Post 100, 2018

It's the very middle of 2018 and what, I'm up to 100 posts already? Well actually between both blogs I'm up around 272 total posts, Flashing off the Record, if your keen on the best music around.

So let's look at highlights for 2018, so far.

TV, it's been a huge start to to 2018 with the 2017-2018 US TV season finishing last month, there were some epic finales and some epic fails. I have done countless posts on new shows, returning shows and shows I binge to the bitter end, like 13 Reasons Why season 2.

2018 has seen the axe fall on a number of shows, some however like Brooklyn Nine-Nine were cancelled for a day before swapping networks, oh TV execs. I really enjoyed NBC's Rise on Stan here in Australia, it was a musical drama, with well lot's of teenage drama, it was like 13 Reasons Why, without the body count and the rape scenes.

Rise might have been cancelled by NBC however they kept my long running crime series The Blacklist alive for a sixth mid season filler series as well as Blindspot which will have a massive plot change in 2018-2019.

NBC cancelled 8 shows at the end of the season, and will gain 10 new shows for the new season.

ABC are having a rough time in the US, losing 13 shows at the end of the season, including the highly controversial Roseanne. But gaining The Conners a less racist spin off. They will gain a new 11 shows however.

CBS I have little to no interest in, so no comment, The CW is one of my personal favourites and say farewell to three shows (two of which only started this season) and gain 5 shows and now having a programming period on Sunday nights.

FOX are in trouble, they have no big shows except Ryan Murphy's latest hit and surprise of the season, 9-1-1.

Empire and Star continued to be popular musical series, whilst Gotham will finally wrap up with a fifth season and Batman reveal at the end of the season.

Fox will only unveil four new shows in September/October.

They are losing eight shows, some to Netflix or NBC.

Now to music, other than Vance Joy, the albums have been less than exceptional in 2018. We have had an amazing array of singles and EP's and mix tapes and everything in between, but the album is proving challenging, so much so Kanye is reducing an album to 7 tracks.

Even between two heavyweights The Carters (AKA Jay Z plus Beyonce) can only muster up 9 songs, together!

That said there have been some brilliant singles, so Aussie success stories like Amy Shark being a force to reckon with, with that big song I Said Hi. Well done Amy. Credit due where credit is deserved.

Vance Joy continues to grow his big fanbase and artists like Childish Gambino, Drake, Kanye and Jay Z and Beyonce continue to flex their artist muscle with huge productions behind their music videos along with some powerful messages coming through lyrically and visually.

Movies in 2018 have been interesting, I just got out of Adrift (review coming Monday) and I think I am at a stage with comic book films, that I need a break. Sorry Ant Man and the Wasp, it's not you it's actually me.

I was underwhelmed by Jurassic World, Fallen whatever, Deadpool 2 was just more of Deadpool without the shock factor of the first film and Swinging Safari could be one of the worst Australian movies of all time.

That said Unsane, Hereditary and The Florida Project all made me love film and the movies just that little bit more.

Well that's it for Post 100 of 2018, since 2017 I have crapped on about movies, films, TV, social shit and more. But for now it's farewell until tomorrow when we look into the career of Jorja Smith for a Mini Sunday Profile.

Which is new and I hope you are enjoying because my Sunday Spotlights on Flashing off the Record are choc o block right now, tomorrow Florence and the Machine will be featured.