A new week and a new streaming service. I know. I’m tired too. Still for the old streaming services I’ve got lots of tv recommendations.
Sunday, May 24
Sammy Suggestion: Lance (9 p.m. / ESPN)
Following The Last Dance’s conclusion (single tear…) ESPN is continuing its successful documentary Sundays (be interesting to see where we’re at with sports/no sports by June. So far we’ve got golf and racing back but nothing from the 4 majors…yet?). First up is a 2 part documentary on Lance Armstrong who had the ball to cheat at cycling. I dunno if this needed 2 parts. Part 1 is tonight; Part 2 airs on May 31. However, stay tuned because after we’ve “cycled” through Lance on June 7 it’s Be Water a 30 for 30 on Bruce Lee. Now, Bruce Lee, that dude needs a Last Dance. When the future is uncertain we return to the past.
Monday, May 25
Sammy Suggestion: Create Together #WithMe: Episode 1-Scream with Me Because it Works (Anytime / YouTube)
Last week as an added #SetTheVCR bonus I suggested Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s “Create Together #WithMe a new series about making art and community out of uncertain times—and we’re inviting you to take part.” Did you ever watch HitRecord on TV his 2014 tv show on Pivot? 2 seasons 8 episodes each. Some cool and creative work; other work left me shrugging my shoulders. You never know what to expect because all of the work was fashioned from the hitRECord community. Yeah people from around the world made the animations and songs and writing and so much more. So think of Create Together #WithMe as Season 3 of HitRecord on TV only it’s on YouTube with new episodes every Monday. Here is episode 1…it’s easier to see what I am struggling to convey.
Tuesday, May 26
Sammy Suggestion: Snowpiercer: Season 1 (Anytime / Netflix)
The train keeps on rollin! While for American viewers Snowpiercer debuted on May 17 on TNT it is now available for Canadians and other lower-class international viewers on Netflix (starting May 25). Like 12 Monkeys and um ah…Limitless Snowpiercer is a tv show adapted from a movie: Parasite’s filmmaker Bong Joon-ho. (Before the tv show and before the movie it was a French graphic novel. The circle of pop culture life.) The tv show features Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs. This isn’t a typical Netflix show though: episodes will be released weekly. Like old school tv.
Wednesday, May 27
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 7 (10 p.m. / ABC)
Sammy Suggestion: HBO Max
Today HBO Max launches for $15 a month. Making it among the most expensive streaming sites. It’s not yet available in every region so check with your cable providers. And the whole thing between HBO GO and HBO Max is confusing so ah…ask an adult about that. (I’m also curious what’ll happen to DC Universe.) For now let’s leave the show business behind and get down to business.
While you’ve read about some of the upcoming HBO Max shows (Zack Snyder’s Justice League Cut!) here’s some of the original launch day programming: The Not Too Late Show with Elmo (Elmo sucks. Team Grover for life!), On the Record (the Russell Simmons sexual allegations documentary far more notable for Oprah walking away from it…), Looney Tunes Cartoons (Space Jam 2 is coming soon…) and Love Life (you just saw her on Quibi now Anna Kendrick is here staring in this romantic comedy…).
Upcoming and confirmed originals include Doom Patrol: Season 2 on June 25 and Expecting Amy cameras follow Amy Schumer’s pregnant life tour…expect that on July 9. American Pickle a Seth Rogen comedy about a guy who makes…pickles is HBO Max’s first original film debuting on August 6. So is all this enough to tempt you to sign up for another streaming service? How many are you currently signed up for? “Are You Not Entertained?”
Thursday, May 28
Sammy Suggestion: Questlove’s Potluck (10 p.m. / Food Network)
I think…I believe this is the first time I’ve ever acknowledged something called the “Food Network.” Have you heard of it? I’m not even sure what channel it is. Still I dunno how engaging Questlove’s Potluck will be: I mean Hannibal Buress is funny, Zooey Deschanel is dorky cute and Questlove is ever cool. Alright so let’s do this thing: to Questlove’s Potluck I’ll bring myself.
Friday, May 29
Jesus Trejo: Stay At Home Son (9 p.m. / Showtime)
Parasite (Anytime / Crave)
Space Force (Anytime / Netflix)
Central Park (Anytime / Apple TV)
Sammy Suggestion: Ramy: Season 2 (Anytime / Hulu/Crave)
The gang is all here! I described Ramy: Season 1 as Atlanta but like set in New Jersey and with Muslims. The official description is: “Ramy Hassan is a first-generation Egyptian-American who is on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood. He becomes caught between a Muslim community that thinks life is a moral test and a millennial generation that believes life has no consequences.” Oh that’s much better. Season 2 should be stronger now that everybody’s settled into their roles and knows what to do. I’m expecting bigger laughs and more cultural landmines. It is not easy navigating two cultures. (Technically: 3 cultures. I’m Canadian and I’m Egyptian but also I’m steeped in pop “culture” with has it’s own rituals and street codes and semiotics. If you ever see a tired minority that’s why juggling cultures is not easy.)
Saturday, May 30
Sammy Suggestion: The Vast of Night (Anytime / Amazon Prime)
This premiered yesterday on Amazon Prime. A sci-fi movie that made the festival rounds in 2019. I’ve been impatiently wanting to check this out for a year and finally it’s time to throw the snuggie into the dryer for 30 seconds. A switchboard operator begins hearing a unique audio frequency coming through the radio. But here’s the movie’s hook and what sold me: “The film takes place over the course of one night in the 1950s, with the story framed as an episode of Paradox Theatre, a Twilight Zone-style anthology television series.” Oh Yes! This is Andrew Patterson’s debut film so let’s see what he’s got to offer. We might make a new friend here.
