#SetTheVCR: March 29-April 04, 2021
How did we get to April? Time is so strange lately. What have you enjoyed on TV from the past 3 months? And what are you looking forward to this in April? Shall we get into a new month with new #SetTheVCR picks.
Monday, March 29
Audrey (Anytime / Netflix)
An intimate portrait of legendary Hollywood actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn, who stood for love above all else.
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Sammy Suggestion: Independent Lens: Til Kingdom Come (10/9c PM / PBS)
A rare look at the unlikely alliance between America’s Evangelical Christians and the State of Israel, ‘TILL KINGDOM COME by filmmaker Maya Zinshtein (Forever Pure) exposes the controversial bond between Evangelicals and Jews in a story of faith, power, and money.
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The latest Independent Lens documentary is Til Kingdom Come which explores the alliance between America’s evangelical Christians and the Israeli government and of course: that whole End-Times apocalyptic countdown (can prophecy be wielded as a political tool?). Oh yes right? I wanna know the history of the bond between Evangelicals and Jews rather than modern experience “Trump moved the Jerusalem embassy” kinda thing. We’ll see: faith, power and money is one of America’s taglines.
Tuesday, March 30
Supergirl: Season 6 (9/8c PM / The CW)
The sixth and final season of the American television series SUPERGIRL, which is based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl.
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Sammy Suggestion: Manifest: Season 1-2 Rewatch (Anytime / Peacock)
When Flight 828 lands in New York, all 191 souls on board are astonished to discover they’ve been missing for five years and their loved ones moved on without them.
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Later this week on April 1st the third season of Manifest premieres; still focusing on the mysterious return of Flight 828’s doomed passengers. 3 seasons later that’s one season longer than Resurrection and 2 seasons longer than The Returned. These presumed dead yet mysteriously returned TV shows are popular though they rarely last long to fully reveal all their secrets. With Manifest the premise is simple even if the mystery remains complicated: “After being presumed dead, passengers onboard Flight 828 return and discover the world has aged five years. As they reintegrate into society, they begin to experience guiding voices and visions, and soon a deeper mystery unfolds.” Think of Quantum Leap “putting things right that once went wrong” with a backdrop of a government conspiracy just nobody is silently smoking. If you haven’t watched any of it or merely want a recap since Season 2 wrapped on April 6, 2020 both seasons are on Peacock for Americans and for Canadians it’s on Crave under the TV tab. Sometimes ya gotta Manifest the past before flying to your next destination.
Wednesday, March 31
Haunted: Latin America (Anytime / Netflix)
Real people’s terrifying tales of the chilling, unexplained and paranormal come to life with dramatic reenactments in this reality series.
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Sammy Suggestion: Resident Alien: Season 1 (10/9c PM / Syfy)
An alien crashes on Earth and hides in a remote Colorado mountain town; after assuming the identity of the town doctor, his nefarious mission is threatened when he realizes one of the townspeople, a 9-year-old boy, can see his true alien form.
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The 10th Resident Alien episode concludes Season 1 tonight. Thankfully it’s been renewed for a second season in March. In comics the debate is often do you read/buy the monthlies or wait for the trade? What about with TV shows? Do you wait for the whole season or do you watch weekly? It’s been strange to watch the Disney+ MCU TV shows weekly; like even though that’s how I grew up to go back to that is strange. Not that I binge either: it’s just nice to know you have all the episodes and you can watch em at your leisure; you dictate the pace. That’s typically my strategy. (The Stand was added to Prime Video on March 19: 9 episodes and I finished it on March 27. It’s all there and not going anywhere: it’s a comforting feeling.)
Thursday, April 01
Manifest: Season 3 (8 p.m. / NBC)
When Flight 828 lands in New York, all 191 souls on board are astonished to discover they’ve been missing for five years and their loved ones moved on without them.
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Sammy Suggestion: Creepshow: Season 2 (Anytime / Shudder)
The Creep shows audience members darkly grim horror stories from the pages of the CREEPSHOW comic book.
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One of Shudder’s popular TV shows returns…from the dead! (Not really it returns from the off-season.) In February Shudder announced Creepshow was renewed for a third season however let’s focus on this six-episode second season. We know details about four of this season’s segments, which will be directed by Greg Nicotero. “Anna Camp and Adam Pally will star in “Shapeshifters Anonymous” Parts 1 and 2, written by Greg Nicotero, based on a short story by J.A. Konrath about an unlucky soul who finds himself in need of a werewolf support group; Keith David (YES!), Ashley Laurence and Josh McDermitt will star in “Pesticide”, written by Frank Dietz, in which an exterminator makes an infernal bargain; and “Model Kid” written by returning Creepshow writer John Esposito (season one’s “Night of the Paw”), is about a 12-year-old monster fan who turns to hand-built model kits to escape his unhappy reality.” I’ve seen this one already it’s “creepy” good fun. You can understand why the show’s tagline is The Most Fun You’ll Have Being Scared.
Friday, April 02
The Iron Giant (Anytime / Crave)
Something humongous is among us! A young boy rescues a huge robot which has rocketed to earth from space and tries to protect the genial giant from a nosey government agent and military.
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Sammy Suggestion: WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn (Anytime / Hulu)
This documentary takes a look at the community-centric ideal that sent the little co-working venture sky-rocketing and then investigates what was really going on behind the scenes.
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So I saw this WeWork documentary at SXSW in early March. It’s frustrating because it fails to fully articulate what prompted the overwrought and hysterical WeWork reactions. Articles, reams of tweets, podcasts, books and now a documentary…why? It’s just another tech company. Or is it? For McDonald’s their value comes from real estate not selling Big Macs. So we’ve seen that before. And what’s the difference between Adam Neumann, Steve Jobs or Charles Manson?! Just con men selling snake oil with the promise of a better life: it’s branded magic for 3 easy payments. My life will never improve as much as their$. Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop is the latest example. So we’ve seen that before. There’s a lot to unpack here; if you’ve a chance check out this doc to understand this latest corporate flameout. (And this hasn’t been added to Crave…yet? However Canadian viewers can join the “work-party” during Hot Docs 2021 documentary film festival (tickets go on sale on March 30 that “works” right: everybody gets to see the unicorn.)
Saturday, April 03
Sammy Suggestion: 2021 NCAA March Madness (2/1c PM & 5/4c PM / CBS)
Live coverage of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
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Live from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis The Final Four hit the floor in the semifinals of the 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament. One Shall Stand; One Shall Fall.
Sunday, April 04
Sammy Suggestion: The Snyder Make The Cut (Anytime / Netflix (Canada))
Zack Snyder’s WATCHMEN vs his 300: Which is Zack Snyder’s masterpiece?
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Is Zack Snyder’s Justice League the director’s masterpiece? (Right now my vote is Dawn of the Dead!). Netflix Canada has added 2 of his classics: Watchmen and 300 if you want to revisit those in light of his recent Justice League work. Watchmen is pitch perfect; highly respectful of the original fantastic comic book if soulless while 300 is so much fun. (Speaking of fun on May 21, 2021 Netflix will release Army of the Dead. I’m in for that: like Hurricane Heist but with zombies not a hurricane.) Or! Or is the best yet to come and Zack Snyder hasn’t made his masterpiece yet?
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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.
