It’s Friday but since weekends no longer mean anything, who cares. Bigger news is that it is May! And since I was promised that this virus would just “disappear” in April, I am assuming that everything is fine now? We’re done with all this? … Oh. Huh.
Oh well, here’s today’s dose of adorableness:
This is the best weather forecast in the history of television news pic.twitter.com/LhmoJDCkbZ
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) April 30, 2020
Last night’s Parks and Recreation special was a GOD DAMNED DELIGHT that offered more comfort and social distancing advice in thirty minutes than the President of the United States has in four months. And according to the ratings, it was a big win for NBC, topping Young Sheldon in the prime demographic (though more people actually watched Young Sheldon), and coming very close to the same audience as the series finale.
Here are a bunch of good tweets to help us relive the sweetness:
paul rudd reprising his role as bobby newport for the parks and recreation reunion special is the funniest thing that has happened this year pic.twitter.com/7kK33JmlNm
— alex (@loventhunders) May 1, 2020
Bobby Newport trying to say coronavirus. That’s it. That’s the tweet. #ParksAndRec
— UPROXX (@UPROXX) May 1, 2020
Here's the extended Jean-Ralphio clip from the wonderful #ParksAndRec special last night. It was the first time not getting a haircut for months made sense. And here's the link if you want to donate to Feeding America's Covid Response Fund- https://t.co/q9T43zgP5R. #ParksandRec pic.twitter.com/xAl6mIAYjo
— Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) May 1, 2020
it gives me peace knowing that in the parcu (parks and rec cinematic universe) that the parks department does daily phone tree calls and that ben wyatt is still alive and well making more claymation movies #ParksAndRec pic.twitter.com/kkLq6kFHEm
— jules | ben wyatt’s cleaning supplies (@KEERYKINK) May 1, 2020
MOOD #ParksAndRec pic.twitter.com/7MCA0l6Eyr
— anna (@ajose25) May 1, 2020
5,000 candles in the wind…it’s fine. I’m fine. #ParksAndRec pic.twitter.com/VsnMBUADOp
— Abby (@abigailrae_94) May 1, 2020
How the personal politics of 'Parks & Rec' fit with the personal politics of the pandemic: https://t.co/jFwq264I90 pic.twitter.com/MhrH0VkN4D
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) May 1, 2020
I find it no coincidence the best night of sleep I’ve had since this all started was the night after the #ParksAndRec special. It’s almost as if my heart needed it.
— Alex Kennedy (@alixandrialea) May 1, 2020
If you missed last night’s special, you can watch the entire thing right here:
Please donate to Feeding America here.
The Voice is going to be recording from the studio for the live shows next week.
“Contestants will be whittled down over six episodes including the two-night finale – ending May 19 – with Carson Daly hosting the live rounds from a soundstage without a live audience in front of the iconic red chairs. Deadline understands that the network and producers have brought in a set of best-practice safety protocols to allow some staff to return to the studio.
The Voice will be recorded across two soundstages at Universal Studios with around 30 crew, compared to the normal 450. Each employee will have their temperature tested twice during the day and receive two separate bracelets to show that they are healthy. They will be required to wear masks with filters on the stages replaced and craft services reinvented to ensure safety.
Separately on The Voice, the four coaches will record remotely from their homes; Kelly Clarkson will broadcast from her ranch in Montana, Blake Shelton from his home in Oklahoma, and Nick Jonas and John Legend from their respective homes in Los Angeles.”
TV Line has collected all of the TV show cast reunions that have happened during this weird time we’re living in, in the event you want to watch other people have Zoom meetings.
The Little League World Series has been canceled for the first time.
The Palm Springs Film Festival’s 2020 ShortFest is going virtual.
The Nightingale has been pushed back to a 2021 release.
A bunch of other movies have announced they will release on VOD. Some of the films are opening through a “virtual cinema” which allows viewers to purchase the film “ticket” through a theater’s website, giving some proceeds to the theaters to help them through this crisis. The documentary, The Infiltrators and the dark French comedy Deerskin will both open this way.
Meanwhile, Regal Cinemas has joined AMC Theaters in freaking out over Universal’s announcement that they will start releasing some movies on VOD even after all of this is over with.
Oh hey, NASCAR is planning on coming back in a couple weeks. And Beverly Hills voted to allow plastic surgeries to resume. Because stereotypes are gonna stereotype. (That said, the NASCAR thing is probably pretty safe — no crowds, two tracks, a bunch of events planned over a couple of days. The plastic surgery decision, however …)
Tim Brooke-Taylor, a British comedy star, has died from the virus.
Broadway actor Nic Cordero now has “holes in lungs.” This poor guy …
A bunch of armed assholes stormed the Michigan statehouse yesterday to scream about not being able to go to the Cheesecake Factory.
Look at these fuckers:
After a day of armed protesters and a GOP lawsuit threat, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends state of emergency https://t.co/4PadF5hFIK
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 1, 2020
#Michigan is starting to remind me of Beirut and Hezbollah. pic.twitter.com/SgD8JaohRJ
— Hussain Abdul-Hussain 🇺🇸 (@hahussain) May 1, 2020
And how did President Very Fine People on Both Sides respond? Exactly how you would expect him to:
The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2020
Yep! “Very good people.”
Hey, here’s a fun game: let’s look up the definition of “terrorist”:
a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
So, yeah, the President of the United States is urging the governor of Michigan to “give a little” to these assholes, or what we might call “negotiating with terrorists.” That’s where we are today.
Good News:
Feeding America, a comedy special featuring Byron Allen, Louie Anderson, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Wayne Brady, Adam Carolla, Cedric the Entertainer, Margaret Cho, Andrew Dice Clay, Deon Cole, Billy Crystal, Whitney Cummings, Tommy Davidson, Bill Engvall, Mike Epps, Billy Gardell, Brad Garrett, Whoopi Goldberg, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin James, Jim Jefferies, Jamie Kennedy, Keegan-Michael Key, George Lopez, Jon Lovitz, Howie Mandel, Sebastian Maniscalco, Marc Maron, Tim Meadows, Eddie Murphy, Caroline Rhea, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Sarah Silverman, JB Smoove, Kenan Thompson, Sheryl Underwood, and Marlon Wayans will broadcast on NBC on May 10.
Trevor Noah is personally paying the salaries of the furloughed staff of The Daily Show.
All Other TV News
Anderson Cooper is a DADDY and in the literal sense this time! WE NEEDED THIS RIGHT NOW:
CNN's @AndersonCooper is a dad.
"On Monday I became a father. I've never said that out loud and it astonishes me," he said Thursday at the end of the #CNNTownHall.
Wyatt Morgan Cooper was born on Monday, weighing just over 7 pounds. https://t.co/JAlmnm23lZ pic.twitter.com/TuleKwvYpO
— CNN (@CNN) May 1, 2020
I am crying @AC360
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) May 1, 2020
I AM TOO, ANDY COHEN.
AMC just struck a deal to make content available on the free streaming service, Pluto TV. The first five seasons of The Walking Dead will be available (but not the other 67 seasons). Also available, the first three seasons of Fear the Walking Dead, the full series runs of Halt and Catch Fire, and Into the Badlands; IFC’s Portlandia, Documentary Now! and Brockmire; and WE tv’s Kendra on Top and Mary Mary.
Damon Lindelof noticed that Jeff Bezos is building a 10,000-year clock in a Texas mountain and is, for obvious reasons, alarmed.
He also recently posted this, which is pretty amazing:
Between this and “squid pro quo,” I’m pretty sure Damon has that Donkey Wheel in his house somewhere …
Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood is streaming on Netflix as of today. Apparently, it’s partially based on Scotty Bowers, pimp to the stars who spilled the goods in a documentary called Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. His story is WILD.
Here’s the backstory to how HBO’s heartfelt and genuine We’re Here was created.
This piece argues that the Real Housewives are perfect comfort food during the quarantine and I wish I could say that I knew this and it is why I’ve returned to blogging RHONY and RHOBH but the truth is I just finally had the time to get back to them.
This is another SNL sketch that I guess was cut for time, which is a shame because it might be the funniest thing Beck Bennett has done on the show and also, too I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE FELT MORE SEEN:
Renewals
- The Terror has been renewed for a third season on AMC.
- The Boys has been renewed for a third season on Amazon. Probably.
Cancellations
- Dare Me has been canceled at USA after one season.
In Development
- A documentary about the 737 Max and the related crashes to the plane has been bought by Netflix.
- The podcast Cold is being turned into a TV series.
Casting News
- Carrie Coon is going to star in The Gilded Age on HBO, increasing the probability that I will watch The Gilded Age to 100%.
Mark Your Calendar
- Don’t will premiere on ABC on June 11.
- L.A.’s Finest will return on Spectrum Originals on May 8.
- The Bradshaw Bunch will debut on E! this summer.
- Keeping up with the Kardashians will return on E! in September.
- Celebrity Watch Party will premiere on Fox on May 7.
- Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro will return on Food Network on May 16.
- We Are Freestyle Love Supreme will premiere on Hulu on June 5.
R.I.P.
Tony Allen, Afrobeat pioneer
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Hollywood: Young filmmakers and actors try to make it big in late 1940s Hollywood in Ryan Murphy’s newest project. Series premiere. Netflix
Betty: This new series follows a group of young female skateboarders in New York City. Series premiere. 10 p.m., HBO
The Half of It: The trailer for this Cyrano de Bergerac story with a twist made me cry, not even going to lie. Netflix
Trying: Apple TV+’s first British series is this comedy about a married couple struggling to become pregnant. Series premiere. Apple TV+
Upload: Greg Daniel’s new comedy takes place in a virtual after life. So kinda like The Good Place, but not at all. Series premiere. Amazon
SATURDAY
Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2020: Celebrate Together: I’m not sure how this is going to work, but sure. 7 p.m., Nickelodeon
Deadly High Mile Club: Actual description: “A deranged female flight instructor obsesses over her handsome student, using her piloting skills to destroy the people in his life and seduce him into loving her.” I mean, I can see how you could use piloting skills to destroy people, but HOW DOES SHE USE PILOTING SKILLS TO SEDUCE? WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? 7 p.m., Lifetime
SUNDAY
Westworld: “It’s time to face the music.” That’s all I got. Season finale. 8 p.m., HBO
Rick & Morty: Spring premiere. 10:30 p.m., Adult Swim
Billions: Bobby reaches a new milestone in the season premiere. 8 p.m., Showtime
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: First season finale. 8 p.m., NBC
Good Girls: The trio make a “drastic decision.” Season finale. 9 p.m., NBC
Late Night:
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: (Friday): Thandie Newton, Ina Garten
- Watch What Happens Live (Friday): Reza Farahan, Adam Neely, Mercedes Javid, Tommy Feight (Sunday): Billy Eichner, Rosie O’Donnell
| FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Shark Tank (repeat) |
20/20 |
| CBS | MacGyver (new) |
Magnum P.I. (new) |
Blue Bloods (new) |
| CW | Charmed (new) |
Dynasty (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Friday Night Smackdown | Local |
| NBC | The Blacklist (new) |
Dateline |
—
| SAT. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:30 |
| ABC | Shark Tank (repeat) |
American Idol (repeat) |
News/Local |
| CBS | NCIS: Los Angeles (repeat) |
SEAL Team (repeat) |
48 Hours | News/Local |
| FOX | 9-1-1 (repeat) |
Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back (repeat) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Dateline | Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
News/ Local |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
—
| SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (new) |
American Idol (new) |
The Rookie (new) |
| CBS | 60 Minutes | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Man With a Plan (repeat) |
| The CW | Local | Batwoman (repeat) |
Supergirl (repeat) |
Local |
| FOX | The Simp-sons (repeat) |
Bob’s Burgers (repeat) |
The Simp-sons (new) |
Duncan-ville (new) |
Bob’s Burgers (new) |
Family Guy (new) |
Local/News |
| NBC | Little Big Shots (repeat) |
The Wall (repeat) |
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (new) |
Good Girls (new) |
You might be interested in this – My buddy from high school has a new documentary on Amazon about the battle between Netflix and Blockbuster and how Netflix won. It’s a good watch.
https://www.amazon.com/Netflix-vs-World-Derek-Cecil/dp/B087MW5JG4
Wonderful! Thanks!
-T