Around the Tubes: October 1, 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 Flight Attendant, The Lincoln Project, Schitt's Creek, Ramy, Solar Opposites, Spector, The Beach Boys, Oh Wonder, Little Big Town, Kid Cudi, All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephan Jackson, Tom and Jerry, and King Shaka.

- Buckle-up as the HBO Max dark comedy series that hooked audiences all around the world travels to your home as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases The Flight Attendant: The Complete Season 1 & 2 on DVD November 29, 2022. Follow all 16 episodes from seasons 1 and 2, plus more than an hour of bonus content that goes behind the scenes of the series for the ultimate fan! The Flight Attendant: The Complete Season 1 & 2 is priced to own at $39.99 SRP for the DVD. The series is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers.  Starring Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant is a story of how an entire life can change in one night. A flight attendant (Cuoco) wakes up in the wrong hotel, in the wrong bed, with a dead man – and no idea what happened. The dark comedic thriller is based on the novel of the same name by New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian.

- The Emmy^® nominated docuseries THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH continues the second half of its seventh season by focusing on the myriad legal threats facing former President Donald Trump.  Hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Jennifer Palmieri examine the metastasizing investigations, from courtrooms to Congress, into Trump's handling of classified documents, his role in the January 6th insurrection and his business dealings in the White House. For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/CMaZEQeitpU.  Episode includes: Veteran journalists Peter Baker and Susan Glasser on Trump’s unparalleled legal problems, Former Trump White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews on her testimony to the January 6th Committee about Trump's actions the day of the Capitol attack, Andrew Weissmann, senior prosecutor in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, on the Justice Department's investigations and the role of Attorney General Merrick Garland, Former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal on the Trump investigations, the Supreme Court and the rule of law.  

- SHOWTIME today released a new trailer for THE LINCOLN PROJECT, a five-part docuseries following the members of the Lincoln Project over the course of the 2020 election and its aftermath. The series will premiere on October 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and episodes will air back-to-back each Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. All five episodes will also release on demand and on streaming platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers on October 7.  To watch the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/nJWHmg3r1GQ.

- Every now and again, spending like a little bit of money on something really special can definitely help make you smile. And that's why I, like, commend Hulu for seeking us out at Alexis Rose Communications, because we totally get it.   Generally speaking, we at Alexis Rose Communications believe there is nothing wrong with asking for what you deserve. And after weeks and weeks of, like, heavy business negotiations with Hulu, I could absolutely not say no as a businesswoman. The world deserves the best. And I love that journey for them.  And now a special announcement. Boop.  Alexis Rose Communications is happy to bring you the world exclusive announcement that Hulu will be the official destination for Schitt's Creek beginning October 3rd.  TWITTER  FACEBOOK

- Get an insightful look into the new season with Hulu’s official Ramy Aftershow, One Cup of Tea, hosted by Ramy Youssef, Hiam Abbass and Laith Nakli. Each episode features special guests to help unpack the topics and themes of the groundbreaking Hulu Original series, which is now streaming on Hulu. 

- Check out the all-new trailer for Hulu's upcoming "Solar Opposites" Halloween special. The episode will premiere on October 3, 2022.

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films announced today that the network will air SPECTOR, a four-part documentary series produced by Lightbox from directors Sheena M. Joyce and Don Argott (Framing John Delorean, Believer) about enigmatic, legendary music producer Phil Spector and what happened on the fateful night of February 3, 2003 when actress Lana Clarkson was shot dead in his mansion. All four episodes of the docuseries will release on demand and on streaming platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers on Friday, November 4, ahead of its on-air premiere on Sunday, November 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.  To watch the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/iRA-uVTCQFw.

- The Beach Boys landmark albums, 1972’s Carl and the Passions – “So Tough” and 1973’s Holland, will take center focus in Sail On Sailor - 1972, a new expansive multi-disc and digital box set, releasing November 18^th via Capitol Records/UMe, that documents and dives deep into their transformative and fruitful 1972 era. The latest chapter in the Beach Boys’ archival series was produced by Mark Linett and Alan Boyd, the team behind 2013’s GRAMMY® Award-winning SMiLE Sessions and last year’s acclaimed Feel Flows – The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971, the comprehensive 6CD Super Deluxe Edition features newly remastered versions of Carl and the Passions – “So Tough” and Holland, plus Holland’s Mount Vernon and Fairway (A Fairytale) EP (complete with its original instructions to “please listen in the dark”), and boasts an unreleased live concert recorded at NYC’s famed Carnegie Hall on Thanksgiving, 1972, the first-ever release of a complete Beach Boys concert from this era with the original setlist.  Pre-order Sail On Sailor – 1972 and stream/share “You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone” (Live At Carnegie Hall, 1972): https://TheBeachBoys.lnk.to/SailOnSailorPR

- Oh Wonder has shared a new track “Can We Always Be Friends?,” which is available now on Republic Records. This comes ahead of the unique London band’s new album, 22 Make, which is due on October 7^th. This was previewed by brooding first single “Magnificent,” the anthemic “Fuck it I Love You,” and the cinematic “True Romance.”  “Can We Always Be Friends?” was hastily reworked hours before Oh Wonder went on honeymoon. Having started life as a pop banger, they just knew it wasn’t quite right. With vinyl deadlines looming and the very real deadline of a flight to catch, they stayed up all night reworking it into the louche, after-dinner jazz number it is now. It’s a song that sums everything up for Oh Wonder, and the album completing their two-part, 22 Break project; that no matter what, the connection between these two people can never really end. “We’ve got too much love,” they sing. “You and me together to the end: can we always be friends?” An album like 22 Make will leave you in no doubt that the answer is yes.

- The award-winning quartet known to all as Little Big Town recently wrapped a hectic summer tour after the release of their tenth studio album, Mr. Sunshine.  In the latest episode of The Spout Podcast, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook unpack stories from the road, admit they still get nervous before performing on national television, explain the process of picking who sings lead, ponder what shoes are best to wear with a romper, and decide which superpowers the Kardashians would embody if they appeared in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.  Listen to the full interview on The Spout Podcast HERE.

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, actor and director Kid Cudi proudly presents his anxiously awaited tenth full-length album and one of the most anticipated releases of 2022, Entergalactic. Delivering his most layered and leveled-up vision to date, it arrives in tandem with the companion NETFLIX project Entergalactic.  Listen to Entergalactic HERE.

- SHOWTIME Sports^® announces veteran journalist, host and NBA analyst Rachel Nichols is joining SHOWTIME Basketball, the fast-rising content vertical that features edgy, authentic and compelling content from every corner of the sport.  As both a host and producer, Nichols will contribute to multiple programs and projects from SHOWTIME Basketball across multiple platforms. The announcement comes as SHOWTIME Basketball’s successful video podcast ALL THE SMOKE WITH MATT BARNES AND STEPHEN JACKSON drops a new, revealing interview, her first sit-down since her 2021 departure from ESPN, where Nichols opens up about her journey in sports media and what has led to this next chapter in her expansive 25-year career. To watch and share the episode tease, click HERE.

- Just in time for the holidays, everyone’s favorite cat and mouse duo are back in action as Tom and Jerry: Snowman’s Land releases on Digital November 15, and DVD November 29, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, full-length animated family holiday film is filled with 72 minutes of toe-tapping tunes and hilarious hijinks and 3 classic episodes. Tom and Jerry: Snowman’s Land will be available to own on Digital for $14.99 SRP (US and Canada) and on DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.98 in Canada).

- SHOWTIME announced today that Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight) and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe (Tina -The Tina Turner Musical) will star, and Tony Kgoroge (Invictus), Sindi Dlatu (The River) and Bahle Hadebe (Bone of My Bones) will guest star in the highly anticipated new series KING SHAKA, an epic drama centered around one man’s personal journey from stigmatized childhood to legendary king. The CBS Studios production will shoot in the historic KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Africa province, the birthplace of King Shaka, and will be fully shot in South Africa. The series is produced with Propagate and Hill District Media and will debut on SHOWTIME in 2023.  

57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 25

 

House of the Dragon:  We have heard about her for a while and we finally get to meet Daemon’s wife and she did not disappoint, just mocking him, she will be a great addition to the cast… oh wait, she is already dead.  Well, fork.  Also gone really quick, the Sea Snake’s kid’s lover.  Maybe not try and blackmail a King’s Guard member.  Sign and now we are in for the largest time jump.  Shockingly the king was still in the previews for next week.  Just how long is that dud going to survive.

 

Tales of the Walking Dead:  A strong end to the season, I am always down for a haunted house (though not really down for bird murder).  Here is my official ranking of season one:

1)      Evie / Joe

2)      La Doña

3)      Blair / Gina

4)      Amy / Dr. Everett

5)      Dee

6)      Davon

 

City on a Hill:  I am actually a little surprised that the priest was the one who took a shot at Jackie.  Though, the suspect was very long.  Also surprising is that Dryden got wind of the investigation into him.  Will they be able to take him down with just one episode left this season?

 

Quantum Leap:  I have been asking for a reboot of this show ever since the reboot craze started about a decade or so ago.  Unfortunately they did not take me up on my suggestion of having Sam be the new Al.  They could not even get Scott Bakula at all.  After seeing what the show became, I am not surprised that he passed on the show.  What a flaming piece of hot garbage filled with too many people who cannot act including a scientist who thinks it is socially acceptable to show up to work in a suit fashioned like a crop top. As a whole, they just spent way too much time in 2022.  I vaguely remember one episode of the original spending one episode mostly in its present day, but was about it.  We rarely ever saw Al not in hologram form. This show needs to make a hard pivot and soon.  Have Ernie Hudson be the new Al, have Al’s daughter, who I am guessing will turn out to be doing her own rogue Quantum Leap program, and just get rid of everyone else from 2022.

 

Reboot:  Okay, I laughed way too hard at the song they played at the end of episode two.  But the Hulu executive may end up being the sneaky best part of the show, but I kind of feel bad for the actual head of comedy (but hey, they did give up this show, Only Murders in the Building, Dollface, and The Great).  And you have to wonder who at the network force the writer to cast some hot chick who cannot act, because dudes 18-34 do not care about acting skill.  The guy did create Modern Family so…

 

Andor: Call me old fashioned, but I prefer my television shows to be, you know, television shows.  While this show looked great, the performances were good, but the first three episodes felt more like a two hour movie split into three than three actual episodes of television.  But anyway.  Is that lady mechanic supposed to be Andor’s sister?

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  So One Eyed Willie survived, but did the other one survive?  It probably would be hard to just have her trying to kill herself every week.  But the big news of the week was that Serena tried to stay in Gilliad.  Wouldn’t she have to stand trial like Fred?  Does no one know she was the reason Fred was even captured by the Canadians.  I laughed at the American dude asking why she would want to go back when she was free now… and promptly put her back in detention when she was returned to Canada.

 

Tell Me Lies:  Nothing says bad parent quite like casting Peggy Bundy.  I laughed when Lucy tried to insist she had the worse mother.  Sure she may have forked another dude while your father was dying, but it is not like she sits on the couch all day eating Bon Bon’s.  But I really missed the side characters this week.  I really came to the realization this week that Stephan and Lucy may be my two least favorite characters on the show. But Lucy finding Stephan’s drawing at Macy really made me wonder when those pictures on his computer are from.  I was thinking they were taken at college, but now I am not sure.  But if they were taken while they were still in high school, that would make her very underage at the time.

 

Survivor:  Oh wow, I do not remember the last time the most annoying person went out first.  Usually annoying people are kept around because they are easy to beat at the final Tribal.  Okay, it was actually her clothing choice that was annoying; the elevator salesman probably had the more annoying personality.  I am just glad I do not have to spend most of the season staring at that rainbow outfit after having to look at that extremely annoying ostrich shirt for most of last season.

 

Stargirl:  I have been defending Shiv’s innocence all season, but now that she is growing her father’s dragon skin, the same time of dragon skin found at the crime scene.  Though, I do wonder if maybe there is a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on.  Or maybe her dead father is somehow taking over her conscience.

 

Resident Alien: So they killed off the alien tracker right after he found his kid?  That was cruel.  So what exactly happened to the kid?  Id the reason why the aliens stopped taking the tracker to his kid because the government captured him?  But where are the aliens that had him in the first place?

 

Big Sky:  I forget what happened to the Indians and why their henchman is now with Meadow Soprano, but Reba McIntire is a massive downgrade.  But obviously she was going to turn out to be the big bad of this season; it looks like she went into her plastic surgeon and asked for The Joker.

 

Around the Tubes: September 24, 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 Welcome to Chippendales, TikTok Boom, Guns n' Roses, The Beach Boys, Joy Oladokun, Shania Twain, Jeremy Zucker, Rina Sawayama, Hope Tala, Kid Cudi, Arkells, Ziwi, and Your Honor.

- Check out the new teaser for Hulu's upcoming Original limited series "Welcome to Chippendales," which premieres Tuesday, November 22 with two episodes. New episodes stream Tuesdays.  TEASER: HERE  SYNOPSIS: A sprawling true-crime saga, “Welcome to Chippendales” tells the outrageous story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee, an Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire—and let nothing stand in his way in the process.

-  How does a teenage dance app become an issue of national security? From Emmy-nominated director Shalini Kantayya, of the critically-acclaimed film “Coded Bias,” “TikTok, Boom.” makes its broadcast debut on INDEPENDENT LENS October 24, 2022 at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings). The film will also be available to stream on the PBS Video app.  “TikTok, Boom.” explores how a social media app, best known for videos of teenagers dancing, became the flashpoint of a geopolitical controversy between two superpowers—the U.S. and China. This Sundance favorite explores the impact of an app that eclipsed Silicon Valley to become a global cultural phenomenon reshaping the world. A cast of Gen Z influencers is central to the film, making this one of the most needed and empathetic films exploring what it means to be a digital native.

- UME/Geffen celebrates Guns N’ Roses’ incredible musical legacy with GUNS N' ROSES - USE YOUR ILLUSION I & II, the ultimate box set for the band’s 1991 multi-platinum releases Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. Set for release on November 11, 2022, GUNS N' ROSES - USE YOUR ILLUSION I & II SUPER DELUXES feature a total of 97 tracks, 63 are previously unreleased. Available in multiple configurations including a Super Deluxe Seven-CD + Blu-ray, a Super Deluxe Twelve-LP + Blu-ray, Two-CD Deluxe Editions of Use Your Illusion I & II separately, standard 1CD and 2LP versions of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II separately. In all formats, the original studio albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II have been fully remastered for the first-time ever, from high-resolution 96kHz 24-bit transfers from the original stereo 1/2-inch analog masters. All versions will be available to stream and as digital downloads, with all configurations available to pre-order and pre-save, HERE.

- Four of The Beach Boys’ most timeless and legendary songs – “Barbara Ann,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and “God Only Knows” – serve as the soundtrack to a stunning, unprecedented four-part video series that builds on itself to become one long narrative when watched in order or can be enjoyed individually. Available to view now at The Beach Boys Official YouTube Channel, the videos were directed by Andrew Litten, who’s worked with Anderson .Paak, Pusha T, and Earth, Wind & Fire, and the cinematic story was beautifully filmed in South Africa with a local cast of actors. The videos capture what it’s like to be young and in love as they trace a high school romance between surfing-obsessed Helena (Zoe Manoek) and Lucas (Toby De Goede), an aspiring photographer who’s the new kid in town, and the difficult decisions they each must make as graduation looms and their future’s beckon.  The video series, which has played out over the last two weekends, began with “Barbara Ann” on September 9^th  and culminated Sunday with “God Only Knows,” where young love is at a crossroads as high school comes to an end. Each chapter explores an aspect of escapism for the two main characters who are at the intersection of innocence and adulthood and mirrors the sentiments of the songs which were written in the mid-1960s when The Beach Boys were teenagers and young adults themselves and which resonant as strongly today as ever. In addition to the emotionally engaging story, the videos are filled with several Easter Eggs that pay homage to The Beach Boys legacy.  Watch the videos here: https://TheBeachBoys.lnk.to/MusicVideoSeriesPR

- Breakthrough singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun’s new song, “Sweet Symphony,” featuring Chris Stapleton, is out today. Listen/share HERE.  Reflecting on the song, Oladokun shares, “‘Sweet Symphony’ is a song I wrote about the love that I got to witness my parents share as a kid. It’s about the vulnerability, the fear, and the ups and downs that come from loving someone. Showing all of yourself so that someone else can accept and celebrate you is what it’s all about. I’m excited to have Chris Stapleton on this song not only because he has one of the most iconic voices on the planet, but also, he’s just an incredible songwriter, artist, and instrumentalist. I feel very lucky and honored that he wanted to be part of this song.”

- Five-time GRAMMY® Award-winning legend and the best-selling female artist in country music history Shania Twain has unveiled her first new single since 2017, “Waking Up Dreaming”. The single serves as her first release with her new label partner Republic Nashville, a division of Republic Records. Shania also released a video for the single, which was directed by Isaac Rentz.  Listen HERE.  Watch the video HERE.

 

- Jeremy Zucker releases the official video for his latest single “I’m So Happy” feat. BENEE—watch HERE.  The video shows the Multi-Platinum Certified singer, songwriter, and producer team up with the New Zealand alt-pop star to bring their breakup anthem to life. Released on Friday, the song has already received widespread praise, with UPROXX proclaiming, “Two of the faces of cynical gen-Z pop have combined forces for a new tongue-in-cheek breakup anthem,” and Consequence declaring, “One thing about Jeremy Zucker? He’s always going to tell it like it is.”

- Vevo, the world's leading music video network, announces the release of Rina Sawayama's live performance of "This Hell." "This Hell" follows Rina's previous Vevo Studio Performances of "Hold The Girl" and "Hurricanes."  All three tracks are off of Rina's new album Hold the Girl, released on September 16th, and follows her critically acclaimed 2020 album SAWAYAMA. Hold the Girl melds influences from across the pop spectrum and is a bold and honest statement of Rina’s personal evolution; coming to terms with her own past and the jubilation of turning to the future.

- West London-based songstress Hope Tala is back this week with the official video for her critically acclaimed new single, “Leave It On The Dancefloor,” out now via Republic Records—watch HERE.  In the John Hughes-style cinematic visual, which was directed by Eliot Lee and globally debuted on Facebook, Hope and “The Students in Detention at Talatown High School” idle away at their desks as the clock slowly ticks. However, they break out of this boredom and translate the dancefloor-ready energy of the song to the screen seamlessly. Just in time for back to school, this little slice of pop escapism grips onto the spirit of the summer and doesn’t let go. “Leave It On The Dancefloor” was made alongside songwriter Mozella (Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Jonas Brothers) and producer Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia, Beck).

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, actor and director Kid Cudi reveals a new single entitled “Willing To Trust” today. Listen to “Willing To Trust” HERE. It paves the way for his anxiously awaited tenth full-length album and one of the most anticipated projects of 2022, Entergalactic. The show and the album arrive on September 30^th.  Watch the trailer HERE  Pre-save Entergalactic HERE

- Arkells release their brand new studio record, Blink Twice, via Virgin Records. As the band stayed busy making music during the last two years, they always knew they would come out of the pandemic with two distinct records - Blink Once (50M+ streams) and its companion, Blink Twice, which showcases a new collection of songs and collaborations. Blink Twice’s current single “Past Life (ft. Cold War Kids)” sits atop the alternative radio charts in Canada this week.

-  The second season of the critically acclaimed late-night variety series ZIWE, starring and executive produced by Ziwe (Dickinson, Succession, The Great North) will return to SHOWTIME with six new episodes starting Friday, November 18 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, November 20 at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The season will continue to drop new episodes every Friday via streaming and on-demand platforms before appearing on air Sunday night.   The second installment of episodes will feature Ziwe’s signature sit-down interviews with guests including Michael Che, Julia Fox, Amber Riley, Blake Griffin, Joel Kim Booster, Bob The Drag Queen, DeRay Mckesson, Drew Barrymore and Wayne Brady. ZIWE will also feature special guest appearances by Marie Faustin, Benito Skinner, Chloe Cherry, Aparna Nancherla, River L. Ramirez, AnnaSophia Robb, John Reynolds, Larry Owens, Amy Sedaris, Laura Benanti, Scott Adsit, Jackie Hoffman and Josh Sharpe along with musical performances by Ziwe, sketches and more – including unscripted and unpredictable interactions with everyday people.  

- SHOWTIME announced today that the second season of YOUR HONOR, starring and executive produced by Oscar^® nominee and Emmy^® winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) will return on Friday, December 9, available on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, December 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Currently in production on the 10-episode second season, the series is executive produced by Emmy nominees Robert and Michelle King (The Good Fight, The Good Wife, Evil) and Liz Glotzer (Evil, The Good Fight), with Joey Hartstone (The Good Fight) serving as showrunner and executive producer for season two. The first season of YOUR HONOR ranks as the top debut season ever on SHOWTIME.  YOUR HONOR stars Cranston as Michael Desiato, a respected New Orleans judge whose upstanding life is derailed when his teenage son’s accidental hit-and-run killing of the son of notorious crime boss Jimmy Baxter (SAG Award winner Michael Stuhlbarg) led to a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices. Emmy nominee Hope Davis (Love Life, American Crime) stars as Jimmy’s wife, Gina, who is at times more dangerous and driven than her husband, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. (The Wire) stars as Charlie, a local politician and Michael’s best friend.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: September 18, 2022

 

House of the Dragon:  Finally some of the famous Targaryen incest we have been so much about.  Though that turned out to be very tame by Targaryen standards.  But pretty shocking that the princess would swear on her mother’s grave when she did let her guard go to town.  But kind of icky that the king did not believe either of their protests and still sent the moon tea anyway.

 

Tales of the Walking Dead:  I appreciate the attempt more than the execution of the episode.  But I guess that is the advantage of anthologies

 

City on a Hill:  I am not sure what I needed to see less, Jackie get excited post-surgery or the male nurse dealing with it.  But I felt like I miss something with Jackie getting shot seemingly out of nowhere.  I had to check and make sure I did not miss an episode.  So the mob is just trying to gun him down.  But it is interesting that, with the season winding down, we get a bottle episode with Jackie in the hospital.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  I know she went through something horrifically traumatic, but they are making June extremely unlikeable to the point that Serena the sympathetic one.  I say almost because then Serena had to go and use Hannah as a prop at Fred’s funeral.  But are other countries really going to show videos of the evil countries founding founders in whatever their version of Times Square is? 

 

I kind of forgot about Janine and the extremely young Handmaid.  We see Janine in the hospital, but did young Handmaid.  Might be a better alternative than being a rape doll for the old Commander.  But just how does Aunt Lydia know she is “fertile?”   I thought all of the current Handmaids were picked because they had kids when everyone else could not, certainly she had not become baby making age prior to Gilead becoming a nation.

 

Tell Me Lies:  They let us binge three episodes, ended that third episode with the shocking revelation that the skeazy dude took naughty pictures of the dead chick, and then they did not mention that at all this episode.  How rude.  But what is with all these dudes lasting seconds?  I am embarrassed for them all.

 

The Challenge: USA:  What a clusterfork from the start with Ben not being medically cleared to compete.  They should have either brought back the last eliminated guy or just have some quick competition that eliminated one of the women so there would be even teams.  Or, with Enzo quacking within seconds, let Desi continue and just have a team of two females for the rest of the finale.  Sarah got really lucky with one of the few legs that it might of actually been better to be alone  I would have thought the eating an onion would also be a nice stage to do by yourself, but Cayla could not even finish that by her.

 

Jasmine, who had to remember ten sets of numbers when the others had to memorize five each, and Angela, who was doubly screwed by having to shovel all that dirt (not even half the amount of everybody else, but 2/3’s the pile according to Tyson) and not being able to sleep at all.  Though if the rules state one had to shovel while the other slept, why was Angela not allowed to do the second part?  Just the selective rules where some people were allowed to time out, like Cayla and Jasmine when they were alone, but not Angela, or Sarah at the puzzle, but no one was allowed to time out in others, like everyone like everyone else at Sudoku.  Gee another part of the finale where Sarah got extremely lucky.  Ugg, now we are stuck with her with the world championship.  If you are going to go willy nilly with their rules, why are you doing it so someone so unlikable like Sarah gets to come back for another show?

 

Stargirl:  Shiv still acting very shady releasing the blackmail evidence.  But I am still going with Icicle Jr. as the killer who was acting just as shady this week.

Around the Tubes: September 17, 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 Ramy, The Lincoln Project, Huluween, Chucky, POV, Sublime, John Legend, Kid Cudi, RIAA Honors: Pioneers of Hip-Hop, Nickelback, Bonnie Raitt, Daya, Jeremy Zucker, Noah Kahan, Vera Blue, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Neil Diamond, Kiana Ledé, Nothing Compares, Farscape, and Euphoria.

- Hulu has debuted the official trailer and key art for the third season of the Emmy®-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series "Ramy." The new season returns with all ten episodes on September 30th. 

- SHOWTIME announced THE LINCOLN PROJECT, a five-part docuseries following the members of the Lincoln Project over the course of the 2020 election and its aftermath. The series will premiere on October 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and episodes will air back-to-back each Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. All five episodes will also release on demand and on streaming platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers on October 7.  To watch and share the teaser, visit: https://youtu.be/nl-T8Zpbhpk.  Directed by Fisher Stevens (Dirty Money, Before the Flood) and Karim Amer (The Vow, The Great Hack), THE LINCOLN PROJECT follows a veteran group of former GOP operatives and strategists known publicly as the Lincoln Project, the fastest-growing super PAC in America, as they take on the task of “saving democracy” and defeating their own party’s sitting president.

-  In celebration of Huluween, 20th Digital Studio’s Bite Size Halloween series of spooky shorts is back for a third season! Twenty new shorts from exciting emerging filmmakers premiere October 1 on Hulu, blending genres like horror, comedy, sci-fi, thriller, and more.   Shot in seven different countries, this season takes on topical issues such as racism, gender, parenthood, sexuality, and identity. SNATCHED (dir. Michael Schwartz) features Tatiana Maslany (“She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law”) in her first on-screen role with husband Brendan Hines (“Locke & Key”). Misha Osherovich (“Freaky”) stars as their son.  Other shorts feature familiar faces like Brigette Lundy-Paine (“Atypical”), Lin Shaye (“Insidious”), David Costabile (“Breaking Bad”), and former “Glow” co-stars Rebekka Johnson and singer-songwriter Kate Nash who co-wrote/directed/star in a short featuring Nash’s original music. 

- CHUCKY is a continuation of the iconic film franchise chronicling the murderous escapades of the notorious killer doll. In the TV series, Chucky crosses paths with archenemies, old allies and new prey, as he seeks to inspire fear and mayhem wherever he goes. After his diabolical plan to invade America’s children’s hospitals was foiled in season one, Chucky now seeks revenge on those he holds responsible: surviving teens Jake (Zackary Arthur), Devon (Björgvin Arnarson) and Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind), along with his ex Tiffany, now his sworn enemy. Meanwhile, can “Jevon” make it as a couple in the face of adversity at their new Catholic school, not to mention a brand-new onslaught of terror from the demon doll?  Premieres on USA & SYFY October 5 at 9pm, "CHUCKY" OFFICIAL TRAILER LINK HERE

- POV, currently celebrating its 35th anniversary season as America’s longest running non-fiction series, unveils a counter-narrative of the last 30 years of Muslim life in America in the documentary, An Act of Worship, directed by Pakistani-American director Nausheen Dadabhoy. The film is produced by DuPont-Crichton Award-winner Heba Elorbany, Emmy® Award-winner Kristi Jacobson, and Emmy-nominated Sofian Khan. An Act of Worship will make its national broadcast premiere on Monday, October 17, 2022 on POV (check local listings) and will be available to stream free until November 16, 2022 at pbs.org, and the PBS Video app. In addition to standard closed captioning for the film, POV, in partnership with audio description service DiCapta, provides real time audio interpretations for audiences with sensory disabilities.

- Sony’s 3000 Pictures, Chernin Entertainment, Dave Kaplan and Peter Paterno are developing a film on the iconic band Sublime, to be directed by Francis Lawrence (Catching Fire, Constantine). Four-time Emmy nominee Chris Mundy (Ozark) is writing the script, with Peter Chernin, Jenno Toping and David Ready from Chernin Entertainment, Francis Lawrence from about:blank, and Dave Kaplan of Surfdog/DKM and Peter Paterno of KHPS producing.  Sublime band members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, Troy Nowell and Jakob Nowell on behalf of Bradley Nowell’s estate, and Surfdog/DKM’s Scott Seine are executive producing. Cameron MacConomy is executive producing for about:blank.

- Multi-platinum, 12-time Grammy Award-winner John Legend debuted the music video for “Wonder Woman,” from his eighth studio album, LEGEND, out now via Republic Records.   A tribute to the power and grace of women, the video – which was shot in the Tuscan region of Italy by filmmaker Nabil Elderkin, who originally introduced the couple in 2006 and who directed the video for “All of Me” in 2013 — was released on Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen’s  ninth wedding anniversary.  Watch the touching visual HERE.  LEGEND is available to stream/download HERE. 

- GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, actor and director Kid Cudi has announced a pre-save for his anxiously awaited tenth full-length album and one of the most anticipated projects of 2022, Entergalactic. In addition to the pre-save, Cudi and NETFLIX also revealed the official trailer for the project. The show and the album will be released on September 30^th.  Watch the trailer HERE.  Pre-save Entergalactic HERE

- The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) last night celebrated creators who impact American music, culture and society with a star-studded event at their state-of-the-art headquarters in Washington, DC. Dubbed RIAA Honors: Pioneers of Hip-Hop this year, the groundbreaking accomplishments of Grandmaster Flash, MC Lyte, Jeff Harleston and Chairman Hakeem Jeffries drew an influential crowd from both the music industry and Capitol Hill.  RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier welcomed the esteemed guests saying, “thank you for joining us in the RIAA’s new home – our own museum of music honoring the greatest of the great from rock to pop to Latin to jazz, and of course, Hip-Hop. From New York streetcorners all the way to Capitol Hill, few can claim the kind of greatness these pioneers have created and championed. And tonight, we celebrate their contributions to the power of Hip-Hop!”

- Diamond-certified multi-platinum selling Canadian rock band Nickelback has released the video for their latest single, "San Quentin," from their forthcoming and highly anticipated new album Get Rollin', out November 18 via BMG. The video finds the band performing an impromptu concert, with a surprise cameo from popular TikTok creator Kristina Collins, AKA KallMeKris, who has been participating in viral banter with Nickelback in recent months on the platform. Watch HERE.  The single "San Quentin" was inspired after frontman Chad Kroeger met a real-life warden from the notoriously high-security California prison. The song follows as he plots his clever escape. Stream HERE. In addition to "San Quentin," the band's forthcoming project will feature ten new tracks, all penned by Nickelback.  

- Bonnie Raitt has just finished releasing her entire Capitol Records music video catalog in remastered High Definition video. A joint initiative was launched in 2019 between YouTube Music and Universal Music Group to upgrade some of the most iconic music videos of all time to the highest visual quality, to ensure that current and future generations will be able to see and hear timeless classics as they’ve never been experienced before. Raitt has joined this initiative with the re-release of 13 of her Capitol Records era music videos made between 1989 – 2006, available now on her Official YouTube Channel.  Four videos from Raitt’s timeless March 1989 classic Nick of Time were the first to be re-released, including “Love Letter,” “Nick Of Time,” “Have A Heart,” and “Thing Called Love” (a truly iconic, flirtatious video clip featuring noted actor/musician Dennis Quaid). The reissue of the videos coincided with the induction of Nick of Time (32nd Annual GRAMMY-winner for Album of the Year) as one of 25 benchmark audio recordings for this year’s National Recording Registry. The Library of Congress has chosen to preserve Nick of Time as a recording that helped shape our nation’s history and culture, bringing the registry up to 600 works. (Read the full list of 2022 inductees here.)

- Award-winning, multi-platinum pop singer-songwriter Daya has lifted the curtain on In Between Dreams, available today at all DSPs via Sandlot/AWAL. The anticipated new EP arrives with two new official visualizers for standout tracks “See You In My Dreams” and “New Romantics,” streaming now on Daya’s official YouTube channel HERE.  LISTEN TO IN BETWEEN DREAMS EP.  WATCH “SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS” OFFICIAL VISUALIZER.  WATCH “NEW ROMANTICS” OFFICIAL VISUALIZER.  The EP was first heralded by the acclaimed first single, “Love You When You’re Gone,” and “Her.” Produced by The Gifted (Tate McRae, Kygo), “Love You When You’re Gone” is joined by an official music video streaming now at YouTube. 

- Multi-Platinum Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Jeremy Zucker returns with a new collaboration with New Zealand alt-pop star BENEE entitled “I’m So Happy”. It marks his first release since 2021 and kickstarts a new sonic chapter—listen to “I’m So Happy” feat. BENEE HERE.  “I’m So Happy” sees Jeremy evolve once again. His voice rises and falls in waves of delicate emotion over a rich sonic landscape, and meanwhile, BENEE provides an equally irresistible verse as both artists’ collective voices melt into an addictive hook. Most importantly, “I’m So Happy” heralds Jeremy’s next era as it paves the way for his forthcoming new project and much more to come.

- Gearing up for a new chapter, singer and songwriter Noah Kahan unveils his new single entitled “Northern Attitude” out now via Mercury Records/Republic Records—listen HERE. It heralds the arrival of his highly anticipated third full-length album, Stick Season, available on October 14^th. Pre-order/pre-save Stick Season now HERE.  Noah initially teased “Northern Attitude” on TikTok, and the clip has impressively generated over 1.1 million views and nearly 200 thousand “likes.” In the process, it dramatically increased anticipation for the song’s official release. On the track, sparse guitar rings out between pensive, plainspoken, and powerful verses. As the emotion builds, Noah sings, “If I get too close, and I’m not how you hoped. Forgive my northern attitude. Oh, I was raised in the cold.”

- On October 28^th, Vera Blue will release Mercurial, one of the year’s most anticipated Australian albums. Today, she gifts us with “Mermaid Avenue,” a dazzling tapestry of glittering electronica and delicate ethereal vocals that we are accustomed to with Vera Blue. Listen HERE.  10-track Mercurial will include the electropop ballad “The Curse,” as well as new single “Mermaid Avenue,” and is available to pre-order and pre-save today HERE. 

- Much like Santa Claus himself, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong devoted his life to “the cause of happiness,” as he once put it, bringing joy to audiences around the globe every time he put his trumpet to his lips or crooned with his instantly-recognizable, gravelly voice. Yet, while Satchmo’s holiday recordings have become standard yuletide fare, he never released a Christmas album during his lifetime. Now, for the very first time, Louis Wishes You A Cool Yule – out October 28 via Verve Records/UMe, presents Armstrong’s holiday recordings as a cohesive body of work, marking his first-ever official Christmas album.  Pre-order Louis Wishes You A Cool Yule: https://louisarmstrong.lnk.to/LouisXmas

- On October 28, Capitol/UMe will celebrate the full breadth of Neil Diamond’s holiday spirit with the release of A Neil Diamond Christmas, a special, artist-curated compilation of the greatest songs culled from Neil’s four beloved and best-selling Christmas albums. The tracks Neil has personally selected for this compilation all originally appeared on September 1992’s The Christmas Album, October 1994’s The Christmas Album Volume II, October 2009’s A Cherry Cherry Christmas, and November 2016’s Acoustic Christmas.  A Neil Diamond Christmas will appear in four physical configurations: 2LP 180-gram black vinyl, an exclusive, limited-edition gold opaque 2LP 180-gram vinyl, 2CD, and 1CD. All of the tracks on A Neil Diamond Christmas have been newly remastered under the artist’s direction by Neil’s longtime engineer, Bernie Becker. Additionally, Neil and Bernie created a stunning new mix of “O Holy Night,” originally released on The Christmas Album. Preorder A Neil Diamond Christmas HERE.

- Patinum-selling Phoenix-born and Los Angeles-based artist Kiana Ledé is back with her new track “Irresponsible” via The Heavy Group/Republic Records.  Listen to “Irresponsible”: HERE,  “Irresponsible” opens with dreamy doowop-style piano as her harmonies glisten. A hypnotic beat laced with guitar kicks in as she details difficulties with trust in a relationship. Once again, she holds nothing back lyrically as the hook takes flight. Stay tuned for a whole lot more from Kiana Ledé in 2023.

- SHOWTIME announced today its feature documentary NOTHING COMPARES will have an awards-qualifying run starting Friday, September 23 at Cinema Village in New York and Laemmle Monica Film Center in Los Angeles. The film will be available to stream for SHOWTIME subscribers Friday, September 30 ahead of its on-air premiere Sunday, October 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The documentary will release theatrically in the U.K. and Ireland on Friday, October 7. To watch and share the trailer, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VLy1A4En4U.  

- Shout! Factory TV and The Jim Henson Company present Farscape – the streaming event that’s out of this world! Watch every exciting episode of Farscape including the final Emmy-nominated miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars. Named by TV Guide as one of television's best cult shows ever, "Farscape" has continued to find new audiences around the world and has taken its place within the vast canon of science fiction.  Your mission begins Friday September 23rd at 5pm PT/8pm ET.  Watch on Shout! Factory TV and stream 24/7 on the  Farscape FAST channel

- HBO’s mind-blowing drama series is coming to DVD on November 1, 2022, from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The 5-Disc set features all 16 one-hour episodes from Seasons 1 and 2, plus the 2 special episodes that bridge seasons 1 and 2. With over two hours of bonus content that goes behind the scenes of the series for the ultimate fan, Euphoria: Seasons 1-2 is priced to own at $39.99 SRP for the DVD ($44.98 in Canada). The series is also available to own on Digital via purchase from digital retailers and to stream on HBO Max.  Multimedia superstar Zendaya stars in this drama series that follows a group of high-school students as they navigate a mine field of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship in today's increasingly unstable world.