Around the Tubes: October 15, 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 L Word: Generation Q, God Forbid: The Sex Scandal that Brought Down a Dynasty, Next at the Kennedy Center, The 1975, Sting, Florence + the Machine, Hope Tala, Noah Kahan, Janice, Huluween, and And Just Like That.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for the new season of THE L WORD: GENERATION Q, the returning series based on the groundbreaking drama series THE L WORD^®. Packed with jaw-dropping surprises and guest stars, including musicians Kehlani and Fletcher, Margaret Cho, Joanna Cassidy and Joey Lauren Adams, season three will premiere Friday, November 18 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut Sunday, November 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.  To watch and share the trailer, visit: https://youtu.be/cga77KHzbqA.

- Check out the trailer and for Hulu's upcoming Original documentary, "God Forbid: The Sex Scandal that Brought Down a Dynasty," which premieres Tuesday, November 1.  TRAILER: HERE  In this revealing documentary, Giancarlo Granda, former pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel, shares the intimate details of his 7-year relationship with a charming older woman, Becki Falwell, and her husband, the Evangelical Trump stalwart Jerry Falwell Jr. Directed by Billy Corben, GOD FORBID: THE SEX SCANDAL THAT BROUGHT DOWN A DYNASTY outlines Granda’s entanglement with the Falwell’s seemingly perfect lives and the overarching influence this affair had on a presidential election. GOD FORBID is executive produced by Corben and Alfred Spellman for Rakontur and Adam McKay and Todd Schulman of HyperObject.

- The Emmy^® nominated docuseries THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH continues its seventh season this week as candidates face off on the debate stage in Ohio and Georgia, two crucial states that could determine control of the Senate come November.  With less than four weeks until election day, hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Jennifer Palmieri are joined by guest host Errin Haines, the award-winning editor-at-large for The 19th and former Associated Press national writer on race and ethnicity. The episode explores how two Donald Trump-endorsed candidates find themselves in tight races, despite a political climate that should be in their favor.  For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/VXMiDl52NZs. 

- PBS set a new date for the upcoming premiere of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, the public broadcaster’s recently announced collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to spotlight critical contributions to the arts that continue to inspire contemporary artists. Over the next three years, this primetime series of performance specials will explore the enduring influence of artistic changemakers across art forms, genres, and backgrounds. The first five-episode season of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER will premiere with “Let My Children Hear Mingus” on Friday, Oct. 14, at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS Video app.  Captured to match the unique style of the artists, each episode of NEXT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER will weave together performances filmed live at the Kennedy Center with intimate backstage moments and first-person commentary. The debut episode, “Let My Children Hear Mingus,” celebrates the legacy of composer, bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus (1922-1979), a seminal figure in American culture — a leader who spent his life pushing against musical norms and social injustice — during the centennial anniversary of Mingus’ birth.

- Vevo, the world's leading music video network, announces the release of The 1975’s Official Live Performance of “Oh Caroline” off their new album Being Funny In A Foreign Language, out today via Dirty Hit. Vevo’s Official Live Performances are the result of close creative collaboration with artists and their teams, resulting in a series of very special exclusive performances. The 1975 previously worked with Vevo in 2017 on Vevo Presents performances of “Somebody Else,” “Lostmyhead” and “Medicine.”  Official Live Performances are the flagship original content for Vevo, working with the biggest names in music. Specifically tailored creatives meant to fit the vision of each individual artist chosen, these performances connect artists with their global audience of fans adding to their visual library.

- A&M/UMe releases a digital-only 35th-Anniversary Expanded Edition of Sting’s stunning second solo album, ...Nothing Like the Sun. The album title was lovingly adopted from Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 130 (“My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”).  The 26-track Expanded Edition features the original 12 songs on the album plus 14 bonus tracks that consist of B-sides, remixes, alternate versions, and instrumentals (full track listing included below). Listen or purchase Sting’s ...Nothing Like the Sun – Expanded Edition HERE.

- Dance Fever (Live at Madison Square Garden), a surprise new live album from Florence + the Machine, is out today—listen here. Recorded at the band’s two sold out Madison Square Garden shows last month, the album features live versions of tracks from the much-lauded new album Dance Fever—including “Free,” “King” and “Dream Girl Evil”—plus classics from throughout the band’s career.  Dance Fever (Live at Madison Square Garden) will be released on vinyl on April 14, 2023 and is available for pre-order today. Get it here.

- Continuing her string of critically acclaimed releases this fall, West London-based songstress Hope Tala reveals her latest single “Stayed at the Party” today via Republic Records—listen HERE. For the song, Hope once again collaborated with legendary producer Greg Kurstin [Adele, Sia, Beck].  On the song, cinematic orchestration gives way to acoustic guitar and whispery vocals from Hope. Wrapped in warm strings, it slips into an entrancing chorus, as she sings, “So I’ll just stay at the party, dance ‘till my feet hurt, tell all my friends I love them for no reason.” With the detail of a novelist and her captivating delivery on point, Hope strikes a balance between the tension of a world on the brink and the elation of a never-ending night out.

- Critically-acclaimed Vermont singer and songwriter Noah Kahan releases his long-awaited new album Stick Season via Mercury Records/Republic Records—listen HERE.  Noah says, “This album is a love letter to New England, and an attempt to paint an honest picture at what it’s like to live in a small town. Living in isolation in Vermont was incredibly challenging, but it brought about a unique perspective on small town life. These 14 songs help tell that story.”

- After recently returning to deliver her captivating single “Don’t Lay It All On Me”, Grammis nominated (the Swedish Grammy awards) Swedish soul singer Janice has now released her eagerly-awaited new EP The Playlist, alongside the mesmerizing new single "My Kind Of Woman".  Featured in the new Netflix series ‘The Playlist’, a fictional series set around the origins of Spotify in which Janice also makes her acting debut, the new four-track EP was exclusively written for the series, where she plays one of the leading characters Bobbie T, with three of the original works appearing in the show.

 

- Verve Records/UMe and Third Man Records have partnered to resurrect the popular reissue series, Verve By Request, with a vinyl twist. Focusing on rare gems and fan-requested jazz albums from the Verve Label Group’s stable of iconic labels, the series will offer two titles per month – each hand-picked by Verve and Third Man Records. The records will include both long-out-of-print titles from the vault as well as the first-ever vinyl pressings for albums released in the ‘90s and aughts that were only originally released on CD.  Albums will be newly remastered from original analog sources, when available, and pressed on audiophile-quality, 180-gram vinyl at Third Man Pressing in Detroit. Each month, a limited Third Man Edition yellow color variant of each LP will also be available exclusively via Third Man Records and uDiscoverMusic. Each of the Third Man Editions will come in a limited edition, two-color, screen-printed jacket on archival French cover stock, custom printed and assembled in Detroit. The series launches on November 11 with a nod to Third Man’s birthplace with two of Detroit’s finest: Alice Coltrane’s Ptah, the El Daoud (1970) and Roy Brooks’ long out-of-print Beat (1964).

- 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.

- Get set for the highly-anticipated return of Carrie Bradshaw and her stylish, best girlfriends as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases the first season of And Just Like That…, the new chapter of the groundbreaking HBO series Sex and the City on DVD December 13, 2022. And Just Like That… The Complete First Season will include all 10 episodes of the show’s first season and is priced to own at $24.98 SRP. The series, which has been renewed for a second season, is also available to own on Digital via purchase from all major digital retailers and is streaming on HBO Max.  From executive producer Michael Patrick King, And Just Like That…, brings the iconic characters of Sex and the City back for exciting all-new series, which finds Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) navigating the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 9, 2022

 

House of the Dragon:  I am not sure if it says more about me or the show that I found the kid fight the most entertaining thing this show has done so far.  But it is nice to see that Ser Cristian Cole has a line and that line is plucking out the eye of a young kid.  Then the best part of the aftermath was Daemon just hanging out in the back even though his kids were the ones that instigated the whole thing.  But I do wonder where the Sea Snake will land on the impending war between the greens and the blacks.  Both of his children were married to people who quickly married each other after becoming widows.  But they still have four grandchildren, though two bare someone else’s name and while the other two have his name, they certainly do not have his hair.  Of course the way to solve this problem is, in the grand Valerian tradition, is to just marry the cousins to each other, and then their kids would carry on the Valerian name and blood (as long as they do not become king and take the Targaryen name).  It is gross that I actually thought of this as a solution.

 

The Walking Dead:  Yippie, part 3 of the final season is upon us.  Except I vaguely remember what happened in part two.  I remember the evil dude going to Negan’s compound and killing people and that is why he is chasing them, but I forget what was going on in the city and why those people are being chased.  Worse, I do not even care to search the internet to find out why.

 

Quantum Leap: So Al’s daughter has what I assume is a hologram room somewhere, so will Ben have two people talking to him?  Will the two holograms be able to see / hear each other?  Will Al’s daughter be able to block the other chick somehow?  I say this every week and will likely continue to say it until I will it into existence, but just have Al’s daughter be the hologram and get rid of everyone else in 2022.  But it looks like Ben is already jumping into female bodies, I looked it up and this did not happen until the second season of the original, thirteenth episode overall.

 

La Brea:  The most interesting setup of the second season was Scott going into the big glass building in the middle of 10,000 BC, yet he does not show up until the end of the episode and they seemingly just yadda-yaddaed him going into the building.  They better be filling in the gap in the next episode because that building in the most interesting part of the show.  Where did it come from?  Who build it?  How did they build it?  Could they be rewarding the cave people for uncovering the stuff they are digging for?  And just how hard would it be to get into that hole in 1988?  There cannot be a barricade with police all around it, just walk until you find a gap. 

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  So June is now back under the control of Giliad?  I know every other time she escape and was captured, she was returned with mostly a slap on the wrist, but they cannot just put her back as being a handmaid after murdering a Commander and helping so many escape with her.  Even if they do send her back to like as a handmaid, is the show really going back to season one thru three?  And Luke definably should not be spared.  Yet, I am sure both will somehow survive, and hopefully escape.  Then is Serena a prisoner now?  It seems like she is very limited as to what she can do and where she can do at that house she is living at.

 

Tell Me Lies:  Bree sure like using her hand.  At least she found someone to reciprocate.  So those two are just going to date for the next six or so years?  Will Bree ever learn how Evan confessed his love to Lucy? 

 

Survivor:  Those guys really made the wrong choice there; the time to dump Nnecka was last week.  One of them even said they made their bed now they have to lay in it.  They already burned that bridge with Noelle and the other dude (whose name I still have not bothered to learn, like most people this season), how are they supposed to trust them?  If they go back, it is 2-2, and they will stuck having to go with a 50-50 shot to correctly play the idol.  Might as well vote off Noelle this week, and then they could get rid of the guy if they go back. 

 

Stargirl:  I really hope Shiv reconsiders Mike and Jakeem’s offer because that trio could be like a bad 80’s teen comedy right there.  Maybe they can have the pink pen force her to join their sub faction.  But she will need some new allies after Wildcat found the Gambler’s laptop in he room

 

Big Sky:  Yeah, I guess it makes perfect sense the creepy psychopath is obsessed with Miley Cyrus.  But what exactly will creepy momma do with the knowledge that Cassie is on to him?  And does Cassie know he is creepy momma’s kid?

 

She-Hulk:  He was not quite Madisynn, but the Rabbit guy was fairly entertaining in his own right.  But Todd has to behind this all.  Though, it would be hilarious if it turns out to be Mephisto who is behind everything.  That kind of would be the perfect way to end the season.  With all the winking this show does, it is surprising they did not do any Mephisto teasing, but I guess they did write this long before Wandavision premiered.

 

Pennyworth:  So the last season ended with the start of a civil war and the new season starts five year later skipping over all the fighting and Britain (mostly) back to normal.  How very Hot D of them.  But Lucius has a basement full of meta-humans, I have feeling the blue guy will not be the only one escaping this season.

 

A Friend of the Family:  I have got through the first two episodes (releasing two episodes up front in mildly annoying, but four episodes is absurd, especially when you are just doing 9 total and they are all pushing a full hour).  That first episode was boring, and then the second episode was extremely weird.  I just do not know how they stretch this story out to seven more episodes.

Around the Tubes: October 8, 2022

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on Let the Right One In,  The Paloni Show! Halloween Special!, R.E.M., Lyn Lapid, Oh Wonder, Jon McLaughlin, Vera Blue, Ed, Edd n Eddy, The Circus, All the Smoke, and Koala Man, The I Love The 90s Tour.

- SHOWTIME released the series premiere of its new thriller, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, early for free online sampling on streaming platforms and on demand to subscribers and non-subscribers ahead of its October 7 premiere. The episode is available now on Sho.com and Showtime.com, as well as across multiple SHOWTIME partner platforms.  The new series stars Oscar nominee Demián Bichir (A Better Life), Tony winner Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, Power) and rising young actress and singer Madison Taylor Baez (Selena: The Series) as well as Grace Gummer (Mr. Robot), Ian Foreman (Merry Wish-Mas), Jacob Buster (Colony), Nick Stahl (Sin City) and Kevin Carroll (Snowfall). LET THE RIGHT ONE IN is executive produced by award-winning playwright, writer and producer Andrew Hinderaker (Away, PENNY DREADFUL) who also serves as showrunner. Seith Mann (HOMELAND, #FreeRayshawn, Raising Dion) is also an executive producer and directed the pilot, as well as multiple episodes. Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements are executive producers for Tomorrow Studios (an ITV Studios partnership). Alex Yves Brunner, Simon Oakes and Carl Molinder also serve as executive producers. Alissa Bachner is co-executive producing, and Bichir serves as a producer on the series. The 10-episode series officially premieres on streaming and on demand Friday, October 7, with its on-air premiere Sunday, October 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

- Check out the all-new trailer for Hulu's upcoming "The Paloni Show! Halloween Special!," from "Solar Opposites" creator Justin Roiland. The special stars Roiland, Zach Hadel, Pamela Adlon, Vatche Panos, and Karl Wahlgren. It premieres on October 17, 2022.  TRAILER: HERE

- Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, and long-time friend and promoter Velena Vego announce a special two-night benefit concert celebrating one of the most prolific rock bands, R.EM., and their debut E.P. Chronic Town. This once-in-a-lifetime concert celebrates the 40th anniversary of one of our most legendary rock bands while also bringing together musicians across all genres who have long-admired R.E.M. and their culture-shifting catalog.    Both evenings will be hosted by award-winning Comedian David Cross, with Rich Robinson and other special guests performing the five-track E.P. in its entirety including “Gardening At Night,” “Wolves, Lower,” and “1,000,000.” Additional guest performances will include fan-favorite tracks spanning the decades. Dates for the two-night benefit are set for December 14 at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA, and December 15 at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, GA. All net proceeds from the concert will benefit Planned Parenthood. General ticket on-sale for the Coca-Cola Roxy show will begin on October 7 at 10am/ EST. Tickets for the 40 Watt Club performance will begin on October 11 at 10am/ EST.   The house band for this two-night spectacular consists of Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, R.E.M.) on drums, Sven Pipien (The Black Crowes) on bass, as well as Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes) on the guitar and vocals. Additional world-renowned artists confirmed to perform include, Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, Darius Rucker, Steve Wynn, Kevin Kinney of Atlanta-based rock band, Drivin’ N Cryin’, John Cameron Mitchell, Fred Armisen, David Ryan Harris, Lenny Kaye of Patti Smith Band, Elf Power, Pylon Reenactment Society, and producer of Chronic Town, Mitch Easter of Let’s Active. The Indigo Girls and John Driskell Hopkins of Zac Brown Band will join the performance on December 14 only.  In addition to the star-studded list of legendary artists announced, fans can also expect surprise performances from other very special guests each night.  

- After releasing her debut EP this past spring, 20-year-old breakout songstress Lyn Lapid is back today with her latest single “Detached”—listen HERE.  On “Detached”, once again Lyn Lapid opens up without fear. Out of the gate, her emotionally charged vocals shine over glimmering piano and cinematic production. The verses give way to a question, “How are you so detached?” The song seesaws between intimate introspection and soaring vocal dynamics. “Detached” hints at the energy and honesty of Lyn’s next chapter, beginning now. She originally posted a viral TikTok teasing the track, which gathered over 1 million views and 200 thousand likes.

- Oh Wonder has shared their much-anticipated new album 22 Make, which is available now on Republic Records and features its titular focus track—listen HERE.  An emotionally unguarded but ultimately positive body of work, 22 Make includes “Can We Always Be Friends?”, brooding first single “Magnificent”, the anthemic “Fuck It I Love You”, and cinematic road movie “True Romance”. It completes Oh Wonder’s two-part 22 Break project, whose first installment was teased last year and continues the group’s remarkable journey together thus far. 

- Island Def Jam/UMe celebrates the 15^th Anniversary of Jon McLaughlin’s stirring debut album, Indiana, by releasing a remastered, digital-only 15 Year Anniversary edition on all streaming partners. Initially released in 2007, the digital-only deluxe edition features a new a cappella version of the title track “Indiana” featuring Straight No Chaser, as well as two as two b-sides from the original recording session, one of which has never been released. A CD and LP version will also be released at a future date. Indiana will be available to stream or purchase on Friday, October 7 HERE.  Indiana produced two singles, “Beautiful Disaster,” and “Human.” The lead single, “Beautiful Disaster,” was originally released in April 2007 and peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart. The song was also featured in the 2007 movie Georgia Rule and the TV series A Little Thing Called Life. The second single, “Human,” found great success and was featured in the hit TV series Scrubs, Flashpoint, and Ghost Whisperer. All Music reported that Indiana was “packed with tunes that tackle love, loss, family, and friends with all the honesty and ardor of a young troubadour setting out to make his mark with nothing but a piano and some great pop hooks.”

- Following the 50^th anniversaries of Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ seminal albums Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat, 2022 will see the legendary singer-songwriter celebrate 1972’s Catch Bull At Four with a newly remastered 50^th anniversary edition. The platinum-selling title, which marked Cat Stevens’ most successful chart album, will be available on vinyl for the first time since its original release on both 180-gram black vinyl and limited edition 180-gram orange vinyl, which will be available exclusively on CatStevens.com, UDiscover Music and Sound Of Vinyl. Catch Bull At Four will also return to CD for the first time since its reissue in 2000 and the new remaster will also be available for streaming in both standard and stunning hi-resolution audio. All formats will be released December 2^nd via A&M/UMe.  Pre-order Catch Bull At Four: ycs.lnk.to/CatchBullRemasteredPR

- Vera Blue reveals the official video for her new single “Mermaid Avenue” today—watch HERE. The song is from her upcoming new album Mercurial, set for release on October 28^th. Pre-order and pre-save the album HERE.  On the video, Vera Blue says, “The video for ‘Mermaid Avenue,’ directed by friend and creative weapon Billy Zammit, is all the video ever needed to be. Magical, dreamy, nostalgic, and moody with splashes of light, colour, melancholy emotions, and beautiful views. I love the rawness of this clip and the way it perfectly paints the picture and setting of what the song is about. It’s bittersweet with an emotive performance, and I truly hope you all enjoy it. I loved working with Billy on this one, and we are so proud of what we’ve created together by the ocean.”

- Grab the popcorn, and get ready to revisit some of your favorite classic Cartoon Network series! For the first time ever on Digital and DVD, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Complete Series and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends: The Complete Series on Oct. 18, and for the first time on Digital comes Courage the Cowardly Dog: The Complete Series. All three series are produced by Cartoon Network Studios. 

- The Emmy^® nominated docuseries THE CIRCUS: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL SHOW ON EARTH continues its seventh season this week in Arizona, a crucial battleground in the midterms and a hotbed for election denial.  Hosts John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Jennifer Palmieri, hit the road in the Grand Canyon State along with guest host Tim Miller – a former Republican-turned #NeverTrump political strategist; writer-at-large for The Bulwark; and author of the recent New York Times best seller Why We Did It. Between campaign rallies, press gaggles, and a highly anticipated Senate debate, The Circus explores the slate of Arizona Republican candidates echoing Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was fraudulent, and the implications for future elections if they prevail.  For a preview, go to: https://youtu.be/EyxbkeprcNY. 

- SHOWTIME SPORTS^® announces the return of ALL THE SMOKE WITH MATT BARNES AND STEPHEN JACKSON to SHOWTIME. The two NBA champions and hosts agreed to a multi-year extension of SHOWTIME Basketball’s successful video podcast, as well as expanded roles contributing across SHOWTIME SPORTS platforms. SHOWTIME Basketball is the fast-rising content vertical that features compelling content from every corner of the sport and recently announced the addition of award-winning journalist, Rachel Nichols. The latest episode of ALL THE SMOKE dropped today, and features an extensive sit-down with eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard.

- At New York Comic Con on October 6th, Hulu paneled the upcoming original adult animated series "Koala Man" and announced the casting of Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, and Jarrad Wright with Miranda Otto and Hugo Weaving set to make guest appearances.  Previously announced cast includes Hugh Jackman, Sarah Snook, Demi Lardner, and creator Michael Cusack.  "Koala Man" follows middle-aged dad Kevin and his titular not-so-secret identity, whose only superpower is a burning passion for following rules and snuffing out petty crime in the town of Dapto. Though it may seem like any other Australian suburb, forces of evil both cosmic and man-made lie in wait to pounce on unsuspecting Daptonians. On a quest to clean up his hometown, and often roping his frustrated family into his adventures, Koala Man stands at the ready. He’ll do whatever it takes to defeat villainous masterminds, supernatural horrors, or worse: jerks who don’t take their rubbish bins down on the proper days.

- Multi-platinum and Grammy-winning rapper Coolio was set to perform on Sirius XM’s ‘90s on 9 Presents The I Love The 90s Tour with Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, All 4 One, Tone Loc and Young MC when he was found unresponsive at a friend’s home on September 28, 2022 after suffering a heart attack.In   response, the Oct. 9 I Love The 90s show will feature a tribute to Coolio and the entire show will be live-streamed for free from Haute Spot via VanillaIce.com. Donations from the event will benefit Coolio’s family. The livestream is presented courtesy of Universal Attractions Agency and Lightstream Media, the multimedia production arm of Lightstream Presents.

 

The fourth season of the popular video podcast debuted on Thursday, August 25 featuring an interview with fan favorite and former NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace, and continued with episodes featuring NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, All-Pro Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Hall of Famer and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and NBA Finals MVP and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. New episodes of the industry-leading weekly series will be released on the SHOWTIME Basketball YouTube channel on Thursdays with future guests to include NBA All-Stars Kenyon Martin and Caron Butler, Grammy^®-nominated rapper Freddie Gibbs and more.

Previewing Let the Right One In

 

In a measure of full disclosure, I have not read the book, Let the Right One In.  Nor have I watched the Swedish movie based on the book.  Though I did watch the American remake, Let Me In with Hit Girl.  Granted, as I try and remember that movie which I have not watched since shortly it was released, the only thing I remember is a pretty cool one shot car crash shot from inside the car. 

 

Okay, I also remember the general premise of an elderly father taking care of his vampire daughter who has been stuck in a twelve year old body for a while and has to move periodically to avoid being caught.  That general premise remains for the new televised version; one again entitled Let the Right One In, but then severely deviates from my vague recollection of the movie.  The setting has moved to New York City, from a more rural area.  There is also a secondary storyline featuring an elderly father and his son who is older than the vampire girl.  The show is not quite the IP fraud Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, but anyone hoping for another faithful adaptation that has a little more room to breathe on the small screen show should temper their expectation.

 

Let the Right One In stars Demián Bichir (The Bridge) as the father who has moved him and his vampire daughter back to the City after spending the last ten years searching for a cure.  The spiking murder rate will help him hide the way he obtains her diet.  Just his luck, he move next door to a detective (Anika Noni Rose, Them) investigating all those murders who has a son around the same age as his daughter… or the age she was when she stopped aging.

 

Though, the show does not even start there.  Instead, the first scene involves a college aged kid who looks like he is enjoying his very first sunrise.  It because clear that this was probably the first sunrise he saw in a while as a couple seconds later, he burst into flame.  He turns out to be the son of a drug maker whose painkillers got everyone hooked and was sued out of business.  Now the father has called his daughter (Grace Gummer, Mr. Robot) home, hoping she can find the cure he was never able to.  Oh, and to tell her that the brother she thought was dead, is a vampire and got burnt to a crisp because his latest cure failed miserably.  Surprise.

 

Let the Right One In is the last of four vampire shows to premiere over the past month, but I guess it does say something that this was the first I even bothered to watch, three of the four tied to popular books that were previously movies.    While it probably is the best this show has deviated from the plot of the book because it needs to fill in the plot to stretch it out for a season, and the doctors trying to find a cure is an interesting addition, you do have to wonder where the writers expect to go after the first season.  The young actress playing the vampire is not going to look like a seventh grader for very long.  But if the mad scientists do cure her, which would dramatically chance what potentially future season would be.  It is already bordering on IP fraud, having a Let the Right One In show without a vampire daughter would make it full IP fraud.

 

Let the Right One In airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: October 2, 2022

  

House of the Dragon:  These time jumps are just killing this show.  Alicent and Rhanera were two of the few characters I cared about and now they are being played by new actors.  Now that have five children between them that I guess I should know, but do not care enough to learn their names.  Then out of nowhere the one Strong brother kills his father and brother.  Why?  Who knows?  Hopefully the show settles down now.

 

City on a Hill:  So that is it?  Drydan avoids prison, instead is just on life support.  I highly doubt that Jackie will stay there until he can hail Drydan off to prison.  I have a feeling this case might not even be mentioned if there is a fourth season.

 

Quantum Leap:  Al’s daughter may be the only thing that could almost make this show interesting.

 

Reboot:  I have not watched a dating show since Flavor of Love, but the more they talk about Fork Buddy Mountain, the more I want to watch it.

 

La Brea: So they jumped into a portal in Seattle and somehow were transported not just in time, but space too, just a couple miles from where the La Brea sinkhole took everyone.  How convenient.  So does every sinkhole portal in the world take you to the same mile or so radius?  Does that glass building in the middle of 10,000 BC have something to do with it?  Is it drawing all the wormholes to that time and general location?  But I cannot fault the teenagers who get transported to 1988 and one of the first things they do is watch Alf.  But I can fault them for trying to get back to 10,000 B.C.  How about trying to find a way back to 2021?  Though if the glass building is drawing everyone back there, maybe going back may be the best way back to their own time.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale:  Well, it is nice to know June has not gone so completely off the rails that she was willing to kill Serena while she was still pregnant. 

 

Tell Me Lies:  So Stephan came clean and admitted he was in the car when Macy died.  Or was he?  He did not look like he was in a car crash that night.  Hard to believe that a crash that killed the driver would leave the passenger unarmed.  Though, my first though was that he was the one that was driving.  I wonder if that is it or we will actually see what happened that night later this season.  But what was bizarre is dude liked about hooking up with her roommate, was there when she died and did nothing about it, and Lucy got back with him and even one of her friends saying he was still hooking up with his ex did not sway her.  I am beginning to think Lucy deserves him if all these warning signs are not swaying her.

 

Survivor:  I cannot believe some was so dumb to open the Beware advantage right before Tribal where it is going to be a tight vote considering the Beware advantage took away your vote for the previous two seasons.  Luckily for him, the switched it up having to wait for everyone to say some dumb phrase at an Immunity Challenge to collecting beads which seems a lot easier.  Obvious the arts and craft is an easy way to do it.  We will see if anyone in the other two tribes thinks of it.  Though, not like it ended up mattering because the two girls ended up splitting their votes anyway and they did not need the third vote, making that editing just unnecessary.

 

Resident Alien: Good riddance mayor.  They should have taken the living son too.  But what do they want with him and his unborn child?  What did they even do with the alien tracker’s kid?