Around the Tubes: April 22, 2023

 

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, The Horror of Dolores Roach, John Mellencamp, The Offspring, Joy Oladokun, The Weeknd, Lyn Lapid, and Frawley.

- PBS and WORLD Channel announced today the presentation of Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts, an award-winning documentary feature that explores the complex history of Black soldiers in the United States military. Director and producer Dru Holley weaves together the testimony of historians, experts and descendants of Buffalo Soldiers with archival photographs, reenactments and animation to tell the story of how newly free Black Americans enlisted in the U.S. Army, a reliable path to income and greater respect, and in the process helped to both fulfill America’s Manifest Destiny and disrupted the lives of Indigenous peoples. Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts will premiere Monday, June 12 at 10pm ET on PBS and Monday, June 19 at 8pm ET on WORLD Channel’s Local, USA series. The film will be available to stream on the PBS app, WORLDChannel.org , YouTube and on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel.  “The rise and role of Black Americans in the military is an important and overlooked part of American history, from conflicts abroad and on Indigenous lands at home,” said Chris Hastings, executive producer for WORLD Channel at GBH in Boston. “WORLD Channel is proud to bring Buffalo Soldiers to viewers on Juneteenth. With this film we hope to honor the contributions of brave Black soldiers and officers, and to acknowledge the painful legacy of westward expansion and colonial pursuits.”

- Prime Video announced that the new horror dramedy series The Horror of Dolores Roach, from Blumhouse–producers of M3GAN– Spotify, and GloNation, based on the hit podcast of the same name, will premiere all eight episodes on July 7, with the official first-look images out now. The eight-episode Amazon Original series will be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world. On July 7, The Horror of Dolores Roach will be a part of the savings, convenience and entertainment that Prime members enjoy in a single membership.   The Horror of Dolores Roach, based on the hit Spotify podcast series of the same name, is a contemporary Sweeney Todd-inspired urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest. Dolores Roach (Justina Machado) is released after an unjust 16-year prison sentence, and she returns to a gentrified Washington Heights. Dolores reunites with an old stoner friend, Luis (Alejandro Hernandez), who lets her live and work as a masseuse in the basement under his empanada shop. When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, “Magic Hands” Dolores is driven to shocking extremes to survive.

- John Mellencamp’s forthcoming new album Orpheus Descending is set for release June 2 via Republic Records. In anticipation of upcoming record, Mellencamp is sharing the album track “Hey God.” Listen/share HERE, watch/share the official video HERE and pre-order the album HERE.  His twenty fifth album produced by Mellencamp and recorded as his own Belmont Mall Studio. One of his most personal records to date, standout tracks “Hey God” and “The Eyes of Portland” focus on social issues Mellencamp continues to passionately advocate for.  

-  Pearl Jam will hit the road in August and September performing nine shows across St. Paul, Chicago, Indianapolis, Fort Worth and Austin. Special guests Inhaler will open the Chicago, Indianapolis and Austin shows. Support for the St. Paul and Fort Worth dates will be announced in the coming weeks.  A special ticket pre-sale for all tour dates begins today for eligible members (active as of April 19, 2023) of Pearl Jam’s fan club, Ten Club.  General public tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster Verified Fan, which requires advance registration in order to participate. Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration begins Today, April 20 at 10am PT and closes on Tuesday, April 25 at 5pm PT.  The Verified Fan sale begins on April 28 at 10am venue local time. To register, please visit: https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/pearljam

- The Offspring announces a special limited-edition 15th-anniversary reissue package of their acclaimed record, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, out June 16 via Round Hill Records/UMe. Available for the first time on vinyl in many years, this special edition will feature a bonus 45 with two new live tracks recorded at Hellfest in 2022, re-imagined artwork on the cover, and art lithos for each song. There will also be a digital version of the record that will be released along with new animated artwork for streaming services.At the time of release, Rise and Fall, Rage And Grace cracked the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and went to #4 on Top Alternative Albums in the US, along with reaching #3 in Japan, #3 in Australia, #4 in Canada, and #6 in France. In addition, “You’re Gonna Go Far Kid,” the band’s #1 most streamed track with over 1.9 billion global streams across streaming services, is featured on the album. To this day, it continues to be one of the band’s most illustrious records, and the RIAA recently awarded it a Gold Certification.  Pre-orders for the 15th-anniversary package of Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace are available now, HERE.

- Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun’s new song, “Taking Things For Granted,” is debuting today. Listen/share HERE.  Of the song, Oladokun shares, “I wrote ‘Taking Things For Granted’ about the way the things we've been through shape the way we grow up to see the world. Producing this song was one of my favorite moments of making this record because it was equal parts honest and experimental.”

- The Weeknd drops his newest single “Double Fantasy” featuring Future (XO Records/Republic Records). This single is the first original song off The Weeknd’s upcoming HBO Original series The Idol and includes production from himself along with Mike Dean and additional co-production from Metro Boomin.   The new series is co-created by Sam Levinson (HBO’s “Euphoria”), Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Reza Fahim, and stars Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp. The Idol will premiere at this year’s annual Festival De Cannes in France as an Official Selection Out of Competition and is set to debut on Sunday, June 4 at 9:00pm ET/PT. The series will air on HBO and be available to stream on Max.

- Today, 20-year-old up-and-coming songstress Lyn Lapid unveils the official music video for her latest single “poster boy”—watch HERE. To celebrate her new song and era, Lyn also revealed her forthcoming sophomore EP to love in the 21st century will be released this summer, and she’ll also be embarking on a North American tour. The “to love in the 21st century” Tour will kick off in San Diego on May 21st and make stops in New York on June 13th, Los Angeles on June 28th, and more. See the full list of tour dates below and at www.lynlapidmusic.com/tour/.  Inspired by her first love and rom coms like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Summer I Turned Pretty, Lyn says of the video, “The ‘poster boy’ music video was by far my most favorite video I’ve put out. Everyone from the crew to the extras were all so lovely to work with, and it felt like one big hang between friends. One thing that was funny was the solo dancing scene with Hanbit (the ‘poster boy’) at the very end was the very first scene we had to do together, along with our (almost) kiss at the very end. Truly a one of a kind icebreaker for me. Thankfully Hanbit was super down to earth, which helped me with my attempt at acting in the video. I’m so proud of everyone who made the video possible, especially the director, Caro Knapp, who was especially lovely to work with.” 

- After generating over 100 million streams and drumming up buzz, rising New Jersey-born and Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter Frawley returns with her new single “Crying My Eyes Out” available now via Republic Records/ More Than Friends. It notably marks her first solo release of 2023.  Listen to “Crying My Eyes Out”: HERE.  The track’s understated acoustic guitar and bold piano underscore her soaring and soul-stirring vocal delivery. She opens up through vivid lyrics that cut deep on the chorus as she laments, “You look so in love, and I’m here crying my eyes out.”

57 Channels and Only This Is On: April 16, 2023

 

The Blacklist:  So is this season just going to be a greatest hits of former blacklisters?

 

The Mandalorian:  Who could have guessed Grogu was a Daniel Bryan fan?  I have to assume that is why he kept punching the “Yes” button.  Though I do not quite understand why the evil guys were so keen on killing all the Mandalorians, but just tied up Din.  Why spare him?

 

The Challenge: World Championship:  What a glorious two weeks with Wes and Johnny going out back to back.  But what was hilarious about Johnny going out, was that he was the biggest defender of letting the peanut gallery help people during the elimination, but no one bothered to tell him that he had the wrong sun.

 

Survivor:  That new twist would have been almost interesting if the Control a Vote happened in secret without anyone else knowing that it happened.  What is the point in having someone declaring to everyone whose vote they were stealing and who they were being forced to vote for?

 

Titans:  Why did the “Previously On” focus so much on Beast Boy when he was not even in either episode?  But I am really just ready for this show to end.

 

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:  Okay, the second debate song was the first song that was almost catchy.

 

School Spirits:  Huh?  So how exactly was Maddie able to hear the ghosts?  Why was ghost lady able to take over her body?  Why did Maddie become a ghost because of it?  Why was there so much blood?  None of that finale made sense.

 

Yellowjackets:  Three episodes and no sign of javi or adult Van and here we get them both in quick succession.  Now the question is, where exactly was javi this whole time and how did he survive when Jackie turned into a popsicle?  Does it have to do with the melted snow?  I could not tell what was poking out of it, kind of looked like a black rock.  When Van started to poke around, I thought she was going to find some sort of hatch.

 

Except it is becoming clear that Yellowjackets is not that kind of show.  Fan theories went wild in the offseason with many people believing, including myself, that Lottie was the leader of some wild cult that started back in the wilderness.  But it became clear this episode that Lottie is not some nefarious cult leader but both Lotties are severely broken.  The elder one is going to therapy and the younger one seemed to be unwillingly pushed into the prophecy role by some of the other girls.

 

We do know that the girls eventually break into factions, was this where the first division is?  Van was with Lottie at the bear heart ritual, but this week she was very adamant that it was Tai supernatural powers that found Javi.  But Mari was still backing Lottie.  Is this going to devolve into the people who think Lottie is their savior and those that worship Tai? 

 

Speaking of out of control fan theories, I thought Walter was going to be some big bad, but he is turning out to be just a male version of Misty.   I am shocked they did not end up forking.  But if there is something this show needs is a big bad for the girls to fight.  But like I said before, Yellowjackets is not that kind of show.  It is because clear this is just a show about generational trauma, and nothing else.

 

Had it not been for those two appearances, my biggest takeaway from this episode was Jeff saying, “We only have one kid.”  That eliminates that his first kid is just some twenty-five year old living his (Lottie did call the baby a “him”) life away from his parents.  So where is the kid?  My wild fan theories really want to say that he is still in the Canadian wilderness or grew up in Lottie’s cult, but it is becoming clearer that the baby did not make it back to civilization.

Around the Tubes: April 15, 2023

   

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 Great, The Clearing, Lauren Spencer Smith, Kenny Rogers, Al Green, Lyn Lapid, Headliners with Rachel Nichols, Yellowjackets, and AspireTV Life.

- Check out the trailer for the upcoming third season of Hulu's "The Great."  The critically-acclaimed series returns to Hulu on Friday, May 12 with all ten episodes.  Season 3 of “The Great” sees Catherine (Elle Fanning) and Peter (Nicholas Hoult) attempt to make their marriage work after some seemingly insurmountable problems. Peter witnessed his own attempted murder at Catherine’s hands and she also imprisoned all of his friends. On top of this, Peter is at a loose end playing First Husband to Catherine’s reign, so he busies himself with fathering, hunting and salty culinary ventures. But they’re not enough to keep him contented as visions of his late father (played by Jason Isaacs), get in his head about his failures as Peter the Great’s son. Catherine the Great starts making a name for herself beyond her borders and inspired by a visit from the US ambassador, sets up a conference where peasants, nobles and merchants can all give their input on developing a new Russia. She learns that even the best political leaders sometimes need to make compromises in order to progress. 

- Get your first look at Hulu Original psychological thriller "The Clearing," starring Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto and Guy Pearce. "The Clearing" will premiere with two episodes on Hulu on May 24, followed by new episodes every Wednesday.  “The Clearing” is an eight-part psychological thriller based on the best-selling crime thriller ‘In The Clearing’ by author J.P. Pomare, inspired by the darkness of real-life cults in Australia and around the world.

- Multi-platinum singer-songwriter and generational talent Lauren Spencer Smith releases her latest single “Fantasy,” featuring GAYLE and Em Beihold. The energetic pop anthem showcases the Vancouver Island native’s booming vocals about overcoming a toxic relationship while GAYLE and Beihold echo the same sentiment. In the video, the three artists’ chemistry is undeniable as they embody the power of female friendship. Listen and watch “Fantasy'' available today via Island Records/Republic Records.

-  Life Is Like A Song, a stunning and emotional new song cycle, featuring previously unreleased gems and coveted rarities performed by the legendary Kenny Rogers, telling the story of the love, life, loss, and faith between Rogers and his family, will be released June 2^nd via UMe. The collection, comprising songs from Rogers’ archives that were deeply personal to him, will be available on CD and vinyl as well as digitally. The project marks the first new non-Christmas studio album by Rogers in 10 years and the only non-compilation/non-reissued full-length album to be released on vinyl since 1991.  Curated and executive produced by the late Country Music Hall of Famer’s widow, Wanda Rogers, Life Is Like A Song features eight never-before-heard recordings, spanning 2008-2011, and showcases Rogers’ range through an array of original material and covers, including interpretations of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” and Lionel Richie’s “Goodbye,” as well as the artist’s long-sought-after duet with Dolly Parton, “Tell Me That You Love Me.” A digital deluxe edition includes two bonus tracks: a cover of the Mack Gordon/Henry Warren standard, “At Last” (made famous by Etta James), and the Buddy Hyatt-penned original, “Say Hello to Heaven.”  Pre-order Life Is Like A Song here: https://kennyrogers.lnk.to/LifeIsLikeASongPR

- This year marks the 50^th anniversary of Al Green’s Call Me, and to celebrate, Hi Records/Fat Possum will reissue the 1973 R&B classic on vinyl on May 26. With lacquers from the original master tapes by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound, Call Me will be available on standard black vinyl as well as limited edition pressings on both Tigers Eye colored vinyl for independent record stores, and Red and Green colored vinyl via Fat Possum’s website. All versions are available to be pre-ordered, HERE.  Al Green’s Call Me was originally released in 1973 and debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and remained on the charts for 11 weeks. The album features timeless Gold certified classics such as “Here I Am (Come & Take Me),” which reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts; “Call Me (Come Back Home),” which went to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts; and “You Ought To Be With Me,” which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.

- Kicking off her next era, 20-year-old breakout songstress Lyn Lapid releases her new single “poster boy” today via Mercury Records/Republic Records—listen HERE. The song is the latest track from her soon-to-be-announced sophomore EP and follows her recent collaboration with Canadian singer and songwriter Ruth B. on “do u really?”.  On “poster boy,” a faintly plucked ukulele melody twinkles and gives way to a propulsive drumbeat. Lyn’s voice leaps over a lush bridge as she confesses, “I got a good feeling about you and I.” Her vocals ride a tidal wave of energy towards one final crescendo. Once again, “poster boy” illuminates her eloquent songcraft, uplifting energy, and lovelorn emotion.

- Top NBA MVP contender Joel Embiid is the featured guest on the premiere episode of HEADLINERS WITH RACHEL NICHOLS, available Thursday, April 13 on SHOWTIME streaming and on demand platforms. The episode features veteran journalist, host and NBA reporter Nichols’ in-depth, personal interview with the Philadelphia 76ers star. To watch and share a first-look clip from the debut episode, click HERE. New episodes will premiere every Thursday through the NBA Playoffs.  Embiid shares stories about his early years in Cameroon and reveals how he needed to sneak out of the house to play sports. He also discusses the times he considered giving up basketball, the tragic death of his brother, his social media presence and the criticism he’s faced from other legendary centers about his style of play. Finally, the 29-year-old six-time NBA All-Star reveals details about his off-court life and describes how fatherhood has changed him.

 

-  Seven-time Grammy^® Award-winning singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette today releases the new single, “No Return” (Extended Version), a brand new version of the main title theme song from the SHOWTIME Emmy^®-nominated drama series YELLOWJACKETS. The new single debuted in the fourth episode of the hit series’ second season and is available now to download and stream globally via Universal Music Canada. “No Return” (Main Title Theme) by YELLOWJACKETS composers, Craig Wedren and Anna Waronker, was originally released in January 2022.  “I love the original version of ‘No Return,’ It's just a perfect song. It was a little daunting to be asked to reinterpret it but I see parallels between YELLOWJACKETS and my perspective while songwriting: the sheer intensity, that going for the jugular with no fear around going for the profane,” said Morissette. “I’ve strived my entire career to support the empowerment of women and sensitives, and see the world through the female lens, and what's so wonderful about this show is that each character is allowed to be dynamic and complex as opposed to oversimplified, reduced versions of women. I feel honoured to be a part of the legacy of YELLOWJACKETS.”  Listen to Alanis Morissette’s “No Return” (Extended Version), HERE.  Watch and share the YELLOWJACKETS Main Title sequence with Alanis Morissette’s “No Return” (Extended Version), HERE.  Watch and share a special behind-the-scenes video with Alanis Morissette speaking about “No Return”, HERE.

- AspireTV Life, the first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel dedicated to sharing the experiences of the multicultural audience through cooking, fashion, travel, design and more, is now live on Pluto TV. AspireTV Life celebrates positive, authentic lifestyle content, and portrays the reality and diversity of Black viewers and those moved by the culture.  AspireTV Life is seeing great momentum as we continue to expand distribution,” said Angela Cannon, senior vice president, multicultural networks and strategy, UP Entertainment. “The launch on Pluto TV furthers our commitment to reach as many viewers as possible so more people can see themselves authentically represented on screen, while also being highly entertained by our diverse lifestyle programming.”

Previewing Waco: The Aftermath

 

Yellowstone is the most popular show on television, yet I could not name a second show that has ever aired on The Paramount Channel aside from their very first scripted show based on the Waco tragedy starring Tim Riggins in a mullet.  Studios love digging for intellectual property, but I would have never guessed that we would get a Waco Extended Universe.  Waco: The Aftermath will not actually be airing on The Paramount Channel, or even the streaming service of the same name but a different channel in the Paramount family: Showtime.

 

Despite having “Aftermath” in the title, there are actually three storyline, one of which sees a younger David Koresh (sadly someone other than Tim Riggins is under the mullet this time).  The show also follows Michael Shannon, the lead FBI negotiator from the first show who has moved on to a new case about white nationalist that clumsily tries to tie into the Oklahoma City bombing.  The third storyline deals with the trial of four Branch Davidians that followed the siege, granted only one of the actors were actually on the original show, and I do not even remember that one.  Though the press release actually listed “Waco” as a previous credit so apparently she has not done much since if that was the biggest credit they wanted to highlight.

 

There are a couple other actors who reprise their roles like John Leguizamo (Super Mario Bros.), who played an undercover ATF agent, and Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire) as the FBI agent who oversaw the siege.  Apparently his character was able to grow a mustache in the days between when that series ended and this one started.  But really, both of these roles just come off as glorified cameos, which is probably why Whigham did not bother to save off that mustache.

 

The three storylines come off as really disjointed.  The new David in the earliest timeline lacks the charisma to pull off being a cult leader.  While Shannon does his serious drama acting, two new additions come across as more as Saturday Night Live characters.  While being the over the top Wags on Billions works there, David Constable’s southern fried judge in the Davidian case is a little over the top.  Same goes to Gary Cole (Pineapple Express) who also seems to think he is a comedy playing a private investigator and part time conspiracy theorist who claims he used to be in the CIA. 

 

But to be honest, those two are the most entertaining part of the show along with possibly the weirdest needle drop in the history of television (though, another Showtime series, Yellowjackets, has an upcoming episode that ends with a needle drop that is also in the running) featuring George Michael.   But I kind of hope Waco: The Aftermath is successful if only for it to inspire Hulu to do The Dropout: The Aftermath featuring the trial of Elisabeth Holmes.  

 

Waco: the Aftermath airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime, but episodes are available to stream as well as On Demand the Friday before the linear premiere.   Which means the premiere is available now.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: April 9, 2023

 

The Blacklist:  I knew it, that guy was with Red the whole time.  I just did not expect it to be revealed the very next episode and then the guy dies minutes later.

 

Quantum Leap:  So Ben jumped into his own body from five years ago?  Jumping into yourself just kind of defeats the purpose of the Quantum Leap program.  I cannot believe the renewed this crap.

 

The Mandalorian:  So it took Mando multiple episodes to realize what I knew the moment that it happened: Bo-Katan could lay claim to the Dark Saber because she defeated the eye monster that defeated Mando.  Sigh.

 

Wu-Tang: An American Saga:  I am glad we got to the Rage tour by the finale, that that could have been a whole season.  I was actually working at my local amphitheater during this show and Wu-Tang started a full hour late because the group was playing back stage.  Then it was Rage that had the plug pulled on them because we had a very strict curfew in order.  Fun times.  Shame we did not get a season dedicated to the album bought by the Pharma Bro.

 

The Challenge: World Championship:  Nothing more anticlimactic than when an episode ends with no elimination because someone when home due to a medical DQ instead.  How exactly did Grant miss a giant balloon in the middle of the lake?  But poor Kellyanne, does not even get the satisfaction of throwing Jonna in out of spite.

 

Survivor:  Carson seemed like he was in one of the better positions in the game, but what a boneheaded move to tell someone they were the target.  He just became extremely untrustworthy and just gained the support of one dude for it.

 

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies:  I have the same issue with this show that I had with Up Here in that the songs just are not that good.  They just take the steam out of the episode for three straight minutes.  Other than the Theme to Grease, the songs just did not add anything to this show.  I wonder if they will try to repurpose any of the original song because these new songs are not working.  But unlike Up Here where Jason Street is the only good character, I actually kind of like most of the characters on this show.

 

Yellowjackets:   I was a little off with Tai’s wife dying, though, give it another episode and it may still happen.  But the biggest takeaway this week with Tai is that she might not actually be sleepwalking.  It certainly made it seem like she has a split personality.  So who exactly is the other personality and what does she have to do with the Man with No Eyes?

 

Speaking of seeing things, Lottie is having visions again.  What exactly is that blood and dead bees (or yellowjackets) portend?  When the lady came up to talk to her, from behind, I thought that was young Nat for a second.  Speaking of Nat, when she was startled at the plane, I thought that was going to be Javi.  Thankfully it was not, because has he just been living there for the past two months and no one bothered to look there, that would have been silly.  But any ending where Javi shows up alive after all this time would be a little silly since Jackie froze to death… unless they are not alone.

 

Then Misty is gonna be Misty, in both timeline.  Of course she is going to give a very inappropriate gift at the baby shower (and what are we to make of Shanna getting a nosebleed at the very same time a bunch of birds died?)  Then getting the other Citizen Detective ordering to rough up Randy was hilarious.  But is he really going to buy that story about Adam?  And I was a little disappointed that Misty would need credit card records to identify the purple people (eaters).  Does she not already have a file on Lottie and knows her cult wears purple and was able to put two and two together?

 

I got serious Lost vibes with Coach Ben’s flashback, you know, the kind of flashbacks where you just knew that character was going to die at the end of the episode.  Except he did make it out of the episode alive.  But it hard to see he will survive the season.  The better quest may be just how will he die?  Does he get killed for meat?  Is it an accident like Jackie?  I kind of got suicide vibes from him.

 

Around the Tubes: April 8, 2023

   

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 Saint X, Catching Lightning,  Greta Van Fleet, Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, and Vice.

- Check out the trailer for Hulu Original drama series "Saint X" based on Alexis Schaitkin's novel starring Alycia Debnam-Carey, Josh Bonzie, Jayden Elijah, West Duchovny, Betsy Brandt, and Michael Park. "Saint X" will premiere on Hulu on April 26 with 3 episodes and new episodes weekly.  The series, which is told via multiple timelines, explores and upends the girl-gone-missing genre as it explores how a young woman’s mysterious death during an idyllic Caribbean vacation creates a traumatic ripple effect that eventually pulls her surviving sister into a dangerous pursuit of the truth. 

- SHOWTIME has released a sneak peek of its upcoming four-part documentary series CATCHING LIGHTNING in which the infamous mixed martial arts fighter “Lightning” Lee Murray’s voice is heard for the first time since the 2006 Securitas Depot cash heist, in which nearly £53 million in cash (more than $92 million USD at the time) was stolen. The series premieres on Friday, April 7 on all streaming and on-demand platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers before making its on-air debut on Sunday, April 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.  To watch and share the first look clip from CATCHING LIGHTNING, go to: https://youtu.be/dOjysveked0.

- SHOWTIME announced it will air GHOSTS OF BEIRUT, a four-part spy drama based on one of the greatest espionage stories of modern times: the manhunt for Imad Mughniyeh, the elusive Lebanese terrorist who outwitted his adversaries in the CIA and Mossad for over two decades. The limited series, which features an innovative narrative approach augmented by deep journalistic research and documentary elements, will debut on streaming and on demand on Friday, May 19 for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, May 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. GHOSTS OF BEIRUT stars an international cast including Dina Shihabi (Jack Ryan, Archive 81), Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding), Garret Dillahunt (12 Years a Slave), Iddo Goldberg (Snowpiercer), Hisham Suleiman (Munich, Fauda), Amir Khoury (Image of Victory) and Rafi Gavron (A Star is Born). The series comes from Fauda creators Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz, and is also executive produced by Emmy^® winner Greg Barker (Manhunt: The Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden), who directs all four episodes, and Daniel Dreifuss (All Quiet on the Western Front).  GHOSTS OF BEIRUT reveals the origins of 21-year old Mughniyeh (also known as “The Ghost”) who emerged from obscurity and was responsible for more American deaths than any other individual prior to 9/11. Told from the American, Israeli and Lebanese perspectives, the series traces Mughniyeh’s origins from the Shiite slums of South Beirut to his masterminding of the concept of suicide bombers, a deadly tactic that led to his swift rise as the world’s most dangerous terrorist. Based on extensive research of still-classified events, the drama spans decades and weaves in first-hand, real-life interviews with prominent officials from the CIA and Mossad, connecting the turmoil of 1980s Beirut with the spy games of the modern Middle East.  

- Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet’s much anticipated third studio album Starcatcher is set for release July 21 on Lava/Republic Records; pre-save/pre-order HERE.  The album’s first single “Meeting The Master” debuts today; listen/share HERE.  The bands notes, “‘Meeting The Master’ peers into an esoteric world heeded by the word of a wise teacher. Sung in the voice of a devout believer, and eventual group exclamation, the song details the love these fervent followers have for their teacher and their firm belief in his vision. It’s an exotic spiritual journey. A dark comedy that inevitably ends in chaos.”

-  Platinum-selling Phoenix-raised and Los Angeles-based artist Kiana Ledé returns with her catchy and confessional new single “Jealous” feat. Ella Mai today via The Heavy Group/Republic Records.  Listen to “Jealous”: HERE  The track’s delicate acoustic guitar melody matches the intimacy of Kiana’s delivery. She openly reflects on her insecurities on the song, which notably arrives on Kiana’s birthday today, before admitting, “I’ve never been jealous, but fuck it, I’m jealous.” Meanwhile, GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum fellow 21^st century R&B force of nature Ella Mai pulls up with a quotable cameo of her own as their voices melt into a hypnotic harmony.

- Check out the trailer and key art for the new upcoming season of Hulu’s  "Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi."  Season two premieres Friday, May 5 on Hulu with 10 all-new episodes.  TRAILER: HERE.  In season two of “Taste the Nation,” award-winning cookbook author, host and executive producer Padma Lakshmi, takes viewers on a culinary adventure across American soil, exploring the rich and diverse communities who have so heavily shaped what American food is today. Over borscht, cornbread, pasteles and more, Padma uncovers the roots and relationship between our food, our humanity and our history — ultimately uncovering stories that challenge notions of identity, belonging, and what it means to be American.

- SHOWTIME announced that season four of VICE, the award-winning documentary series known for delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflict, civil uprisings and more, will premiere Sunday, May 7 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers and on-air that evening at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The new season will consist of 16 episodes, the first eight of which will debut weekly on Sundays leading to a midseason finale on Sunday, June 25. The remaining eight episodes will debut at a later date. The Emmy^® nominated series returns with a new slate of groundbreaking stories from its team of global correspondents, including: Paola Ramos investigates the newest form of methamphetamine called P2P, or “super meth,” and its devastating effect on the country’s homelessness and mental health crises; Hind Hassan reports on-the-ground from embattled Idlib, where this year's devastating earthquake left this Syrian city reeling; and Krishna Andavolu explores the recent groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence, including highly convincing chatbots, to breakdown the revolutionary advantages and potential pitfalls of the technology.