Wanna Manifest some excellent TV week? Then #SetTheVVCR we got Tough Love to TLC.
Monday, May 29
Minions: The Rise of Gru (Anytime / Crave)
The untold story of one twelve-year-old’s dream to become the world’s greatest supervillain.#GOALS
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: TOUGH LOVE: SHAQ + KAREEM (ANYTIME / YOUTUBE)
Shaq and Kareem sit down for the first time to resolve their differences.
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LeBron James was once again eliminated from the NBA Playoffs so it’s quickly becoming apparent James is not even a Top 10 Laker. Between Shaq, George Mikan, Magic and Kareem, James Worthy; Jerry West, yo! Jerry West is the logo of the NBA. The Lakers have not only had incredible talents on their rosters but the franchise has a tradition of dominating big men. (The franchise has been around since 1947 but I gave an acknowledgement to Mikan for his Big Man work and their 5 pre-LA championships. 1960 on is the modern LA era.) This conversation is like a refreshing return to the openness of Open Court. Remember that TNT show hosted by Ernie back in the day? I hope TNT produces more of these NBA specials. It’s been uploaded to YouTube which means all can watch it. (The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar resurgence has been great. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the GOAT of this: always reading, always sharing his books. And figuring it out, making mistakes; course correcting, getting back on track. That informal education has granted him elder status. You don’t hafta agree with him but oh ya gotta listen to him.)
Tuesday, May 30
30 for 30: The American Gladiators (8:30 p.m. / ESPN)
Focusing on The American Gladiators the famed reality-competition show this is a two-part 30 for 30 ESPN film directed by Ben Berman. What begins as a traditional sports documentary soon gives way to bigger themes of greed, divergent narratives, and ultimately questions how history itself is written. Part 2 is tomorrow at 9 p.m. on ESPN.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE CLEARING: LIMITED SERIES (ANYTIME / HULU & DISNEY+ CANADA)
Follows the nightmares of a cult and a woman who’s forced to face the demons from her past in order to stop the kidnapping and coercion of innocent children in the future.
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Limited Series Premiere: This cult-themed thriller is based on a real-life case in Australia. The real-life New Age cult was called The Family. The cult leader Mummy is “clearing” kidnaped children of their sins. (Cults rarely make sense. This limited series matches that confusion by alternating between the past and present rather than telling a linear story.) And while all the kidnapped kids have a uniform hairstyle, and wear matching Heavens’ Gate-style jogging suits they don’t speak in the unsettling British monotone of Village of the Damned. Is this too dark for a Tuesday? Clearly there is no kid-ding around in The Clearing.
Wednesday, May 31
The Indiana Jones Collection (Anytime / Disney+)
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (fun!), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (eh), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, (excellent!) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (blurg…) and the Television Series “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (sure?) will all be available to stream on the platform today.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: WARNER BROS. 100 YEARS (ANYTIME / HBO MAX)
A four-part documentary on the history of Warner Bros. as part of the studio’s centennial programming.
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Warner Bros. was established on April 4, 1923. Just after World War I. This is a film studio that has gone through radio, B&W TV, Colour TV…all the way to streaming. They’ve released countless Batman and Superman movies, Matrix, Hangovers, 300, The Exorcist, Seven, Lethal Weapons, Pan’s Labyrinth, GoodFellas, Space Jam…The Goonies, The Shining, All The President’s Men and lots more. So much more. It’s been an incredible 100 years and I’m blessed and I’m thankful. This 4-part Last Dance narrated by Morgan Freeman features over 60 interviews with legendary filmmakers, actors and executives. I won’t list em all but you know them all. The first two parts are currently streaming (Part 1: The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of (founding the studio) & Part 2: Clint, Kubrick and Kryptonite (focuses on the 70s.). Parts 3 and 4 will stream tomorrow; June 1st. Part 3 is Heroes, Villains and Fiends (tackling the 80s and Hollywood’s glorious blockbuster era.). Part 4 Wizarding World and the Big Bang…so from Harry Potter to streaming. Think of this docuseries as the best of collection most bands issue. This is Warner Bros.’ greatest hits.
Thursday, June 01
Violent Night (Anytime / Prime Video-US)
A coal-dark holiday action-comedy that says you should always bet on red: to hell with “all is calm.” So gather around the warm glow of the TV for this heartwarming (and heart ending) violence. Tis the season…for beatings?
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: NBA FINALS 2023 – GAME 1 (8:30 P.M. / ABC)
From Wikipedia: “The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awarded the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.”
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Welcome to the 2023 NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat. First one to win 4 games is immortalized in history.
Optimus Prime : One shall stand, one shall fall.
Megatron : Why throw away your life so recklessly?
Optimus Prime : That’s a question you should ask yourself, Megatron.
Friday, June 02
Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll (9 p.m. / PBS)
Little Richard can stake a claim on having invented rock`n’roll. A black artist who grew up in the segregated south of the United States, Richard Penniman broke down barriers and took 1950s America by storm. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones supported him and drew inspiration from his musicianship and stagecraft.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: MANIFEST: SEASON 4 (ANYTIME / NETFLIX)
As the Death Date looms, the Flight 828 passengers and their loved ones race to fulfill their Callings and prevent the terrifying future that awaits.
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In December 2007 The Dead Zone was rudely canceled, ending on a major (unresolved) cliffhanger. This generation’s Dead Zone Manifest is spared that fate: a fourth and final season consisting of twenty episodes, with part one (the first 10 episodes) premiered on November 4, 2022. We’ll soon learn the final fate of many Montego Air Flight 828 passengers. Starting with Ben Stone who when this season opens is grieving his murdered wife and searching for his kidnapped daughter, Eden. The mysteries will get deeper and the conspiracies theories will…take off.
Saturday, June 03
Love Me: Season 2 (Anytime / CBC Gem)
An Australian remake of Swedish series starring Hugo Weaving. Love Me is a story about love, loss and the complexity of family relationships experienced by three different family members at distinct times of life. In this series return, the Matheson family, Glen, his daughter Clara and son Aaron, have picked up the pieces of their complex lives following Christine’s death and are each grappling with a new reality that poses the challenging question – is love enough?
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: TLC FOREVER (8 P.M. / LIFETIME & A&E)
A two-hour, career-spanning documentary about TLC.
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Take a break from Chasing Waterfalls and Creep to your TV to check out this TLC documentary. The CrazySexyCool gals were wildly popular in the 90s thanks to hits/anthems like No Scrubs. Sadly on On April 25, 2002 Left Eye, the L in TLC passed away in a car accident. It was an Unpretty situation yet the 2 remaining members, the T and the C found a way to keep going. Perhaps it was all Meant To Be. So let’s go Way Back and see who they are now, after that long journey. Don’t wait this alone…What About Your Friends? Hopefully you Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg they join you.
Sunday, June 04
NBA Finals 2023 – Game 2 (8 p.m. / ABC)
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE LAZARUS PROJECT: SEASON 1 (9 P.M. / TNT)
Fresh from airing in the UK…the Project touches down in Canada tonight. The Project is a top secret organization dedicated to preventing mass extinction events and with the ability to make time go backwards.
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Series Premiere (for Americans): We got shoot-outs, car chases, a top-secret organization, punch-ups, sniper attacks, time loops and on-foot pursuits. And we got Season 2. The Project was renewed on August 4, 2022 following its successful broadcast on Sky TV on June 16, 2022. So, there’s no pressure; the Brits did the heavy lifting and enough of em watched to get us to Season 2. Whew for us; still terrible for George. George is an app developer who is mysteriously reliving the last six months of his life. What the? And then he is recruited into The Lazarus Project, a secret organization that uses time travel to prevent extinction-level threats. Oh yes! What could go wrong right? This is my new Counterpart (remember that most excellent TV show with J. K. Simmons?). Programming Note: The Lazarus Project premieres on TNT for an American broadcast today. Welcome to the party! It’s on Showcase on Demand/Crave for Canadians. And for Brits it’s on Sky Max.
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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
