‘The Boys’ comes for HBO Max and does not miss

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

I will have “bacon bacon bacon bacon bacon pancake” in my head all day.

@birdooto

#fyp #bird #foryou

♬ original sound – jsksjdgu2r2

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

I know it seems like I’m harping on this a lot lately, but this moment where we are seeing streamers cancel and remove so many shows is frankly scary. But why is it happening?

So, for a while there, when most of these streamers were starting up there was a binge of buying new projects. Streamers needed content to fill their libraries and everyone was spending like there was no tomorrow. But then the pandemic hit, and productions ground to a halt, and some shows had to be canceled altogether for various reasons including local health ordinances and just the simple cost of production while facing such uncertainty. And so ironically, just as people in lockdown were using their streaming services more than ever, the streamers themselves became more comfortable with canceling projects that they realized weren’t going to pan out financially. Better to cut costs now than wait several years for a project to become profitable.

This leads us to the dreaded “write-down” — when a streamer pulls a series completely from their platform or cancels a series that they might have previously renewed, or perhaps worst of all, refuses to air a season that has already been filmed. It’s ostensibly for one-time tax benefits — they get to write-down the project as a loss on their taxes for 2022 — but removing shows from the streaming platforms also saves the networks from paying residuals on those titles. Between the realization that streaming isn’t “bulletproof,” inflation, some networks like AMC and Starz feeling the pinch from cord-cutting, and just the economic downturn in general, the networks and streamers are looking to squeeze literally every penny they can from their libraries. It’s a dirty business.

Understandably, this is heartbreaking for creators who have to watch something that they spent so much blood, sweat, and tears on be treated with such disrespect by the network or streamer. Here, Roswell, New Mexico showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie explains why it is so disspiriting, even if everyone involved “still got paid”:

And in this piece, I learned that not only did Starz cancel Dangerous Liaisons after one season even though they had ordered a second season, and not only did Starz pull all episodes from their streaming service, but these fuckers aired the season finale a week early without telling anyone. Which means that viewers who had been enjoying the series not only missed the finale, but then they weren’t able to watch the finale on the online platform once they realized what had happened. That’s just downright evil. And it ultimately destroys confidence in the network.

So while the networks and streamers might benefit from the write-down in the short term, if they continue to cancel shows and remove them from their platforms as a matter of policy and not just in response to a short-term economic situation, both subscribers and creators are going to lose trust in said networks and streamers. It’s just not a great business plan for the long run.

The Boys, as always, gets it:

Speaking of The Boys, this is delightful:

I don’t know how you make this list of Game of Thrones characters who were given short shrift from the show and not have Ser Barriston Selmy at the VERY TOP.  THAT’S RIGHT, I AM A NERD. DEAL WITH IT.

Andy Cohen out here acting like Lisa Rinna chose to leave The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and wasn’t forced out so that they could keep Kathy Hilton. OK.

I had no idea Leah McSweeney was such an asshole. I mean, I knew she was an asshole, but I had no idea she was SUCH an asshole.

CNN is getting rid of the traditional anchor desk for daytime.

It sounds like Alex Kurtzman and Patrick Stewart want to do more Star Trek: Picard even though it was originally imagined to only be a three-season series.

Kate Winslet is good people.

#MeToo

Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, the titular actors in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet from 1969, are suing Paramount for sexual harassment, fraud, sexual abuse, negligence, appropriation of name and likeness, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unfair business practices/injunction. The actors were 15 and 16 at the time of filming, and Hussey’s breasts were exposed in the film, as were Whiting’s buttocks. The actors claim that Zeffirelli badgered them to film the scene in the nude, and that they were filmed naked without their knowledge. (I’m not sure how both of those things can be true at the same time, but perhaps it was two different incidents.)

Remember Chris D’Elia, the comedian who was accused a couple of years ago of having inappropriate relationships with underage girls? And he kinda denied the allegations but apologized and went away? Yeah, he still very much has a career and is booking shows.

Fellow comedian Kyle Anderson released a YouTube documentary about D’Elia with very alarming allegations against him from his former victims in which they allege he wanted to create his own sex cult or harem. He allegedly asked women and girls to tattoo and brand his initials on their bodies, used blackmail to control them, forced them to make sexually demeaning videos and photos, demanded to have sex with some of his partners’ sisters, and there were so many victims that there are online support groups specifically for them. His former tour manager said, “Chris’ situation is on the Bill Cosby level.”

As a result of the release of the documentary, he has had one (1) show canceled. It’s a start, I suppose.

Danny Masterson will have a second rape trial after the first one resulted in a hung jury. Good.

Right-wing political activist and lobbyist Matt Schlapp has been accused of groping a male staffer on Herschel Walker’s campaign. LOL, couldn’t happen to a worse guy.

According to the most recent installment of Surviving R. Kelly, the singer silenced Aaliyah and her family with a non-disclosure agreement following their marriage and annulment. She was 15 at the time of their marriage.

Seven years ago, Andrew Tate was investigated for the rape and abuse of two women in the United Kingdom, and was kicked off of Big Brother U.K. However, authorities declined to press charges because they considered it a “weak” case and wanted to improve their conviction rate by not prosecuting. According to this Vice article that covers the failure of the U.K. authorities to act, only 1 in 100 rapes result in a charge, much less a conviction.

Because there are rarely consequences to bad men’s actions, Vince McMahon has returned to WWE.

You would think that Billy Bush of all people would understand the dangers of a hot mic. While discussing Kendall Jenner’s Halloween costume with the crew of Extra in which she was dressed as Jessie from Toy Story, Bush joked, “Kendall goes as Jessie and, believe me, there were a lot of woodies.”

The Daily Beast published the audio and Extra responded, “As with many forms of production in the entertainment industry, the show’s creative process allows the flexibility to try different jokes and banter. In the end, some material lands on the cutting room floor, including remarks that may be too edgy to air on broadcast television.”

The mind reels at how stupid this man must be. Should he be fired? No, probably not; this is not that big of a deal, just a crude, and dumb joke. But has this man really not learned his lesson about saying gross things about women when there is a microphone nearby?

Former UFC star Phil Baroni has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend (whose identity was only listed as “Paola” by Mexican authorities).

The sexual assault case against Marilyn Manson has been dismissed on a technicality, but can be refiled.

This is genuinely gross:

Cancellations

In Development

Casting News

Mark Your Calendars

  • Lucky Hank premieres on AMC on March 19. Unless AMC cancels it before then.
  • Fear the Walking Dead will return on AMC on May 14.
  • School Spirits will debut on Paramount+ on March 9.
  • Pamela, a love story premieres on Netflix on January 31.
  • At Midnight will debut on Paramount+ on February 10.
  • Vanderpump Rules will debut on Bravo on February 8.

R.I.P.

Quinn K. Redeker, Actor best known for his roles on Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless

Ineitha “Diamond” Lynnette Hardaway, MAGA political commentator, part of “Diamond and Silk.” Her partner, “Silk,” is already crowdfunding on her death and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Mike Hill, Film editor

WATCH THIS

80th Golden Globes Awards: They’re back, for better or worse. 7 p.m., NBC

The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker: Remember Kai? The hitchhiker went viral after saving a woman, only to later be convicted of murder? This is about that guy. Netflix

 

Late Night:

  • Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Giancarlo Esposito, Alvvays
  • Late Night with Seth Meyers: Tom Hanks, Stephen Markley, Fab Moretti
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Prince Harry, Ingrid Andress
  • The Late Late Show with James Corden: Regina Hall, Bella Ramsey, Alec Benjamin
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Octavia Spencer, Ramón Rodríguez, Reneé Rapp
  • Watch What Happens Live: Allison Williams, Mike Colter

TUES. 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC The Rookie
(new)		 The Rookie: Feds
(new)		 Will Trent
(new)
CBS FBI
(new)		 FBI: International
(new)		 FBI: Most Wanted
(new)
CW The Winchesters
(repeat)		 Mysteries Decoded
(repeat)		 Local
FOX The Resident
(new)		 Alert
(repeat)		 News/Local
NBC The 80th Golden Globe Awards
(live)

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