tv

new and noteworthy tv: 8/14-8/20

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Still moving along on The Wire and Deadwood and have a little catch up on some of the other summer fare.

  • CMA Fest (ABC) Wednesday, 8pm – Country music stars perform.
  • Marlon (NBC) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 9pm – The latest Wayans intro to the sitcom world.
  • Project Runway (Life) Season Premiere, Thursday, 8pm – Another season of hopefuls, and I’m just a season or so behind.
  • The Defenders (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – I’ve had mixed emotions about each of the individual series but I’m cautiously optimistic that there will be enough Jessica Jones to make it intriguing.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 8/7-8/13

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Added Ozark to the current streaming series watches. Also caught up enough to pass on a few of the latest summer additions, The Guest Book, What Would Diplo Do?, Loaded, Midnight Texas, Hooten and the Lady, Somewhere Between, Will, Salvation, I’m Sorry, Tales, The Mist, and Still Star Crossed, and maybe I’ll check one more of Manhunt (I also meant to check out another Snowfall but somehow never recorded it).

  • Difficult People (Hulu) Season Premiere, Tuesday – I’m still no go on Hulu but folks reportedly are amused by this snarky comedy with Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner.
  • Mr. Mercedes (Aud) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8pm – So apparently the Audience Network which I don’t think I’ve ever heard of is available through Directtv and AT&T U-verse, based on Stephen King’s book where a demented killer taunts a retired police detective.
  • Swedish Dicks (Pop) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8pm – A new comedy about an ex-stuntman and a Swedish DJ who look to solve some wacky crimes.
  • Weekend Update: Summer Edition (NBC) Season Premiere, Thursday, 9pm – There’s just too much to mock.
  • Atypical (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – A coming-of-age story about mother and autistic son, maybe.
  • Orphan Black (BBCA) Series Finale, Saturday, 10pm – I will be sad to see the amazing Tatiana Maslany hang up her clone cap.
  • Teen Choice (Fox) Sunday, 8pm – You know the coveted awards we’ve all been waiting to see.
  • Get Shorty (Epix) Series Premiere, Sunday, 10pm – Based in part of the Elmore Leonard novel hitman becomes movie producer, worth a look for those who get Epix.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 7/31-8/6

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So there was a bit of a delay this week due to some technical difficulties. Next week I’ll shoot for a restart but in case you might be missing anything here are some of the noteworthy.

  • Surviving Escobar (Net) Series Premiere, Tuesday – The life of Pablo from the moment he decides to surrender based on a book, eh wasn’t that into Narcos.
  • Manhunt: Unabomber (Disc) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 9pm – Paul Bettany takes a run as the unabomber as the series focuses on the FBI profiler tracks him, maybe.
  • The Lowe Files (A&E) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – I don’t normally point out reality but Rob Lowe and kids checking out the spooky somehow couldn’t resist a nod (I think I read that he once saw Bigfoot).
  • The Sinner (USA) Miniseries Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – Jessica Biel is at least supposed to be good in this whydunnit after she randomly stabs some guy on the beach.
  • The Guest Book (TBS) Series Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – Another riff on a new tale in a hotel this one tells new stories of a rental cabin in a reportedly amusing way.
  • What Would Diplo Do? (Vice) Series Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – James Van Der Beek has done a few nice turns so I’m intrigued by his spin as EDM DJ.
  • Comrade Detective (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – Hard to know what to make of this cop show comedy set in 80’s Romania in Romanian with English dubbed over by Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
  • Wet Hot American Summer (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – Much of the celeb cast return for a ‘reunion’ episode where they revisit the camp counselors, probably only worthy for those who truly enjoyed the first rounds.
  • Sharknado 5 (Syfy) Sunday, 8pm – Yep they’re still doing these.
  • Ray Donovan (Show) Season Premiere, Sunday, 9pm – Not that anyone who watches this show needs a reminder but it’s back.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 7/24-7/30

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A few more summer additions, worth a look or not, I’m still making slow progress with The Wire.

  • Midnight, Texas (NBC) Series Premiere, Monday, 10pm – Traveling psychic settles in a weird town, doesn’t look promising.
  • Somewhere Between (ABC) Series Premiere, Monday 10pm – A local news producer helps track down a serial killer by reliving the week prior to killings.
  • People of Earth (TBS) Season Premiere, Monday, 10:30pm – I thought the first season of this was totally charming though its unique slant of space alien abductee group might have been initially off-putting.
  • The Last Tycoon (Am) Series Premiere, Friday – Kelsey Grammer and Matt Bomer star in this drama about legendary film mogul in 1930s Hollywood.
  • Room 104 (HBO) Series Premiere, Friday, 11:30 – Latest from the Duplass brothers, tells a different story each week from a room in a motel chain.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 7/17-7/23

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A little Wimbledon this weekend has challenged my catch up but I’m still making some progress.

  • Loaded (AMC) Series Premiere, Monday, 10pm – A dramedy where tech entrepreneurs get lots of dough from selling out might be worth a look.
  • Last Chance U (Net) Season Premiere, Friday – Docuseries dives back in to follow a Mississippi junior college program.
  • Ozark (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Jason Bateman and Laura Linney play a couple who move their family to escape a drug lord, I’ll check them out in anything.
  • Phelps vs Shark (Disc) Sunday, 8pm – I’m not really sure how this works but Michael Phelps is swimming against a shark for Shark Week.
  • Tour de France (NBCSN) Sunday, 7:30am – Wrapping it up on the Champs-Elysees.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 7/10-7/16

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I am managing to winnow down the backlog…

  • Will (TNT) Series Premiere, Monday, 9pm – I’m always skeptical of fictionalized accounts of historical peeps and not so much of a Shakespeare fan to find that angle of interest.
  • The Hollywood Puppet Sh!t Show (Fuse) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 10:30 – Tue stories told by celebrities and acted out by marionettes?
  • ESPYS (ABC) Wednesday, 8pm – Peyton Manning hosts.
  • Salvation (CBS) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 9pm – An asteroid is coming to earth and science, tech, and government get involved and yes conspiracy abounds, this doesn’t look good but maybe good enough summer fare.
  • I’m Sorry (Tru) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – Haven’t heard anything about this new what I think is Mom comedy.
  • Odd Mom Out (Bravo) Season Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – I stumbled on this in a later run and was amused by the hipster Mom mingling with the circles of her husband’s wealthy family.
  • Hooten & The Lady (CW) Series Premiere, Thursday, 9pm – This lost treasure hunter series looks like a bad Indiana Jones spoof.
  • Friends From College (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – A couple returns to a circle of friends from college and sounds like it might be more awkward cringe than comedy.
  • Remember Me (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday, 10pm – Death in an assisted living facility kicks off this newest mystery.
  • Wimbledon (ESPN) Saturday/Sunday, 6am – Men’s and Women’s Finals.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 7/3-7/9

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I just wrapped up GLOW on Netflix, which was quite good but I just didn’t love it as much as I had hoped, for me it took a bit for the more dramatic mix of this half hour show to find its footing. And enjoying some summer fare like Killjoys, Orphan Black, Queen Sugar, Wynonna Earp, Playing House, and Animal Kingdom. Still need to take a pass at Broadchurch and the new Prime Suspect: Tennison.

  • Wimbledon (ESPN) Monday, 4am – The first round of this fortnight begins.
  • Tour de France (NBCSN) Monday, 5am – Apparently I no longer have this on my radar because it started on Saturday, too much tv for me to follow this race but might catch a replay of the preshow on Monday before the regular time race to get the lay of the land.
  • 4th of July Fireworks (NBC) Tuesday, 8pm – In case you don’t want to leave your home but still want to see the sparkle and some performances.
  • Snowfall (Fx) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – The rise of crack in LA in the 80s has gotten more talk of potential than raves about the start of the series.
  • Pure (Hulu) Series Premiere, Friday – Import of a Canadian drama about a Mennonite pastor battling drug trafficking in his neighborhood.
  • Tour de Pharmacy (HBO) Saturday, 10pm – Andy Samberg’s latest comedic entry is a look back at the drug filled cycling, perhaps an amusing break from today’s actual tour?

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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stepping up cable: digital preferred

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So a couple things happened recently that made me revisit my cable. First my latest discount level contract expired and my cost for my Digital Starter package of 140+ channels went up. Second my channel lineup made yet another adjustment where they decided that Viceland, a channel where I only watch King of the Road – a skateboarding scavenger hunt show, is now worthy of being on a higher level. This is the second of the two ‘junky’ reality shows getting nixed, the first was Ink Master – the tattoo competition. Now when I lost Ink Master I debated upgrading my cable but it’s already so expensive it just didn’t seem worth it for one junky show. But two junky shows started to get my ire up.

So I did what any person in my social circles would do, threaten to cut the cord. Now as this blog makes pretty clear I’m not one of those people who doesn’t watch television but there are so many options out there that one might not need to have ‘cable’. But before I cut the cord I’ll need to research what I’m replacing it with. I already have Netflix and Amazon Prime. But if I added Hulu does that cover enough of the shows I’m currently watching? And do I need to supplement with other channels? And are they current? Can I shift to just not having shows in real time? Can I watch them online on the channel’s sites? And what are these new services I keep hearing about? In the end am I just sacrificing other shows? Or am I now going to spend so much money on other technologies that are going to be a pain to make up for it? Phew this was exhausting and I hadn’t even started.

So I did what any normal person in my social circles would do, punted the decision for another year. I signed up for another year’s contract at a discounted rate and went ahead and went for the upgrade. I’m probably spending $10/mo more than I was previously but really how big of a deal is that in the grand scheme of things? Plus now I finally also get Sundance and IFC among some other stuff. Still no HBO and all but I am still working my way through The Wire on Prime so no need to go crazy for now.

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new and noteworthy tv: 6/26-7/2

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Diving back into The Wire and even though I have some backlog on Orphan Black, Queen Sugar, and Fargo, I decided to embark on some new options. Deadwood has been on the list for a while, but I think I was too tired to start, I’ll try that again at another point (to subtitle or not to subtitle?). And I launched into the much anticipated GLOW, and while I liked the first two episodes (it’s about a half hour) I’m not entirely positive I’m in sync with the vibe, maybe yet.

  • Tales (BET) Series Premiere, Tuesday, 8pm – An anthology series that uses current and class hip-hop songs to tell ‘cinematic’ stories.
  • Broadchurch (BBCA) Season Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – Starting the final series of the trilogy with a new case.
  • Younger (TVL) Season Premiere, Wednesday, 10pm – How will Liza’s lies impact this year? I like this fun show.
  • Battle of the Network Stars (ABC) Series Premiere, Thursday, 9pm – I remember this show fondly but I think the deluge of ‘star’ shows might dull the fun in seeing them compete.
  • All or Nothing (Am) Season Premiere, Friday – A season with the Arizona Cardinals.
  • Gypsy (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – Naomi Watts as a screwed up therapist sounds promising but the early reviews are not.
  • Killjoys (Syfy) Season Premiere, Friday, 8pm – Another perfect summer series, space bounty hunters is just kind of fun.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 6/19-6/25

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Well I’m actually getting some good summer shows going plus I finally wrapped up the latest season of Bosch and Sneaky Pete so getting season 3 of The Wire going.

  • Queen Sugar (OWN) Season Premiere, Tuesday, 10pm – This show was just on the right side of soapy and a little bit beautiful, this season we turn back to see the family try to make it on their sugar farm
  • Little Big Shots: Forever Young (NBC) Series Premiere, Wednesday, 8pm – If you thought the kids were cute you might also enjoy heartwarming oldsters.
  • Boy Band/The Gong Show (ABC) Series Premiere, Thursday, 8/10pm – I recall finding similar making a group shows Pop Stars and O Town kind of fun and am a bit nostalgic for the unusual talent show performances.
  • The Mist (Spike) Series Premiere, Thursday, 10pm – The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s novella isn’t supposed to be that promising.
  • Glow (Net) Series Premiere, Friday – This gorgeous ladies of wrestling show is getting great buzz.
  • Playing House (USA) Season Premiere, Friday – This light comedy centering on friends co-parenting a baby is a pretty fun.
  • Prime Suspect (PBS) Series Premiere, Sunday, 10pm – This is a prequel set in the 70s with a young Jane Tennison.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation. Times noted are typically PST.

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