingly passed away after recording this album. We want to keep his memory alive through his music and this song and album.”  Listen to “Sufferer” HERE

- The Summer of Smash Mouth is officially underway. With new lead singer Zach Goode already in full bloom leading the charge of the band’s beach-approved brand of high-energy alt-pop, Smash Mouth is perfectly poised for their next audacious move.  Today, UMe releases “Never Gonna Give You Up,” Smash Mouth’s truly bold and vibrant cover of British soul-pop sensation Rick Astley’s iconic 1987 hit single on all digital formats. This refreshingly zesty reimagining spotlights the vocal talents of the New Your City-born, Los Angeles-based Goode to an absolute T.  There’s no doubt Smash Mouth’s version of “Never Gonna Give You Up” is never gonna let you down, as it’s the perfect sonic libation to accompany all means and methods of summertime fun. Click HERE to listen now.  And that’s not all. Back on May 13, Republic Records released “All Star (Owl City Remix),” Owl City’s bold reimagining of Smash Mouth’s iconic 1999 hit single, on all digital formats. This fresh take on a perennial classic adds a new layer of sunny electronic pep to a song recognized worldwide for its inherently joyful get-up-and-go disposition. Click HERE to listen now.

- Gearing up for his momentous return to the road in the United States, tickets for James Bay’s much-anticipated North American headline tour go on-sale today. They are available HERE.  The three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and BRIT Award-winning multi-platinum singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist has revealed dates in major markets such as New York’s Irving Plaza on September 7^th, Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts on September 9^th, Boston’s Paradise Rock Club on September 10^th, and Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club on September 11^th.  The shows are adding to his current run supporting The Lumineers on their 2022 Brightside World Tour where he will be joining them on nine dates including Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on September 1^st and Chicago’s Wrigley Field on September 3^rd. Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.

- Neneh Cherry’s new album The Versions is out today, 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. Listen to ANOHNI’s version of Neneh’s empowering single “Woman,” where the pop provocateur lends her haunting vocals, delivering an arresting remake of the iconic original.  LISTEN TO THE VERSIONS HERE.  LISTEN TO “WOMAN” BY ANOHNI HERE

- All hail to Marcus King who ignited the stage of the Tonight Show last night with an electrifying performance of recent single “Hard Working Man.” King made his first tv performance of a song  from his forthcoming solo album, the highly anticipated, Young Blood, released August 26 on American Records / Republic.  Watch the performance HERE.  The 26-year-old Grammy nominated innovative songwriter and phenomenal performer on the rise to rock royalty with the release of Young Blood, a timeless concoction of swaggering rock and supersonic soul, drawing on his most stadium sized rock influences.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, and director Kid Cudi returns with a new single entitled “Do What I Want” via Republic Records.  Listen to “Do What I Want” HERE.  Most importantly, it heralds the arrival of his anxiously awaited eighth full-length offering and one of the most anticipated projects of 2022, Entergalactic. The NETFLIX project and accompanying album are coming this Fall. The project reunites Cudi with co-creator Ian Edelman who worked together on HBO’s “How To Make It In America.” Cudi also serves as an executive producer alongside Kenya Barris, through their respective production companies Mad Solar and Khalabo Ink Society.  Watch the teaser for Entergalactic HERE

-  Gaining momentum with the steady release of new music, 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kira Kosarin unveils a new song entitled “goodbye & thank u” via Republic Records today. Listen to “goodbye & thank u”–HERE.  The song sees Kira nostalgically say goodbye to a chapter in her life before welcoming a new one.

- Multi-platinum Icelanders Of Monsters and Men unveil their new TÍU EP via Republic Records featuring new single (and video for) “Lonely Weather”. This release  arrives on the heels of the world premiere of their TÍU short documentary at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City last night. To celebrate the premiere,  the band took the stage and performed three tracks from the EP, also featured in the doc.  Listen to TÍU—HERE.  Stream new track Lonely Weather - HERE.  Watch Lonely Weather video - HERE.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films today has announced McENROE, a captivating and powerful film that dives deep into the life of John McEnroe, one of tennis’ all-time greats who rose to world No. 1 for four consecutive years, all the while battling intense bouts of perfectionism and self-doubt. The documentary will have its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday, June 10, and will be available Friday, September 2 on all streaming and on demand platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, September 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The film will release theatrically in the U.K. on Friday, July 15.  To watch the trailer, visit: https://s.sho.com/SHOMcEnroe.

- One of the most popular series in television history will return fully restored to entertain old fans and new viewers when THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET: SEASONS 1 AND 2 arrive on four-DVD sets from MPI Media Group on June 21, 2022. The two sets contain 39 episodes each, representing the complete first two seasons (78 episodes) of the long-running sitcom ranked number 6 on Vulture’s list of “The 50 Most Definitive Family TV Shows.” The entire library of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet has been restored by MPI Media Group from the original 35mm picture and sound elements in association with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, which preserves the elements on behalf of the Nelson family.  For a record-breaking 14 seasons and 435 episodes, THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET aired on ABC-TV from 1952 through 1966, becoming one of the most cherished cultural touchstones of the 20th century. The positive, wholesome series epitomized an idyllic American 1950s lifestyle, its gentle humor brought to the screen by the real-life Nelson family: Ozzie and wife Harriet with their sons, David and Rick, all portraying themselves in a trend-setting blend of fact-meets-fiction comedy decades before Seinfeld and other semi-reality-based shows. 

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films this week announced SOPHIA from directors Jon Kasbe (When Lambs Become Lions, The Deep End) and Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack, Skate Kitchen). The documentary feature follows inventor David Hanson’s relentless quest to bring compassion and consciousness to Sophia, the most recognized humanoid robot in the world. SOPHIA will premiere at the Tribeca Festival tonight, Friday, June 10 at the Village East Theatre, ahead of a theatrical qualifying run this fall and a SHOWTIME premiere later this year. To watch a clip from SOPHIA, click here: https://youtu.be/qDYrK65Q4d0.  Tickets for SOPHIA at Tribeca Festival can be purchased here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/sophia-2022.

- SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films presents a film examining the improbable rise of one of boxing’s most guarded champions, Andre Ward, produced by Lebron James and Maverick Carter’s UNINTERRUPTED. The undefeated, five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist reveals his untold story in a deeply personal account of his journey from a turbulent childhood in Oakland, Calif., through the pressures of world championship expectations and ultimately to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame this weekend. The currently untitled film will premiere on SHOWTIME in early 2023.  “I always knew that one day I would tell my story in my own words. I’ve been waiting for the right moment and platform to do it, and the time is now,” said Ward. “I’m excited to be partnering with SHOWTIME and UNINTERRUPTED to bring this to life.  Many people know what I accomplished, but they don’t know what I overcame to get to this point. I pull back the curtain on my parents’ struggles with addiction, the lure of the street life following my father’s death, and my battles with the sport of boxing itself. This film will detail how I rose above it all through my faith, determination and desire to leave my own unique legacy no matter the cost.”