Wednesday, May 22, 2024

View from the Peak - Everything Coming to Paramount+ in June 2024

 

Mayor of Kingstown | UEFA | Transformers: Earth Spark | Criminal Minds: Evolution

Summer is here and things are heating up on Paramount+. We’ve reached 71 million subscribers and counting, and the coming months will only deliver more exciting and engaging content.

We kick off June with the biggest soccer event of the season: the UEFA Champions League Final. Then the real drama begins as Paramount+ Original series Mayor of Kingstown and Criminal Minds: Evolution make their thrilling returns. Producers Eminem and LeBron James deliver a riveting story about the greatest musical pirate in history and the end of an industry in How Music Got Free while our young fans join the Autobots and Decepticons on their continued adventures in Transformers: EarthSpark. Finally, the anticipation mounts as the stars hit the red carpet at 51st Daytime Emmy Awards** and 77th Tony Awards** streaming live on the service.

For a closer look at everything coming to Paramount+ in June, check out the latest edition of View from the Peak.


IN THE
SPOTLIGHT

Jeremy Renner, Hugh Dillon and Derek Webster in Mayor of Kingstown

The ghosts of Mike McLusky’s (Jeremy Renner) past return to haunt him in the third season of the Paramount+ Original Mayor of Kingstown. The series, one of our top-performing original dramas, shakes things up as enemies old and new disrupt the already unbalanced scales of justice within the Michigan prison town.

Series co-creator Hugh Dillon—who also portrays Kingstown’s seasoned, hard-nosed detective, Ian Ferguson—spoke with us about what transpires in a town where incarceration is the only thriving industry.

  • There are new players in Kingstown for season three. Can you tell us about what's at stake for the city?

    The threat level in Kingstown has escalated from season to season. Mike is trying harder than ever to maintain balance but is losing his grip on relationships in and outside the prison because of the formidable influence of the new and established players in town.

  • We get a deeper look at Mike's mysterious past and finally learn what happened to him in prison. Tell us why this was the right time to explore that part of his story.

    Mike isn't one to wear his heart on his sleeve. The audience learns about Mike in the same way those around Mike learn about him. It was only natural that it would take time for us to peel away the layers of the onion that is Mike McLusky to finally reveal his past.

  • How has Ian's relationship with Mike changed over time? With Mike fully entrenched as the mayor, does Ian see this as a strength or liability?

    Ian likes to think that he and Mike have each other's backs no matter what and, for the most part they do, but there are times when Ian's actions complicate matters for Mike. Juggling the interests of so many players in Kingstown, Mike finds it increasingly challenging to shield Ian from the consequences of his questionable judgment calls.

  • Without spoiling anything, is there a favorite scene that you are excited for fans to see?

    Jeremy Renner using brass knuckles. Jeremy does his own stunts this season and it's a sight to see. The fans will not be disappointed.

Enter the fray when Mayor of Kingstown premieres June 2.

WATCH THE TRAILER

BEHIND
THE STREAMS

Zach Gilford in Criminal Minds: Evolution
Zach Gilford in Criminal Minds: Evolution

Once a traditional procedural, Criminal Minds: Evolution's creators are using its reimagining to uncover deeper mysteries.

“For 15 seasons we had a structure that worked and we didn’t want to break that; we wanted to build on it. And so, that’s what we’ve done in this latest iteration,” said showrunner Erica Messer. “‘Evolution’ is the perfect way to describe what we’re doing. It’s taking what we know and love about Criminal Minds, but diving deeper into the stories.”

And one of those stories is Elias Volt’s (Zach Gilford). Last season, we learned serial killer and arch-villain Voit has ties to the government unbeknownst to the Behavioral Analysis Unit, leading to his return in season two. “Zach Gilford is the entire reason that Elias Voit is back this year,” Messer added. “Zach was so compelling that we knew we had just begun to scratch the surface.”

Crack the case when Criminal Minds: Evolution returns June 6.

WATCH THE TRAILER

HIGH
SCORE

UEFA
Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham

The UEFA Champions League experienced record viewership on Paramount+ in April, being the top acquisition driver of all content on the service for the month. The excitement will continue on June 1 when soccer fans around the country will be glued to CBS Sports’ coverage as Borussia Dortmund faces 14-time winners Real Madrid at the UEFA Champions League Final live from London’s historic Wembley Stadium.  

And the action won’t end there. CBS Sports begins a brand-new deal next season, keeping Paramount+ as the exclusive English-language streaming home for UEFA club soccer through 2030.


Turn on your ‘Do Not Disturb’ when the UEFA Champions League Final streams live on June 1. 

WATCH THE UEFA AD SPOT

DID
YOU KNOW?

Paramount+ Movie Nights
  • Paramount+ Movie Nights return to New York this summer with over 25 screenings. After reaching hundreds of thousands of fans with its 2023 debut, moviegoers can once again experience Paramount’s Mountain of Entertainment™ all summer long with free, outdoor screenings kicking off in June. This year’s collection pulls from our deep library and rich legacy of films including Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Bob Marley: One Love and many more. Find the full schedule and list of locations and titles here.
     
  • This June, Paramount+ recognizes the LGBTQ+ community and its contributions with A Mountain of Pride. The collection spotlights stories and stars across the vast spectrum of LGTBQ+ identities, ranging from critically acclaimed originals like Fellow Travelers, Yellowjackets and Star Trek: Discovery to modern and cult classics from our library like Everything Everywhere All At OnceBut I'm a Cheerleader and Rocketman.
     
  • When Transformers: EarthSpark returns for its second season, keep an ear out for some familiar voices: “Weird Al” Yankovic, Richard Ayoade, Zelda Williams and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers join the cast. This isn’t the first experience with Nickelodeon for Williams and Flea—she voiced Kuvira in Avatar: The Legend of Korra and he voiced Donnie in The Wild Thornberrys.
     
  • Relive the rise of one of history’s most authentic musicians with Let The Canary Sing, a documentary about global pop icon Cyndi Lauper. Directed by Allison Ellwood, the film chronicles her multi-generational impact, from 1983 breakout “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” to her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. Premiering June 4, Let The Canary Sing reveals the legendary songbird’s “True Colors.”

STREAMING
SOON

Jersey Shore MTV

The next time you’re thinking “I want my MTV,” look no further than Paramount+. We’re home to all of MTV’s biggest, most binge-worthy shows, from nostalgic gems like The Real World, Yo! MTV Raps and everyone’s favorite misanthrope, Daria to seasons of Jersey Shore Family Vacation, The Challenge, MTV Cribs and Nick Cannon Presents: Future Super Stars, all coming in June.

ORIGINALS, EXCLUSIVES & PREMIERES

6/2: Mayor of Kingstown season three premiere
A series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls.

6/3: I.S.S. premiere*
A team of American and Russian astronauts stationed on the I.S.S. witness a nuclear war unfold on Earth and receive orders to take control of the station. As suspicion and tensions rise, they struggle to survive aboard the malfunctioning station.

6/4: Let the Canary Sing premiere
The documentary chronicles Cyndi Lauper’s meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving punk style, unwavering feminism and tireless advocacy.

6/6: Criminal Minds: Evolution new season premiere
In the wake of last season’s shocking finale, the all-new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution picks up as the FBI’s elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of GOLD STAR.

6/7: The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards®**
Tune into the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards streaming live from Los Angeles, California where CBS leads the pack with 33 nominations.

6/7: Transformers: EarthSpark season two premiere
The Terrans, a new generation of Earth-born Transformers, team up with legacy Autobots to take down evil threats.

6/11: How Music Got Free premiere
Produced by Eminem and Lebron James, How Music Got Free details the series of fateful, isolated steps in the mid-'90s that nearly killed the music industry as file-sharing moved from underground to a global phenomenon.

6/16: The 77th Annual Tony Awards® **
Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ariana DeBose returns to host the 2024 Tony Awards, Broadway’s biggest night, streaming live from New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

6/24: Out of Darkness premiere*
In the Old Stone Age, a disparate gang of early humans band together in search of a new land. But when they suspect a mystical being is hunting them down, the clan are forced to confront a danger they never envisioned.

LIBRARY SHOWS

June 5

Peppa Pig: Peppa's Adventures Around the World

June 12

Jersey Shore Family Vacation (Season 6)

June 14

The Greatest @Home Videos (Season 4)

June 19

Nick Cannon Presents: Future Superstars (Season 1)
The Challenge (Season 39)
The Smurfs (2021) (Season 2)


June 26

MTV Cribs (Season 19)
On The Fly: Adventures at Altitude (Season 1)
The Last 747
The Real CSI: Miami**


LIBRARY MOVIES

June 1

10 Cloverfield Lane*
13 Going on 30*
A Man Called Horse
American Beauty
Animal Kingdom
Black Sheep
Black Snake Moan*
Blazing Saddles
Bounce*
Bound*
But I'm a Cheerleader
Chantilly Bridge
Chasing Amy*
Chicago
Coach Carter
Congo*
Cop Land*
Critical Condition
Crocodile Dundee*
Crocodile Dundee II*
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles*
Dog Day Afternoon
EuroTrip
Failure to Launch
Flags of Our Fathers
Foxfire
Fresh
From Dusk Till Dawn
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money
From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter
Galaxy Quest
Hardball
Harlem Nights
Head of State
Heatwave
High Noon
Hustle & Flow
In & Out*
In The Bedroom
It Takes Two
Jade
Kiss The Girls
Lifeguard*
North of Normal
Pretty In Pink
Save the Last Dance
Shaft
She's All That
She's the Man
Sherlock Gnomes
Shooter
Shutter Island
Soapdish
Some Kind of Wonderful
Son of Rambow
Stardust
Summer of Sam
Super 8
Texas Rangers*
The African Queen
The Beach Bum*
The Boy*
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Cookout*
The Fighting Temptations
The Honeymooners
The Impossible*
The Island
The Last Airbender
The Last Castle
The Lookout*
The Love Guru*
The Net
The Queens of Comedy
The Quiet Man
The Raid 2
The Raid: Redemption
The Shootist
The Sons of Katie Elder
The Way Way Back
There Will Be Blood
Tommy Boy
Trading Places*
Unidentified Objects
Vampire in Brooklyn


June 7

Bobby*

June 12

Casino Royale*
Rocky Balboa*


June 16

Anomalisa

June 21

El Chicano*


SPORTS

6/1: We Need to Talk presented by AT&T*
6/1: UEFA Champions League Final – Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid
6/1-6/2: PGA Tour – RBC Canadian Open (Third and Final Round Coverage)*
6/2: PBR – Professional Bull Riders Rodeo*
6/2: Course Record with Michael Breed*
6/2: Serie A – Atalanta vs. Fiorentina 
6/8: NWSL – NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Angel City FC*
6/8-6/9: PGA Tour – the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (Third and Final Round Coverage)*
6/9: PGA TOUR Originals: One Shot Away*
6/9: NWSL – Kansas City Current vs. Seattle Reign
6/13: Argentina LPF – Riestra vs., River Plate
6/14: Argentina LPF – Boca Juniors vs. VĂ©lez Sarsfield
6/15: WNBA – Connecticut Sun @ Dallas Wings*
6/15: BIG3 Basketball*
6/16: WNBA – Chicago Sky @ Indiana Fever*
6/16: LPGA – Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give (First Round Coverage)*
6/16: NWSL – Seattle Reign vs. Portland Thorns FC*
6/19: NWSL – NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. San Diego Wave
6/22: BIG3 Basketball*
6/22-6/23: PGA Tour – Travelers Championship (Third and Final Round Coverage)*
6/23: Mubadala New York Sail Gran Prix*
6/23: Course Record with Michael Breed*
6/29: BIG3 Basketball*
6/29-6/30: PGA Tour – Rocket Mortgage Classic (Third and Final Round Coverage)*
6/30: PGA TOUR Special – The John Shippen*
6/30: LPGA – Dow Championship (First Round Coverage)*
6/23: NWSL – Portland Thorns vs. Kansas City Current, Seattle Reign vs. Racing Louisville, North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars
6/30: NWSL – Angel City FC vs. Orlando Pride
Throughout June: Argentina Liga Profesional de FĂºtbol competition 
Throughout June: NWSL competition


* Title is available to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers.

**All Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers can live stream CBS titles via the live feed on Paramount+. Those titles will be available on-demand to all subscribers the day after they air live.

Dates for library titles are subject to change. Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to CBS titles to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on-demand. Essential tier subscribers have access to these titles on-demand the day after they air.

Sunday, May 19, 2024

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 19, 2024

  

The Challenge All-Stars 4:  Trivia is usually the best week, but Challenge trivia, especially about the season they are doing, was kind of lame.

 

Under the Bridge:  Oh joy, more unnecessary flashbacks.

 

Survivor:  Lol, four straight people go home with an Idol thinking Q was the target; Q finds an Idol and finally gets voted off.  This season is so stupid. 

 

Hacks:  Cool, they got Shooter McGavin back on a golf course.  It is probably obvious he won the tournament.  But I was a little surprised Debra did not get the job.  What are they going to do the rest of the season?  Watch her do some YouTube late night show.  I just hope the guy that got it gets canceled and they have to go with Debra as their second choice.

 

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School:  Is Mouse really that stupid that her grandma with dementia was in charge of getting her to the party?  She probably should not be driving. 

 

A Gentleman in Moscow:  Oh yeah, I completely forgot about Chekov’s guns.  But what a heart racing finale.  Unfortunately the ending was very vague.  They used the 3:4 aspect ratio for flashbacks, I wonder what the significance of them here.   I got the sense that it was a dream sequence.   I seems like Rostov did not get out, but what happened to Anna?  It seems like she should have gotten to Finland with Osip’s help but why was she not able to get to Sofia?  Was she just to famous to not get caught like Osip suggested earlier.  They played the ending like reality where we would not learn what happened behind the Iron Curtain, but this was fictional, I would rather have gotten a definitive answer to what happened to Rostov and Anna other than some vague dream sequence.

 

The Chi:  So just how long of leach does Emmitt have to kill the person Douda told him to?  And will he use her to get back at Douda?


Saturday, May 18, 2024

Around the Tubes: May 18, 2024

  

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on Only Murders in the Building, Wicked, Blackwater Lane, Lyn Lapid, The Black Crowes, Slash, Back To Black, The Warning.


Hulu’s Emmy Award-winning original comedy series "Only Murders in the Building" will return for season four on August 27th, with new episodes every Tuesday. Check out the new teaser for a first look at the upcoming season!  In season four of “Only Murders in the Building,” Charles, Oliver & Mabel wrestle with the shocking events at the end of season three surrounding Charles’ stunt double & friend Sazz Pataki. Questioning whether Sazz or Charles was the intended victim, our trio’s investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast. As our amateur sleuths race back to New York, they embark on an even more epic journey — traversing their building’s courtyard to delve into the twisted lives of the Arconia’s West Tower residents.




After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.  Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.



Dropping this wee is the trailer for Lionsgate’s new horror/thriller    BLACKWATER LANE,"  directed by Jeff Celentano, written by Elizabeth Fowler, based on the successful New York Times bestselling book by B.A. Paris  and starring Minka Kelly Maggie Grace, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Calton, and Natalie Simpson After witnessing a grisly tragedy, a woman is visited by a ghostly presence and starts to question her sanity.   BLACKWATER LANE"   is a day & date release (in Theaters and Digital/OnDemand) on June 21st, 2024.  Minka Kelly, Dermot Mulroney and Maggie Grace star in Blackwater Lane, a supernatural thriller based on the wildly successful New York Times bestselling book by B.A. Paris. After witnessing a tragedy on a dangerous country road, Cass is visited by a ghostly presence and begins to question her sanity. As these otherworldly experiences intensify, Cass is driven closer to the brink until she begins to assemble the pieces of a horrific plot against her.




Fresh off of her packed set at New York’s Head In The Clouds Festival and the release of a new collaboration with Eric Nam, today, buzzing singer-songwriter Lyn Lapid teams up with multi-RIAA Certified Platinum artist mxmtoon for her new single “back from the dead,” out now. The two songstresses join forces for an empowering breakup anthem about cutting ties with a toxic ex once and for all—listen HERE.  On the song, Lyn says, “I’ve been so excited about ‘back from the dead’ since mxmtoon hopped on the song. Working with her has been so much fun – she is one of the most down to earth people I have ever met. I’ve been a huge fan of her ever since I heard her song ‘fever dream’ from 2020, so having her on my song is really special to me. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”


- Legendary rock band The Black Crowes released a stunning visual for “Wilted Rose,” their collaboration with GRAMMY-winning country superstar Lainey Wilson from their critically acclaimed album Happiness BastardsThe visual features incredible footage of Wilson’s surprise guest performance with the band at their unforgettable, sold-out opening night of the Happiness Bastards Tour at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry House. Complete with behind-the-scenes film of Wilson with the band backstage and at rehearsals, as well as additional footage from the tour, the visual captures that magic that exudes from the collaboration of the two magnetic forces that are The Black Crowes and Lainey Wilson. Watch the visual HERE.


In celebration of his forthcoming new album Orgy of the Damned out May 17 on Gibson Records HERESLASH the iconic, GRAMMY®-winning guitarist and songwriter will perform songs all next week on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Tune-in on Monday, May 20, Tuesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 22 to watch SLASH perform a selection of songs from his star- studded new Blues album alongside Cleto and the Cletones airing at 11:35 PM (ET/PT)/10:35 PM (CT) on ABC, as well as the following day on Hulu and YouTube.


Back To Black: Songs From The Original Motion Picture is available on all digital platforms, listen/ buy HERE.  In addition to the digital release, U.S. fans can purchase a limited-edition peach colored vinyl HERE, with printed inner sleeves featuring a personal note from Sam Taylor-Johnson. BACK TO BLACK the highly anticipated film also arrives in theatres today nationwide!  Also available today, the official lyric video for the Ivor Novello award winning single, “Rehab”, the latest in an ongoing series of videos celebrating the genius of Amy Winehouse, watch HERE. Utilising newly discovered footage from the original rushes, “Rehab” the official music video was directed by Phil Griffin, who also directed the “Back To Black” music video, and was shot at 33 Portland Place in central London. 


the rock sister-trio from Monterrey, Mexico, The Warning, ignite a knockout new single entitled “Burnout” available now via LAVA/Republic Records. Listen HEREwatch lyric video HERE. Coinciding with the release of “Burnout,”, the band announces their ‘Keep Me Fed’ US headline tour this September & October, making stops in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and more, before joining Evanescence and Halestorm on tour in Canada. Check out the full confirmed itinerary below, pre-sale tickets go on sale Monday, May 20th. Fans can purchase tickets here: https://thewarningband.com   The band continue to fire on all cylinders with “Burnout.” Right out of the gate, a stomping drum groove and unpredictable bassline set the pace for the track. In between a punchy distorted riff, the energy practically overflows on the anthemic arena-ready refrain, “You’re just a burnout.” About “Burnout, the group commented, “It’s a song about being tired of being dragged down by someone who just stopped trying in life.

  

Sunday, May 12, 2024

57 Channels and Only This Is On: May 12, 2024

 

The Veil:  I am beginning to think I would like this show much more if Josh Charles was the main character.

 

The Challenge All-Stars 4: I thought it was silly when Janelle volunteered to go in the first women’s elimination, which would be a very long time she would need to hold on to that Star.  But that begs the question, when is the right time to volunteer so you can get a Star.  Obviously Nicole, a firefighter would send herself in with a choice of two lightweight and a physical challenge.  So now she has her Star, but presumably she will have to try to keep it for five more eliminations with eight people left.  Though, I wonder if they do a musical chairs situation when there will be four people left when it is time for the finals, but only three Star holders.

 

Survivor:  Bad move by Charlie.  Marie is clearly going with I want to sit next to lay-ups at Final Tribal strategy.  She is going to get rid of him as soon as she can.  He should have teamed up with Venus and Liz and do his own lay-up strategy.  But how stupid can Venus be.  Two straight weeks Q was the decoy to get out someone with an Idol.  Why would she think that would change this week? 

 

Hacks:  Wait, Debra is all of the sudden offended by jokes.  Making things makes less sense, she grew a conscious the episode right after her very own Roast.

 

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School:  So are they just doing a reverse Friday the 13th where the serial turned out to be Jason’s mother and then Jason became the serial killer in the second movie?  But I put all my money on the shrink to be the “mom.”  But this show is still really horrible with way too many pop culture references.  Noa remains the only interesting character.  And apparently she is a lesbian now.  Cool.

 

A Gentleman in Moscow:  I am not sure if it were screeners and it will be added later, but my version did not give us any dates as to when this takes place.  Thankfully Stalin died and it is easy to find out that was in 1953, or 6 years since the last episode or 14 years since we last Mishka if my math is correct.

 

This episode answered a few questions I have had.  I wondered if the characters would ever learn what really happened to Lena and it turns out the manager knew and even had a hand into what happened to her.  I have also wondered if Rostov actually wrote the poem that saved his life and we got that answer this week too.  Now for the biggest question of the series, with one episode left, will Rostov leave the hotel?  This episode does end with him saying that they need to leave that place.  Now the question is, will he be able to get away.


The Chi:  So the cliffhanger of the mid-season finale was Victor heading off to kill Douda.  Then moments into the midseason premiere he runs into someone and was just like, naw.  Meh, just how many times is this show going to almost kill Douda before giving him a reprieve?  And now Douda will spare Emmitt if he kills the person that sent Emmitt to kill Douda.  Ugg, just kill of Douda already.  He is really bogging down the show.