#CouchWorthy: Hawkeye

Hawkeye: Limited Series (Anytime / Disney+) – Marvel comics got stuck in this silly game of new characters old names.

So Peter Parker is Spider-Man and now suddenly Miles Morales is Spider-Man. That doesn’t make any sense.

Same with Captain America, Wolverine (sigh…) and Hawkeye. The comics were having so much fun being lazy the MCU on Disney+ decided to play that game too!

Jeremy Renner is Hawkeye.

Kate Bishop is not Hawkeye.

If she calls herself that…that’s dumb which means she’s dumb.

Kate Bishop: “Some people have actually called me…the world’s greatest archer.” I can promise you they have not. Updating your Wikipedia page doesn’t make it true.

Do The Work: Come Up With An Original Name. Inspirations not Iterations.

This trailer offers no surprises: it’s exactly what you think it’ll be.

Hawkeye will premiere its first two episodes on November 24, 2021 (#SetTheVCR); with six episodes total, concluding on December 22.

#SetTheVCR | Disney+ | November 24, 2021

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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.

#SetTheVCR: April 12-18, 2021

Oh! TV shows/movies and TV recommendations: I enjoy both of those things.

Monday, April 12

Run (Anytime / Netflix (Canada))

Desiring freedom after years of isolated medical care, teenager Chloe suspects her mother might be holding her back — and harboring sinister secrets.
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Sammy Suggestion: Spontaneous (Anytime / Hulu & Prime Video)

Mara Carlye’s life is forever changed when students in her senior class literally explode for no reason. Mara and her friends stay close together as they await possible combustion – wondering what part of life is worth living.if it might end suddenly.
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Oh! The angst and romance of a teen movie and spontaneous combustion: I enjoy both those things. “When students in their high school begin inexplicably exploding, seniors Mara (Katherine Langford), Dylan (Charlie Plummer) and others navigate in a world where each moment may be their last. As spontaneous explosions continue unexplained, an unexpected romance blossoms between Mara and Dylan, who discover that when tomorrow is no longer promised, they can finally start living for today.”

Tuesday, April 13

Frontline: American Insurrection (10 p.m. / PBS)

Over the last three years, FRONTLINE has collaborated with ProPublica to investigate the rise of extremism in America. In the aftermath of the assault on the U.S. Capitol, FRONTLINE and ProPublica team up again to examine how far-right groups were emboldened and encouraged by former President Trump and how individuals were radicalized and brought into the political landscape.
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Sammy Suggestion: The Inside Story (Anytime / HBO Max)

This documentary takes viewers on a journey that started in 1989 and traces its evolution into a phenomenon. Each episode reveals stories that highlight the chemistry between Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.
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Oh! NBA basketball games and deeply sarcastic responses to those games: I enjoy both those things. I shared this TV recommendation back in March when it premiered on TNT. Now it’s all together on HBO Max. The TV Guide description says it well: “Inside the NBA – the Sports Emmy Award-winning studio show known for its entertaining style and unfiltered commentary – pulls back the curtain on its more than 30-year history in this four-part documentary series. Interviews with celebrities, crew members, sports reporters and more illuminate the show’s evolution into a cultural phenomenon with untold stories that highlight the chemistry between Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.” TNT is among the best NBA game packagers and I wish they could broadcast more games. So good. So fun. Even if the games are blowouts the Inside The NBA team is often entertaining and deeply sarcastic. That’s all I ask!

Wednesday, April 14

Dad Stop You’re Embarrassing Me (Anytime / Netflix)

A single dad and cosmetics brand owner figures out fatherhood on the fly when his strong-minded teen daughter moves in with him.
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Sammy Suggestion: Love and Monsters (Anytime / Netflix)

Seven years after he survived the monster apocalypse, lovably hapless Joel leaves his cozy underground bunker behind on a quest to reunite with his ex.
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Oh! love and monsters: I enjoy both those things. “Joel (Dylan O’Brien) ventures out of his underground bunker seven years after the Monsterpocalypse and sets out on a journey to find his girlfriend.”

Thursday, April 15

Exit Plan (Anytime / Crackle)

We follow Max, who in the midst of an existential crisis and looking to solve a cold case checks into the clandestine Hotel Aurora. A unique secretive facility that specializes in elaborate assisted suicide fantasies. His investigation uncovers a disturbing truth that forces Max to question the very nature of life, death and his own perception of reality.
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Sammy Suggestion: Spy City (Anytime / AMC+)

An English spy who is sent to Berlin in 1961 to sift out a traitor in the UK Embassy or among the Allies, shortly before the construction of the Berlin Wall.
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Oh! A British spy and traitors: I enjoy both those things. “A British spy (Dominic Cooper) is up to his ankles in intrigue in Cold War-era Berlin in the new espionage drama Spy City.” This six-episode series has already aired in Germany, it’s now State side.

Friday, April 16

Van Helsing: Season 5 (10 p.m. / SYFY)

Van Helsing is set in the near future, where vampires have risen and taken control. Vanessa Van Helsing is humanity’s last hope, as her unique blood composition gives her the ability to turn vampires human. With this secret weapon, Vanessa becomes a prime target for the vampires.
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Songbird (Anytime / Hulu)

In 2024 a pandemic ravages the world and its cities. Centering on a handful of people as they navigate the obstacles currently hindering society: disease, martial law, quarantine, and vigilantes.
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Sammy Suggestion: Mr. Mercedes: Season 1-3 (Anytime / Prime Video)

A demented killer taunts a retired police detective with a series of lurid letters and emails, forcing the ex-cop to undertake a private, and potentially felonious, crusade to bring the killer to justice before he can strike again.
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Oh! A Stephen King detective and a lazy turtle: I enjoy both those things. Mr. Mercedes arrived on Peacock on October 15, 2020 (from the rarely viewed Audience Channel; which I believe is now defunct.) now it’s in Canada. Easily one of the best Stephen King adaptations…in yo’face Castle Rock; and sorry IT with John Ritter and see you in hell Langoliers with Bronson Pinchot! Brendan Gleeson is an Irish treasure and as detective Bill Hodges he’s outstanding as is the show’s soundtrack. Mr. Mercedes rocks the disco and jams the nightclub. Based on Stephen King’s spellbinding Mr. Mercedes trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch) for over 3 TV seasons the David E. Kelley series combined supernatural elements, a murder mystery; devious characters, and characters seeking redemption. There’s also a lazy turtle if you dig animals. Enjoy…you’re so in for a treat. The show concluded on November 12, 2019 and I doubt there’s any reason for a fourth season still I’m eagerly sharing it now because with strong ratings “never say never.”

Saturday, April 17

Sammy Suggestion: The Blade Trilogy (Anytime / Crave)

“Blade” -Wesley Snipes plays a half-mortal, half-immortal charged with ridding the earth of a race of vampires led by Stephen Dorff in this action-packed blockbuster.
“Blade 2” – When the world is threatened by a new and deadlier breed of super vampire, the legendary Blade and his mentor, Whistler, must join forces with the Bloodpack, an elite team of vampire warriors made up of his sworn enemies.
“Blade: Trinity” – The final battle begins and the trinity comes to an end!
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Oh! vampires and vampire hunters: I enjoy both those things. 10 years before Iron Man big banged the MCU Marvel somehow got Blade right. (Well the first 2 movies for sure…the third is flawed.) The first set up a “Underworld” feud between “pure-blood” vampires and those who had been human, but were “turned.” Not that Wesley Snipes cares: always bet on black! The second was directed by Guillermo del Toro while the third has the strangest cast: Parker Posey, Triple H, Patton Oswalt, Kris Kristofferson and Jessica Biel. You gotta see it to believe it. Marvel Studios have muttered they want to make another Blade…a script has been written so we wait.

Sunday, April 18

Confronting a Serial Killer: Season 1 (Anytime / Starz & Crave)

The astonishing story of the unprecedented relationship between acclaimed author and journalist Jillian Lauren and the most prolific serial killer in American history, Sam Little.
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Godfather of Harlem: Season 2 (Anytime / EPIX)

Season 2 finds Bumpy Johnson battling the New York Crime Families for control of the lucrative and murderous “French Connection” heroin pipeline in an ambitious plan that will pit him against not only the Italians and the law but also friends and family.
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Sammy Suggestion: Mare Of Easttown: Limited Series (10 p.m. / HBO & Crave)

As her life crumbles around her, a small-town Pennsylvania detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) investigates a local murder. The series explores the dark side of a close community and provides an authentic examination of how family and past tragedies can define our present.
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Oh! local murder and Pennsylvania: I enjoy both those things. “A detective (Kate Winslet) in a small Pennsylvania town investigates a local murder while trying to keep her life from falling apart.” You got 7 episodes to figure out who the killer is. I’m putting my money on Guy Pearce he’s always wonderfully shifty.

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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.

#SetTheVCR: March 15-21, 2021

The return of superheroes and the madness of March: this is one “Blockbuster” of a week. Let’s see what we’ve got!

Monday, March 15

Doctor Who: Fury from the Deep (Anytime / AMC+)

The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria find themselves on the east coast of England where a gas refinery is experiencing problems and a sinister heartbeat is throbbing through the pipes.
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Sammy Suggestion: The Last Blockbuster (Anytime / Netflix)

This nostalgic documentary reveals the real story of Blockbuster’s demise, and how one last location in Oregon keeps the spirit of a bygone era alive.
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While I still enjoy visiting the record shop I don’t miss renting movies all that much. I’m grateful for streaming even if it isn’t perfect. Renting was an event. Going to the movies was an experience while renting was an event. There was a lot of pressure to get it right. You might only end up with one maybe two movies so you had to do your best to avoid a lemon. The new releases were all about timing; get there too late on a Friday and Jurassic Park might be fully rented out. You had to be deeply snobby to protect your financial investment though sometimes there was a rare opportunity to lean into low brow blood guts violence whatever adults would not let you typically watch. All these poignant moments and more are celebrated in The Last Blockbuster as told through the lens of the last remaining Blockbuster Video in Bend, Oregon. (It actually became a Airbnb right before the whole world went on lockdown. So. Yeah.) Join Kevin Smith, Ione Skye, Jamie Kennedy and many others as they reflect on an old timey ritual while we understand how the ironically named Blockbuster chain became an endangered species.

Tuesday, March 16

Staged: Season 2 (Anytime / Hulu)

David Tennant and Michael Sheen star as two actors whose West End play has been put on hold due to Covid-19, but whose director has persuaded them to carry on rehearsing online.
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Sammy Suggestion: The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway (Anytime / Crave)

Subversive humor and childlike wonder based on both Reubens’ original stage show, THE PEE-WEE HERMAN SHOW.
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Pee-Wee’s Playhouse ran from 1986 to 1990 a wonderfully absurd cult TV show. Though I guess it scored mainstream attention with the successful Tim Burton movie Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. And Netflix recently released Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday in 2016. In between the Tim Burton movie and the Netflix movie there was The Pee-Wee Herman Show revival a Broadway show recorded for HBO. While we wait for Broadway to reopen, unusual specials such as this and David Byrne’s American Utopia (also on Crave & HBO) help fill in that jazz hands gap. Please Note: this will be removed from Crave on March 18 so act fast.

Wednesday, March 17

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (Anytime / Netflix)

Reenactments drive this documentary investigating the mastermind behind a scam to get the kids of rich and famous families into top US universities.
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Sammy Suggestion: Abla Fahita: Drama Queen (Anytime / Netflix)

Falsely incriminated, Abla Fahita is separated from her kids, but the self-indulgent diva will stop at nothing to redeem herself and reunite her family.
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Does anybody out there know/watch Abla Fahita? “She” is a deeply sarcastic basically Egyptian Muppet; a diva who hosts a late night TV talk show. I’ll watch some bits with my parents here and there on Middle East satellite channels: she mocks a lot of cultural taboos (so it’s that Simpsons humour…mock the culture which works for me.). Netflix has committed to cultural investments (the international stuff on Netflix is ridiculously good.) and this is the second Egyptian product following the horror TV show Paranormal. Though Drama Queen is actually a drama with I guess comedy? The puppet Abla Fahita has to go on the run after being implicated in a crime (lol!) and she has to clear her name and return to her two children, Caro and Boudi. So this is a departure from her talk show and I’m curious to see if American audiences will accept this. This will be interesting.

Thursday, March 18

2021 NCAA March Madness (4/3c PM / truTV & TBS)

The tournament tips off with the first four matchups. Let the madness begin.
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Sammy Suggestion: Zack Snyder’s Justice League (Anytime / Crave & HBO Max)

Determined to ensure Superman’s sacrifice was not in vain, Batman and Wonder Woman recruit Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash to form an unprecedented league of heroes to save the planet from the catastrophic threat of Darkseid, Steppenwolf & DeSaad.
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After a year of witnessing unintelligent politicians fail whose blind bumbling closed our cinemas…the Snyder Cut is the blockbuster we deserve but not the one we need right now. So we take it. I could rehash all the various Joss Whedon issues with the previous Justice League cut, Superman’s Mission Impossible “mustache,” point out JL was a box office bomb when it was released in 2017 etc. etc. Ultimately you’re in or you’re out: it’s Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. This new cut is 4 hours long. Pop Culture is loud, explosive, rude and raw. So yes Justice League’s timing is ideal: welcome to The Age of Heroes.

Friday, March 19

The Stand: Season 1 (Anytime / Prime Video)

THE STAND is Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.
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Blumhouse’s The Craft: Legacy (Anytime / Prime Video (Canada))

In Blumhouse’s continuation of the cult hit THE CRAFT, an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers.
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Sammy Suggestion: Falcon & Winter Soldier: Season 1 (Anytime / Disney+)

Marvel Studios’ THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier. The pair, who came together in the final moments of “Avengers: Endgame,” team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience.
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The latest Disney+ MCU series begins today; broadcast weekly for six episodes until April 23, 2021. Following Avengers: Endgame Sam Wilson aka The Falcon mentioned in the title has been burdened with Captain America’s shield so yeah that’s why he’s grumpy. The other half of the title is the Winter Soldier aka Bucky Barnes who is coping with his murderous past and adjusting to 21st century life without Captain America’s assistance since he had a similar adjustment so that’s why he’s grumpy. Together Statler and Waldorf team up to take on the anti-patriotism group the Flag-Smashers because politics makes them grump and Zemo the mastermind villain from Captain America: Civil War. His plot failed in that movie so that’s why he’s grumpy. Even John F. Walker appears in the show and he’s grumpy because he believes he’s a better embodiment of American values than Captain America. So lots of grumpy emotions here (some understandably justified): let’s see who is the first to turn their frown upside down.

Saturday, March 20

The Burnt Orange Heresy (Anytime / Crave)

Hired to steal a rare painting from one of the most enigmatic painters of all time, an ambitious art dealer becomes consumed by his own greed and insecurity as the operation spins out of control.
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Sammy Suggestion: Dude Perfect: Backstage Pass (WATCH Below!!)

Best known for trick shots, stereotypes, battles, bottle flips, ping pong shots and all-around competitive fun, Dude Perfect prides ourselves in making the absolute best family-friendly entertainment possible! Welcome to the crew!
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Like Jackass but family fun. Best known for trick shots, stereotypes, battles, bottle flips, ping pong shots and all-around competitive fun, Dude Perfect are responsible for many viral videos. However I don’t know much about these Dudes and I’d so enjoying seeing lots of footage of trick shots that failed. Jackie Chan movies showed the stunts that went wrong during the credits so even though it looked amazing in the movie you leave knowing it was a lie. That’s all I ever ask. Their YouTube documentary is free to watch on well YouTube. Here’s the whole thing rather than the typical trailer.

Sunday, March 21

The Gloaming: Miniseries (9 p.m. / Starz)

When a woman is found brutally killed, the clues surrounding her death connect to murders both past and present. At the center of this web are two detectives who share a tragic past.
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Q: Into the Storm (Anytime / HBO Max)

This follow-up to ‘The Gathering Storm’ follows Winston Churchill from 1940 to 1945 as he led his beleaguered nation through World War II.
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Sammy Suggestion: Genius: Aretha (9/8c PM / Nat Geo)

Anthology series focusing on the untold stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators. This season of GENIUS will explore Aretha Franklin’s musical genius, her incomparable career, and the immeasurable impact she has had on music and culture.
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On April 25, 2017 National Geographic premiered its first scripted event: Genius: Season 1 a 10 part miniseries on the inspiring and troubling life of Albert Einstein. (You can currently watch it on Disney+Star.) They followed up with Season 2 on April 24, 2018 focusing on Picasso. 3 years later Genius has returned with Aretha Franklin. Which is an odd choice. Aretha is of course a phenomenal talent however Genius is a word we tend to associate with…well Einstein and Picasso. The season follows Aretha as she struggles with motherhood while establishing her music career. This is a 4 night stand so #SetTheVCR accordingly: 2 episodes every night starting on March 21 running to March 24. (All 8 episodes will be available to stream on Hulu on what would have been her 79th birthday: March 25.) And in December 2020 Genius was renewed for a fourth season, which is set to be released on Disney+ and that follows the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

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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.

#SetTheVCR: March 08-14, 2021

Hold onto your butts this is gonna be a strange yet fun #SetTheVCR!

Monday, March 8

Debris (10/9c PM / NBC)

Two agents from two different continents, and two different mindsets, must work together to investigate when wreckage from a destroyed alien spacecraft has mysterious effects on humankind.
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Sammy Suggestion: Night Watch (2004) & Day Watch (2006) (Anytime / Disney+ Star)

NIGHT WATCH: Hundreds of years ago there was a battle between the Warriors of Light and the evil Warriors of Darkness. Realizing that they were evenly matched, the two sides agreed to a truce.

DAY WATCH: A member of a group of supernatural guardians who monitor the forces of the Dark, discovers that his own son is responsible for a series of murders.
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You ever try to explain Lord of the Rings movies to strangers? This will be like this; there’s a lot going on. Night Watch is a 2004 Russian fantasy movie: it’s like Underworld meets Resident Evil. From IMDB: “Among normal humans live the “Others” possessing various supernatural powers. They are divided up into the forces of light and the forces of the dark, who signed a truce several centuries ago to end a devastating battle. Ever since, the forces of light govern the day while the night belongs to their dark opponents. In modern day Moscow the dark Others actually roam the night as vampires while a “Night Watch” of light forces, among them Anton, the movie’s protagonist, try to control them and limit their outrage.” Surprisingly Night Watch and it’s 2006 sequel Day Watch have been added to Disney+ Star the beaded curtain section where the adult movies are. There’s a but!! The director of both is Timur Bekmambetov and before he made the third movie Dusk Watch he went off and made Wanted (a comic book adaptation!). So a third movie is planned but never materialized. These dark movies are lots of fun plus you get to visit Russia which is great considering how we rarely travel now.

Tuesday, March 9

Underplayed (Anytime / Crave)

Filmed over the summer festival season, UNDERPLAYED presents a portrait of the current status of the gender, ethnic, and sexuality equality issues in dance music.
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Sammy Suggestion: Dark Side of the Ring: Confidential (9/8c PM / VICE TV)

Finding truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality in the veiled world of professional wrestling.
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There’s still no word on when Dark Side of the Ring: Season 3 will premiere so! this will hafta do. According to the description: “Each 90-minute episode of Confidential will feature series creators Evan Husney and Jason Eisener sitting down with Conrad Thompson for roundtable discussions on various topics from the first two seasons of the hit series. Guests will include names like former WWE referee Mike Chioda, Savio Vega, The Blue Meanie, and Tommy Dreamer.” Look…I know I am not a wrestling guy however I am a documentary guy and Dark Side of the Ring is really good. As a fan of ESPN’s 30 for 30s I dig it. Not every story in wrestling is fake fun. If this roundtable format doesn’t work for you you got 2 seasons to check out: some super dark stories.

Wednesday, March 10

South ParQ: The Vaccination Special (8/7c PM / Comedy Central)

The citizens of SouthParQ are clamoring for the vaccine.
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Sammy Suggestion: Love, Gilda (Anytime / CBC Gem)

Diaries, audiotapes, videotapes and testimonies from friends and colleagues offer insight into the life and career of Gilda Radner — the beloved comic and actress who became an icon on SNL.
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Gilda Susan Radner died on May 20, 1989 a date that feels recent yet ancient at the same time. As always with every celebrity death it’s hard to put it into context who they were and what their work was. Hence this documentary: “In her own words, comedienne Gilda Radner reflects on her life and career. Love Gilda weaves together her recently discovered audiotapes, interviews with friends (Chevy Chase, Lorne Michaels, Laraine Newman, Paul Shaffer and Martin Short), rare home movies and diaries read by modern-day comedians inspired by Gilda (Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Cecily Strong).” Just that list of special talents: man you hope they eventually get a special documentary that puts their live and work into context. For now we start with Gilda.

Thursday, March 11

Stay Out of the Fucking Attic (Anytime / Shudder)

A diverse group of ex-cons who work as movers are convinced by their creepy client, Vern Muller, to stay the whole night to finish the job for a generous pay bump.
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Sammy Suggestion: My Beautiful Stutter (Anytime / Discovery+)

MY BEAUTIFUL STUTTER follows five kids who stutter, ages 9 to 18, from all over the United States and all walks of life, and who, after experiencing a lifetime of bullying and stigmatization, meet other children who stutter at an interactive arts-based program, The Stuttering Association for the Young, based in New York City.
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In 2012 Paul Rudd said this in a Vanity Fair interview: “I started thinking how hard it is to be a kid anyway, how hard it is to kind of talk with anybody, regardless of how old you are, but then to have a stutter, and have to contend with bullies, and, you know, just general confidence and security, that is also shaky when you’re growing up. I just really was blown away by these kids and was awed by them, really. So much so that I’m now on the board, and the play ended, but I’m still involved with the group.” He was in a play where his character stuttered though as the real life actor he deepened his involvement with those stuttering kids which has resulted in executive producing this documentary: My Beautiful Stutter. “The documentary follows five kids who stutter ages 9 to 18 who after experiencing a lifetime of bullying and stigmatization, meet other children who stutter at an interactive arts-based program, The Stuttering Association for the Young, based in New York City.” I dig documentaries like this where you get a window into a unique world and an unusual experience.

Friday, March 12

Assembled: The Making of WandaVision (Anytime / Disney+)

ASSEMBLED will take us behind the scenes of Marvel Disney Plus shows like WandaVision, Loki, and more.
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Cherry (Anytime / Apple TV+)

CHERRY follows the wild journey of a disenfranchised young man from Ohio who meets the love of his life, only to risk losing her through a series of bad decisions and challenging life circumstances.
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Sammy Suggestion: The Broken Hearts Gallery (Anytime / Crave)

Dumped by her boyfriend, a New York art gallery assistant creates an exhibit for souvenirs from past relationships.
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What if you saved a souvenir from every relationship you’ve ever been in? And because this is a rom-com what if you started to collect those post-relationship souvenirs from strangers and like opened up an art gallery displaying all of them so people can heal and be unburdened and free to love again? You know where is going. Decent soundtrack, wildly filthy and sarcastic best friend and look out for a the bright cameo by Toronto’s own Neon Museum.

Saturday, March 13

Sammy Suggestion: Kid 90 (Anytime / Hulu)

From Soleil Moon-Frye, KID 90 presents a true time capsule of a group of friends growing up in Hollywood and New York City in the ‘90s, balancing childhood and fame pre-internet and social media explosion.
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The premise is simple: “In the 1990s, Soleil Moon Frye carried a video camera with her everywhere she went. David Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Brian Austin Green, Stephen Dorff, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Harold Hunter, Justin Pierce, Danny Boy O’Connor, Jenny Lewis and Jonathan Brandis appear in the film.” I suppose it helps it is executive produced by the kid on Growing Pains: Leonardo DiCaprio. That this documentary follows Framing Britney Spears should add to that conversation. Though with this I can see the nostalgia taking over. That was a strange TV era.

Sunday, March 14

Sammy Suggestion: The Simpsons (8/7c pm / Fox)

The longest running animated TV show in history, Homer and Marge Simpson raise Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie in Springfield, where eccentric residents make everyday life interesting.
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It’s Homer Simpson vs J.J. Abrams (who yes voices himself) in tonight’s Simpsons. Did you see The Simpsons got renewed for season 33 AND season 34 on March 3, 2021. If all goes well it’ll be 757 episodes with the landmark 700th episode Manger Things airing on March 21 next week. I’ve said this for a couple of years it’s too unwieldy to properly criticize; this is no longer a traditional TV shows. Yo man if you wanna do that for like Next Gen or other tv shows great. Have at it. But like 34 seasons…757 episodes? That’s generational: what I see is totally different than what your kids are seeing. It’s the NBA. My era was Jordan, some kids have Kobe, some kids have Curry. Nobody posts the 96-97 NBA season was better than last year’s. Or the NBA peaked in 2010! You just accept the season for what it is: doesn’t matter if it’s Simpsons or NBA…there will be some fun, some surprises, some oh I saw that coming then there’s an off-season then you get up and do it all again. It’s an institution.

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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.

#SetTheVCR: January 10-16, 2021

So I get the focus for this week will be WandaVision however it turns out there are other goodies on TV this week. Huh…who saw that coming?

Sunday, January 10

American Gods: Season 3 (8 p.m. / Starz)
Ex-convict Shadow Moon roams a world he doesn’t understand, left adrift by the recent, tragic death of his wife. Little does he know his life is about to change after he meets a crafty, charismatic con man named Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job as his bodyguard.
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Tiger: Docuseries (9 p.m. / HBOMax & Crave)
TIGER is a two-part documentary offering a revealing look at the rise, fall, and epic comeback of global icon Tiger Woods.
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Sammy Suggestion: The Circus: Inside the Wildest Political Show on Earth: Season 6 (8:30 p.m. / Showtime & Crave)

Come one, come all to THE CIRCUS. This documentary series pulls back the curtain on the Trump era of presidential politics, revealing the stories behind the headlines.
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Yo…The Circus is back! One of my favourite 2020 TV shows deftly covering the election through smart analysis and minimal commentary. Super helpful…a 30 minute summation is all I want: I’ve no interest in CNN’s 4 hour analysis of a President Trump tweet, zero interest in stiff Twitter snark…just break down the political week for 30 minutes and I’m smart enough to get it.

Monday, January 11

American Experience: The Codebreaker (9 p.m. / PBS)
The work of cryptanalyst Elizebeth Smith Friedman brings down Al Capone, breaks up a Nazi spy ring in South America, and lays the foundation for the National Security Agency (NSA).
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Sammy Suggestion: Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (Anytime / Netflix)

A cheap, powerful drug emerges during a recession, igniting a moral panic fueled by racism. Explore the complex history of crack in the 1980s.
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I’m reminded of Tupac’s lines in Changes: “Instead of war on poverty/They got a war on drugs so the police can bother me.” At the time crack deepened racial and economic inequality, toxic policing, widespread incarceration and of course: government corruption. Times have changed huh? I’m surprised considering we’ve yet to have a proper in-depth crack documentary; this is only an hour and a half; it’s not a docuseries. From director Stanley Nelson who gifted us Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool and the 30 for 30: Vick (both highly recommended viewing) this is the story of how a designer drug for the Wall Street jetset deeply impacted many of America’s black communities.

Tuesday, January 12

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Season 2 (8 p.m. / The CW)
Anthology series exploring primal and social fears.
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Sammy Suggestion: Empire Records: Remix! Special Fan Edition (Anytime / Prime Video)

Updated take on the cult classic. A comedy about an eventful day in the lives of the young slackers, doers and dreamers who work at a bustling record store.
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It’s Rex Manning Day! (Actually everybody knows that’s really April 8th). Still the Remix! Edition has surfaced on Amazon Prime so yeah: today is Rex Manning Day. This unrated version is 107 minutes long and includes four extra scenes with 17 minutes of additional footage. Sometimes as Terminator 2 the extra scenes make a big difference; other times the director made smart choices. Regardless when was the last time you saved the Empire?

Wednesday, January 13

Sammy Suggestion: Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer: Docuseries (Anytime / Netflix)

In the upcoming Netflix four-part documentary series NIGHT STALKER: THE HUNT FOR A SERIEL KILLER premiering January 13, the viewer is taken on a wild ride alongside two brilliant detectives as they meticulously investigate a multitude of crime scenes that at first appear to be unrelated.
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True crime continues to heat up: consider this a follow up to HBO’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. That docuseries opened with True Crime Diary writer Michelle McNamara’s interest in gruesome crimes committed between the 1970s and 1980s in California by an unknown culprit known as the “Original Night Stalker.” So this 4-part series is the story of “new” Night Stalker aka Richard Ramirez who terrified San Francisco residents from June 1984 until August 1985. (Ramirez is featured in the fifth and ninth seasons of American Horror Story making that show’s title chillingly apt.)

Thursday, January 14

UFO Witness (Anytime / Discovery+)
Ben Hansen is on a mission to uncover the truth behind UFO sightings across America. With unprecedented access to the archives of famed ufologist Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Ben unlocks the secrets of the past to shed light on today’s UFO encounters.
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Sammy Suggestion: Hunted (Anytime / Shudder)

A modern and radical take on the Little Red Riding Hood fable, HUNTED is an exhilarating, transcendent, and frequently brutal survival tale that elevates itself with the power of myth and magic, while still holding an exacting mirror to present-day society.
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And now for an adult horror fable: if you think your dating life is a disaster check out Hunted. “What started as a flirtatious encounter at a bar turns into a life-or-death struggle as Eve (Lucie Debay) becomes the unknowing target of a misogynistic plot against her.” This is the directorial debut for French filmmaker and comic artist Vincent Paronnaud so it should be visually engaging.

Friday, January 15

One Night In Miami (Anytime / Prime Video)
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.
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Outside The Wire (Anytime / Netflix)
In the near future, a drone pilot sent into a war zone finds himself paired up with a top-secret android officer on a mission to stop a nuclear attack.
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Servant: Season 2 (Anytime / Apple TV+)
A Philadelphia couple is in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
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Sammy Suggestion: WandaVision (Anytime / Disney+)

Living idealized suburban lives, super-powered beings Wanda and Vision begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.
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Yes: One Night In Miami is on Amazon Prime and yes Outside the Wire is on Netflix. But after the strange MCU-less year we had last year today’s recommendation can only be WandaVision. MCU’s Netflix shows were for the most part well-received so now we turn to the Disney+ era starting with WandaVision. WandaVision will follow the story of Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Paul Bettany (Vision) living out the ideal suburban life. But ah…what if this Pleasantville isn’t real life? This series takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame and will lead into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which is scheduled for March 25, 2022. It was previously going to be released on May 7, 2021 but was pushed back to November 5, 2021, due to pandemic, before it was further shifted to the March 2022 date after Sony rescheduled the Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel to the November 2021 date. I’m tired too.)

The 9 episode series is directed by Matt Shakman with Jac Schaeffer as head writer. The composer is Christophe Beck, and the theme (for certain episodes) is by Frozen’s Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Oh and today you get 2 episodes and then the episodes will be released weekly.

Saturday, January 16

Sammy Suggestion: Deadwater Fell (Anytime / Hoopla)

DEADWATER FELL is a four-part British drama television miniseries written and created by Daisy Coulam. It stars David Tennant as a doctor whose wife and three young children are murdered in a fire.
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An Acorn Original comes to Hoopla (you need your library card to sign into this service: otherwise it’s free!). Did you watch Broadchurch (s’on Netflix)? In that Dave Tennant played a passionate yet ornery detective trying to solve the murder a child in a small town brimming with secrets. In Deadwater Fell he’s the suspect and this time there are 3 murdered children…in a small town brimming with secrets. “When a seemingly perfect and happy family is murdered by someone they know and trust, the small Scottish community they call home becomes riven with mistrust and suspicion as those closest to the family begin to question everything they thought they knew about their friends.” Hmm. Is David Tennant guilty? Or did somebody else do it? You’ll hafta watch all 4 episodes to find out.

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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.

167 | Paul Vermeersch (Shared Universe)

My Summer Lair Chapter #167: When You Get Lost In The Poetic Shared Universe…Who Do You Ask For Directions?

This is more than just a best of poetry collection although it is that.

You know how Marvel movies started with Iron Man, then the Hulk followed that, Thor and then Captain America each character and their world was properly established.

Like a patient architect Marvel Studios introduced each remarkable character via a solo movie before bringing them all together in Avengers.

According to writer and poet Paul Vermeersch writing poetry follows that same process. A writer issues poems in various books and publications and it’s like an Iron Man stand alone movie or a Captain America movie.

With Shared Universe as Paul explains it he’s now bringing all his poems together: Avengers Assemble! and the result is a fascinating contrast in light of a bold yet fresh context.

He said to me during this My Summer Lair visit: “I understand that I work in an art form that has less broad popular appeal than say a superhero film. But I can certainly borrow from that genre what I think is interesting and use it as a framework for the work that I’m doing.”

Right? So dope.

Shared Universe is fun for nerds and non-nerds: the poems in this best of collection are not chronological.

Instead they’re fueled by an optimistic imagination: a space age hope for the future. Sometimes we gotta look back to look ahead.


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Paul Vermeersch @ WT F

Host & Photography by Sammy Younan

Recorded: Monday December 28, 2020 at Noon (EST)

We wanted to really wind it back to the things that inspired the original Star Wars and really get it small in scale and tell simple stories, because part of what you inherit when you’re going to see Star Wars now is this whole history, because the stories have been told for decades, and it was nice, with the new medium, to be able to start with a new set of characters to introduce a new audience,” Favreau, a dedicated fan himself since he was a kid, said of the blueprint for the series. “But we always knew…and this is something I learned from…over at Marvel and working with Kevin Feige, is you always want to keep the core fans in mind, because they have been the ones that’ve been keeping the torch lit for many, many years, but these are also stories for young people and for new audiences. These are myths, and so you always want to have an outstretched hand to people who might not have that background. And so you’re really telling two stories at once. You’re telling the story for the people who are fresh eyes, and you’re telling the story for the people who’ve been there with the property and with the stories and the characters for so many years, and make sure that you’re honoring them, as well.

Jon Favreau

The priority is always the old fans: service them because as Favreau said they’ve “been keeping the torch lit for many, many years.”

Disney Should Know the Difference Between James Gunn and Roseanne

Disney Should Know the Difference Between James Gunn and Roseanne

With James Gunn’s Firing, Disney Destroyed the Message of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

With James Gunn’s Firing, Disney Destroyed the Message of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

164 | Tom Scioli (Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics)

My Summer Lair Chapter #164: Does Jack Kirby’s Real Life Reveal A Grand Design?

Welcome comic book writer and artist Tom Scioli. Based in Pittsburgh two of his recent projects recognize and explore the fantastic imagination of Jack King Kirby. 

The first project is Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics which is an outstanding Jack Kirby biography slash graphic novel that in some ways mirrors Captain America’s origins: Scrappy kid born in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, draws well (people often forget Steve Rogers was a commercial artist for a time: yes I know he’s not a real person), gets drafted, fights in World War II and comes home victorious. Only when he returns to comic books Jack Kirby was successful though not victorious. 

It’s difficult to calibrate an authentic Jack Kirby opinion: he mined his rich imagination and gifted us so many stunning visuals and enduring characters. The rich soil of the Marvel Universe from which we’d decades later would happily harvest as the MCU. But he was also work for hire which was standard at the time even though what Simon and Kirby and especially Lee and Kirby were doing was not standard.  

Which bring us to the second Tom Scioli project related to Jack Kirby: Fantastic Four: Grand Design.  As Tom astutely writes in the first issue: “The history of the Fantastic Four is the history of the Marvel Universe.” Indeed!

Like Ed Piskor’s stunning X-Men: Grand Design that preceded it…Fantastic Four: Grand Design is a seamless blending of decades of Fantastic Four continuity into one long astonishing story. That yes tells the history of the Marvel Universe. Fantastic Four introduced us to Black Panther, Inhumans and so many other characters including a giant world eater and his silver assistant with a surfboard. 

So like the Challengers of the Unknown another Jack Kirby creation let’s cannonball into these excellent projects with comic book writer and artist and supa dupa nerd Tom Scioli. 


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Tom Scioli @ WT F

Host & Photography by Sammy Younan

Recorded: Thursday December 10, 2020 at 1:30pm (EST)

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