#SetTheVCR: October 10 – 16, 2022

Monday, October 10

Happy Death Day & Happy Death Day 2 U (6:50 p.m. & 8:55 / Freeform)

Two Freeform Premieres as part of their Creeping It Real theme for Halloween. (Heh…Creeping It Real…)
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: GRIMCUTTY (ANYTIME / HULU & DISNEY+ CANADA)

It will find, change, and consume you.
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Grimcutty is Slenderman! “A suburban teen girl and her little brother must stop a terrifying internet meme brought to life by the hysteria of their parents…” That’s Slenderman. Although the idea of potent images is a classic horror theme from Sinister Scott Derrickson’s 2012 movie about a Super 8 boogeyman to the Weeping Angels in a number of Doctor Who episodes: “That which holds the image of an angel becomes itself an angel.” So, kids…how do you stop a meme from being mean?

Tuesday, October 11

Avenue 5: Season 2 (Anytime / HBO Max & Crave)

Stet 40 years in the future when traveling the solar system is no longer the stuff of sci-fi fantasy, but a booming, multibillion-dollar business.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: PENNYWORTH: SEASON 3 (ANYTIME / HBO Max & 9 p.m. / Showcase)

Peace, love, and mind control. Proper good times ahead. Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler (now renamed!) was added to HBO Max on October 6 so stream it anytime.
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Alfred Pennyworth is no longer in Batman comics (RIP!) but he lives on in TV with all kinds of EPIX adventures; only now he’s taking it to the Max. Back when Pennyworth premiered on July 28, 2019 on EPIX, I suggested it as a #SetTheVCR recommendation. At the time I wrote: “Kind of cool but unsure still really should be Pennyworth’s tagline from this trailer.” Well, it turns out Batman’s butler really delivered; a second season premiered on December 13, 2020 and now here we are with Season 3. Like Orville’s jump from Fox to Hulu; Pennyworth has jumped from EPIX to HBO Max and added a subtitle (The Origin of Batman’s Butler). This 10-episode season follows the British adventures of Alfred Pennyworth who formed a security company and works for billionaire Thomas Wayne who’s not yet Bruce’s father. Season three begins after a five-year time jump: “the civil war is over and a cultural revolution has changed the world for better or worse – ushering in a new age of Super Heroes and Supervillains.” If you haven’t had a chance to enjoy Alfred’s British-Bond ruckus today is a good day; it’s Pennyworth it. Programming Note: Though Season 3 premiered on HBO Max on October 6, tonight it makes its Canadian debut on Showcase.

Wednesday, October 12

Let the Right One In (Anytime / Showtime on Demand & Crave)

Inspired by the original hit Swedish novel and film, the series centers on Mark and his daughter Eleanor, whose lives were changed 10 years earlier when she was turned into a vampire. Locked in at age 12, perhaps forever, Eleanor lives a closed-in life, able to go out only at night, while her father does his best to provide her with the human blood, she needs to stay alive. Its on-air debut was Sunday, October 9 at 10 p.m.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: I LOVE YOU, YOU HATE ME (ANYTIME / PEACOCK)

This docuseries chronicles the rise and fall of Barney the Dinosaur’s furious backlash. What??
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Did you see the 2018 documentary The Bill Murray Stories? Well, that director Tommy Avallone is now telling Barney the Dinosaur stories. This two-part documentary “I Love You, You Hate Me unpacks how a children’s character who stood for inclusion, understanding, and kindness birthed a movement of anger and criticism that threatened the show, its creators, and their futures. As it spotlights the beginnings of modern-day hate culture, this documentary traces the creation of the character and how it took a toll on the people closest to it, examining the surprising and lingering impact the Big Purple Dinosaur left on American society.” Seriously? Apparently hate is not a pop culture dinosaur…it continues to live on.

Thursday, October 13

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Season 1: Episode 9 – *Season Finale* (Anytime / Disney+)

Jennifer Walters—an attorney specializing in superhuman-oriented legal cases—must navigate the complicated life of a single, 30-something who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE SOUND OF 007 (ANYTIME / PRIME VIDEO)

As part of James Bond’s 60th Anniversary…This feature length documentary chronicles the music of 007. Taking us from the iconic James Bond theme to Billie Eilish’s No Time To Die.
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Back in the day, TBS Superstation would run a James Bond marathon: 15 days of 007. It was fantastic; sometimes I would watch entire movies. Other times I’d drop by just to see a scene or two like a James Bond slot machine…come on gimme something good. While not quit the same…as part of Bond’s 60th Anniversary Prime Video will stream 25 James Bond movies: from Dr. No to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service to Live and Let Die to GoldenEye to No Time To Die the latest Bond flick. And wait: there’s more! The Sound of 007 was directed Mat Whitecross (Oasis: Supersonic…a most excellent documentary) is a “feature documentary pulls back the curtain on the remarkable history of six decades of James Bond music.” And…For Your Eyes Only there is also “The Sound of 007: LIVE from the Royal Albert Hall an exclusive recording of the official charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall on October 4. Guest vocalists will join a line up curated by five-time Bond composer David Arnold. The concert marks 60 years since the world premiere of Dr. No, the first 007 film, on October 5, 1962.” 60 years of James Bond; I’m so happy to have played my part in getting this iconic franchise up to 60 years. Here’s to 60 more years of Bond; James Bond.

Friday, October 14

Penn & Teller: Fool Us: Season 9 (8 p.m. / The CW)

A competition series where aspiring magicians are invited to perform their best trick to try and fool the world-famous team of Penn & Teller.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: HIGH SCHOOL: SEASON 1 (ANYTIME / AMAZON FREEVEE)

A coming-of-age drama based on the memoir of the same name from Tegan and Sara Quin.
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Yeah, this isn’t High School Musical…although that’s not totally accurate. Okay back up: in 2019 Tegan and Sara a pop group released High School their memoir slash origin story. It mostly covered growing up during the mid-1990s as queer teenagers in Calgary, Alberta as well as their early musical career. Fast forward to 2022 that memoir has been adapted (not as a documentary but as a feature with actors) and yes, it’s still set in the mid-90s so hopefully the soundtrack is incredible. And just like High School: if you don’t read the book perhaps you can watch the TV series instead. Programming Notes: The first four episodes (it’s 8 episodes total) premieres today with new episodes available every Friday…for Americans. For Canadians High School will graduate to Prime Video Canada on October 28.

Saturday, October 15

The Curse of Bridge Hollow (Anytime / Netflix)

A father (Marlon Wayans…yes!) and his teenage daughter are forced to team up and save their town after an ancient and mischievous spirit causes Halloween decorations to come to life and wreak havoc.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: HALLOWEEN KILLS (ANYTIME / PEACOCK)

This is Laurie Strode’s last stand: Again. Whatever.
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My favourite Halloween movie (aside from John Carpenter’s original classic) is H20. I haven’t enjoyed this current trilogy from Danny McBride, David Gordon Green but tis the season and here we are. Let’s finish this thing…again. Whatever.

Sunday, October 16

The Problem With Jon Stewart (Anytime / Apple TV+)

The companion current affairs podcast also continues with new episodes covering timely topics each week.
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SAMMY SUGGESTION: THE LINCOLN PROJECT: DOCUSERIES (ANYTIME / SHOWTIME & CRAVE)

A 5 part docuseries that follows a veteran group of former GOP operatives and strategists known publicly as the Lincoln Project, the fastest-growing super PAC in America, as they take on the task of “saving democracy” and defeating their own party’s sitting president.
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The Lincoln Project got a Last Dance. They seemed fine when they showed up on The Circus. But lots of liberal media (NY Times, NPR etc.) as well as liberals would have these meltdowns over their content. Which I never fully grasped: they’re Republicans who wanted to defeat Trump. I dunno what people want anymore. “Celebrated for their scathing ads and biting social media commentary, the series discovers that their operation is a lot more than what meets the eye, with sophisticated data analytics and voter targeting operations churning away behind the scenes. While working to accomplish their stated goal of “defeating Trumpism,” the group is shaken by internal upheaval, a sexual harassment scandal, and a tidal wave of negative press.” 5 episodes is a lot; I can do like 3? I’m interested but not that interested…still I’ll fire this up. Though I wish this came out before The Circus‘ new season, like an appetizer.

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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.

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