Fall Finales: Barry - Season Four/Series Finale

Did Barry go for a season too long? HBO had a real run of series/season finales this week! Onto Barry which first lit up our screens late March, 2018.

Following a long ass break between seasons two and three, three and almost aired exactly a year later. So following COVID normality in HBO programming was returning. Well until the writers strike. 

Created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, Hader is Barry Berkman. Barry and Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg) have a couple of time jumps in the final season, with the ending tying up nicely.

The fourth and final season premiered mid April, concluding on Monday.

In the finale moments of the dark (sometimes amusing) HBO 30 minute drama-comedy (after another time jump) Sally basking in applause after directing a high school production of Our Town, with a teenaged John in the audience. 

A male teacher at the school invites Sally out for coffee, but she gives him a firm “no.” Instead, she drives home alone and happy, with flowers beside her on the passenger seat, while John hangs out with a friend, who shows him a movie called The Mask Collector. 

The Mask Collector for me wraps up the series perfectly for me. It's a movie about Barry’s life, with a former soldier getting off the bus in L.A. and stepping right into an acting class. The movie version of Gene encourages Barry to find his acting voice.

However Gene also has a nefarious mob connection, and Barry finds him standing over Janice’s dead body. Gene orders him to help him cover it up and Barry ends up in prison, later breaking out and rescuing Sally and John from armed thugs before Gene shoots him dead right on the theater stage.

The movie’s end card tells us that Gene is now serving a life sentence for killing Janice and Barry, and Barry was buried at Arlington with full military honors. John seems satisfied with this ending — no matter how far it is from the truth.

The "movie" tells the four series of Barry in around three minutes. Could I maybe have just watched that in place of 32 episodes of the latest HBO series to wrap. Thank god a new The Weeknd led series The Idol and exceptional The Righteous Gemstones is almost back on our screens. Via Binge all these HBO series stream right now.

Tomorrow another Fall Finale. Music posts again live HERE. Bye!

Fall Finales: Yellowjackets - Seasons Two

Yellowjackets kept Showtime on a winning start to 2023. Following the excellent second season of Your Honour, the second season of Yellowjackets has just concluded on Paramount+ in Australia.

Starring Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Liv Hewson, Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Lauren Ambrose, Simone Kessell, Ella Purnell, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Courtney Eaton and Kevin Alves

In December, the series was renewed for a third season, ahead of the second season streaming. With a shorter nine episode run, this season really flew by on Fridays.

So after smashing season one in a massive binge ahead of season two. I was ready for the nine episodes that dropped almost weekly recently.

Spoilers ahead. In a massive hour long finale, in the times lost in the cabin in the woods...

The women return Javi’s body to the cabin, where they dismember and begin to cook him. Lottie is alarmed with the team's decision to hunt each other, but Misty tells the team that Lottie's pleased. Coach Ben arrives to tell Natalie about Javi’s hiding spot, but is told that he no longer belongs among them as he is a good person. 

Lottie tells the group that the wilderness no longer needs her as its leader because they can all communicate with it now, and declares Natalie as the new leader, who will help them survive the winter. Later, while the Yellowjackets are sleeping, Coach Ben burns the cabin down with the doors barricaded, prompting them to escape for their safety and left alone with no shelter.

Then we fast forward to a dramatic present time. Where the women agree to go forward with Lottie’s ritual, deciding they should once again draw cards for a sacrifice. However, they secretly plan to botch the ritual and have Lottie committed. 

Walter lethally poisons Kevyn at the compound and works with Jeff to frame him for a conspiracy, ending the investigation surrounding Adam Martin. 

Shauna draws the Queen of Hearts during the ritual; Taissa and Van reveal that they called off the crisis team they contacted for Lottie, and the hunt begins. 

Callie shoots Lottie in the shoulder to protect her mother. When Lisa arrives, Misty intends to stab and inject her with a fatal solution, but Natalie throws herself into the fray and dies as a result of the drugs.

Lottie is taken away by EMTs, but tells the women that the wilderness is pleased with their sacrifice and will reward them.

Yellowjackets is an interesting survival series with excellent music. I have enjoyed binging the two seasons on my latest half priced Paramount+.

With Succession, all the USA network series ending, this could be your next winter stay in series. 
Until tomorrow....

Fall Finales: Power Book II: Ghost - Seasons Three

Power Book II: Ghost is both a sequel and spin-off to Power. Which now has multiple spin-offs including the Chicago bound Tommy spin off. This will return for its second season in September. That is after Tommy had a bit of a cameo in the last two episodes of Power Book II: Ghost ended Season 3.

So what was Tommy up to? Well Diana Tejada, and not her mother Monet, made it possible for Tommy to find Tariq's mother Tasha. Yet another cameo in the final couple of hours of season three.

Ahead of the third season premiere, the series was renewed for a fourth season. However with the writers strike I can see us waiting a while to find out Monet's fate.

Yes it was an all guns blazing season finale. Like all season finales in the Power TV universe, there is always a lot of blood. This season saw a number of key players drop off the long running TV series.

SPOILERS INCOMING!

Shane Johnson as Cooper Saxe from the OG Power, will not be returning in season four after a bloody exit. 

Berto Colon as Lorenzo Tejada Sr is also out in a gruesome fashion.

Erik Hernandez as Gordo Castillo literally died in the nude.

So there was blood this season on Stan's biggest TV universe. 

It was a better season with seasons one and two not having huge gaps between them. So if you like your gangster mixed with university crime dramas, Power Book II: Ghost streams now.

Way more finales to come... Yellowjackets, Barry, Succession, Station 19 and Somebody, Somewhere to mention a few. Hence any music posts can be found HERE.

Laters, more TV to catch up on y'all!

Fall Finales: Citadel - Seasons One

With three finales last Friday across multiple streaming services, Citadel was the first I got to. Was it the best? Well first to the news of season two. It's officially coming!

Like previous Amazon action series, Reacher, Jack Ryan and Terminal List, Citadel is like and extension of Quantico for Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh, and David Weil with the Russo brothers acting as executive producers.

Alongside Chopra Jonas, Richard Madden, Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville also star.

Citadel agents Mason Kane (Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Chopra Jonas) are the leas in the massive action series with budget of US$300 million.

With only six-episodes in the first season, it is an easy breezy week to week watch. Whilst ranking as one of the most expensive television shows. 

Despite costing loads of money, the series has received very mixed reviews. Alongside a second season being announced, spin-off shows in different languages set in the Italian Alps, India, Spain and Mexico are in the works. .With Citadel:Diana to be released in 2024, meaning maybe Amazon has more shows in the can during the writers strike, which is ongoing.

With some episodes clocking in under 40 minutes this could be one of the easiest spy thrillers to smash of recent times.

Unlike Chopra Jonas in Quantico, Citadel wastes no time getting to the point. With big budget action sequences, high stakes drama, this won't pick up any TV awards, however would Jack Ryan or Reacher?

Amazon have created a library now of these similar action series, so if your show is delayed, like The Last of Us, White Lotus or Euphoria, maybe sign up for a free Amazon trial and give this sexy action thriller a go. The sexy part is for Richard Madden BTW.

Fall Finales: The Flash - Season Nine/Series Finale

The ninth and final season of The Flash was way overdue.

Since commencing in 2014, The CW has aired close to 200 episodes. The 184th episode has just aired.

The final season follows Barry facing against his nemesis Red Death, Bloodwork, and Cobalt Blue. This officially closes Arrowverse, which started all the way back with Arrow.

Grant Gustin stars for one final run as Barry Allen / Flash, alongside Iris, played by Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Danielle Nicolet, Kayla Compton, Brandon McKnight and Jon Cor.

So how does this average AF season conclude. Find out below the trailer. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Now a speedster known as Cobalt Blue, Eddie resurrects Eobard Thawne, Hunter Zolomon / Zoom, Savitar, and August Heart / Godspeed and gathers them in the Negative Speed Force. 

In 2023, they fight Team Flash and Nora. Cecile adopts her future costume and codename Virtue, Allegra saves Chester from Eobard, and Jay Garrick steals Eddie's speed. Eddie retreats into the Negative Speed Force to gain more speed. 

Not wanting Eddie to die, Barry follows him in and convinces him not to become like Eobard and that they can create a better world by coexisting. Eddie destroys the crystal and says he is happy for Iris and Barry returns to her at the hospital. 

Mark reveals that Chester is a metahuman with black hole powers. The next morning, Nora is born and Harrison Wells tells Khione to ascend as the natural order's protector. She bids farewell to Team Flash and returns her body to Caitlin. At a celebration one week later, Barry apologizes to Caitlin for how they left things and Joe and Cecile get engaged. 

Barry unleashes a lightning bolt and chooses Avery Ho, Max Mercury, and Jess Chambers to become new speedsters.

Now if that wasn't enough episodes of The Flash. All 184 episodes. A new The Flash movie lands next month. However without Grant Gustin.

For a full recap on a professional TV blog, go HERE. I have a bad habit of sticking with some of these average shows till the end. This was literally the bitter end. In the current TV climate with writers striking, networks scaling back, there is NO WAY nine seasons of this would have been made.

So in the new world order of The CW, Riverdale, Nancy Drew have finales locked in and loaded. While Superman and Lois, Gotham Knights are still awaiting their verdicts.

Only All American of my shows, will see the light of day in the upcoming TV seasons, whenever that may be given the above mentioned writers strike.

Still to come HBO mega finales, Succession, Barry and Somebody, Somewhere. Alongside Power and Yellowjackets. Plus with Disney+ delaying the Station 19 finale in Australia, that's on the way too. So until then!

Fall Finales: The Equalizer - Seasons Three

The Equalizer has just concluded it's hectic 18th episode of season three.

Action stars usually don't look like Queen Latifah, however she stars as The Equalizer. 

In May last year the series was double renewed, for its third and fourth seasons. The third season started last October. Concluding on Sunday. USA Sunday that is, Aussie Monday.

In the finale, Robyn, Mel, Harry, Dante, Delilah and Aunt Vi all are in various amounts of danger in the finale.

“Eye for an Eye,” opens with Robyn and Mel being chased, ultimately trapped in a building by men with guns. 

Then, there’s a rewind to a much more joyful period six hours earlier. While happily working on her dad’s old car, Robyn gets a call from Aunt Vi and Delilah, who are planning a day of fun themselves. 

After making a plan to join them for dinner later, Robyn heads to the auto store. That’s when things take a turn for the worse: She’s being followed.

There is no resolution for Fisk, who is now being injected with the truth serum or Robyn and Mel, who are now trapped by the men, as shown at the beginning of the episode. 

They are separated, and Robyn is taken to a room where she is confronted by her old CIA colleague, who isn’t dead after all. 

Upset at being abandoned by Robyn and the CIA, she reveals her plan for revenge: She will burn Harry, Mel and Dante alive in front of Robyn, who helplessly watches on camera as her friends are tied up and surrounded by flames.

Robyn fights, but is overpowered. As she watches the fire grow more intense around her loved ones, all she can do is scream.

We also have no idea when The Equalizer will return for a fourth season with the writers strike in full swing. CBS could have some episodes written or plans with the series receiving a two season order ahead of season two concluding.

Either way there could be less episodes than the last two seasons, however season one did start with a tight ten episode order.

CBS have had a decent TV season with Fire Country being possibly the biggest new show of the season. Will the Equalizer change lives? Absolutely not. However it is fun watching Queen Latifah swan around in the action sequences. This season Kelly Rowland also guest starred.

Until next time, when The Flash finally concludes!

Stay in da House Cinema 2023 - Air

Air is currently screening limited sessions at the cinemas around the place. However on Amazon Prime it streams now.

Directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery. The film is based on true events about the origin of Air Jordan, a basketball shoeline, of which a Nike employee seeks to strike a business deal with rookie player Michael Jordan. 

With the Damon/Affleck (Matt Damon, Ben Affleck) team back together, Air also stars Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis. So it's an all star cast really!

While Michael Jordan was not involved with the production, he did meet with Affleck, offering several suggestions, including the casting of Davis as his mother. 

This film was originally set to premiere on the streaming service Amazon Prime Video, distributor Amazon Studios opted to release the film theatrically first after positive test screenings, making it the first Amazon title since Late Night (2019) to be released in cinemas without also premiering on Prime Video.

Air had its premiere at South by Southwest on March 18, 2023, and was released theatrically in the United States on April 5. 

Air has received positive reviews from critics, while grossing $88 million worldwide. Not bad for a film which was just going to stream alongside Jury Duty and Citadel, right?

I was lucky enough to head off to two NBA games in my youth. One in Orlando to see Shaq and one in Seattle to see Shawn Kemp. There is no other experience like an NBA game. Michael Jordan was a legend. And still is.

The story of how Nike won him over via his mother, the amazing How to Get Away with Murder queen, Davis, is remarkable.

This business deal has helped shape future business deals within the sports world. I love a peek behind the curtains film, even if it is at home.

The dialogue is grand, the acting, cast awesome.

This was a terrific story with a super soundtrack. 3.5 Stars.

Fall Finales: Fire Country - Seasons One

Fire Country is only one of two new US network series I picked up this year. The other Gotham Knights. As a big Batman fan was always going to be one I took a look at. However Fire Country joins my growing list of fire fighter series. 9-1-1, Lone Star and Station 19 are all already on my dance card. Two of which have finished for the season already. Station 19 is delayed on Disney+ in Australia. BOO!

Created by lead Max Thieriot, Tony Phelan and Joan Rater and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Fire Country streams on Paramount+ in Australia, under the CBS brand.

I binged a pile of episodes after it premiered early October, last year. Early this year, the series was renewed for a second season.

So the story goes in California. But not LA, for a change...

Bode Donovan (Thieriot) is a young convict with a troubled past. Hoping to redeem himself and shorten his prison sentence, he volunteers for the California Conservation Camp Program in which prisoners assist the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

He ends up getting assigned to his hometown in Northern California where he must work alongside former friends, other inmates and elite firefighters putting out the huge fires that plague the region.

Alongside Thieriot, former True Blood hunk Kevin Alejandro stars  as Manny Perez, Gabriella’s (Stephanie Arcila) father and captain of Cal Fire where Bode is sent.

While hunky Jordan Calloway (Black Lightening) stars as Jake Crawford, fighting fires alongside Jules Latimer as Eve Edwards, Diane Farr as Sharon Leone and Billy Burke as Vince Leone, Riley’s father, Bode’s father and Cal Fire Battalion Chief.

The finale has not been a hit on the BLOG's. However the series has been one of the biggest this TV season. Even though it lives on Fridays.

With a mud slide, a parole decision, family secrets and more landing. Episode 22 "I Know It Feels Impossible" could never have been with the series getting extra episodes only weeks after it landed. It did have some flat, filler episodes throughout the season. However there was a large amount of action included in this particular episode.

Of all four fire fighting series out now, this one felt the most like a warm blanket. 9-1-1 is super soap, Lone Star is too but has loveable, diverse characters where Station 19 is super soap with main characters being popped off or sent to mother show Grey's hospital on the weekly.

It gives Virgin River vibes, with romance, a bit of drama, but nothing too heavy. If you want something lighter, with a sprinkle of action along with natural disaster style rescues. Fire Country could be your new show. New episodes incoming once the writers strike concludes. However long that will be?

So Paramount+ has landed this years surprise network TV hit. Where will it land on my RATED for Fall? That is coming next month..

KAYTRAMINÉ - Guests

Album of (NEXT) Week - KAYTRAMINÉ {Kaytraminé}

Fall Finales: 9-1-1: Lone Star - Season Four

WOW! 9-1-1: Lone Star definately performed much better than it's parent show 9-1-1 which also concluded this week. While 9-1-1 was awful, such a end of TV series, finale, finale, swan song off onto a cruise ship. Lone Star turned up the drama, turned up the romance for a wedding even the Bachelor or MAFS would be jealous of.

Unlike the parent series moving to ABC, FOX (one of only two dramas I will watch on the network next season, the other The Cleaning Lady) for a fifth season earlier this month.

The double episode got off with a shocking bang before the long-awaited #TarlosWedding.

Tommy (Gina Torres) also got to sing a show tune at the wedding. Which was actually a beautiful moment. However this came after SPOILER a man down in the order of Carlos's dad, Gabriel Reyes.

This lead to a tragedy (in episode 17) before the wedding was meant to take place in episode 18, the finale. Let's just say my prediction is both 9-1-1 seasons will not get 18 episodes next season due to the ongoing writers strike.

For now. This has been a fairly decent fourth season overall of the FOX series. Where 9-1-1 felt stale, Lone Star managed to keep interesting storylines flow, while only running January to May. With close to no breaks. Unlike the spilt in two 9-1-1 sixth season episode run.

Carlos and TK really make the perfect gay TV couple while TK's dad Rob Lowe had a truly touching last scene in episode 18.

Overall this was a real improvement on recent lazy network TV in the USA. As an Australian, how there can be no sex or swearing, however so much violence on a network show, just shows how violence is a real issue in the USA. We currently have no mass shootings in Australia in 2023. Not sure about the USA? On average one a day still?

Anyway this really was the network TV moment of the season. With HBO and Showtime delivering solid gold back to back in 2023, the network TV stations really need a little more Lone Star and a little less trashy storylines like that awful last scene on All American. Jesus, Mary and Joesph. Until next time... 

Fall Finales: Schmigadoon! - Seasons One (Binged) & Two

A two for one special right now. Across 12 episodes I have completed Apple TV+'s musical series, Schmigadoon! 

Created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, with all songs written by Paul, season one premiered back in July 16, 2021, right after my birthday.

The series stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as Melissa and Josh. The very musical cast includes Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski & Ann Harada.

The first season, set in the bucolic small town of Schmigadoon, blends elements of various Golden Age musicals of the 1940s and '50s.

Then the second season relocates the action to the gritty city of Schmicago and incorporates the darker, edgier themes and musical styles of 1960s and '70s musicals.

Barry Sonnenfeld directed the first season, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli, with Cinco Paul winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song "Corn Puddin'".

The second season premiered just left month with the sixth and final episode aired earlier this month.

In the first season, two New York doctors, Melissa and Josh (Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key), go on a backpacking trip in an attempt to patch up their failing relationship, only to find themselves still arguing. 

They get lost and soon discover a magical town called Schmigadoon, which is perpetually trapped in a Golden Age-style musical, and soon learn that they cannot leave the town until they find "true love". The title and concept parody the 1947 musical Brigadoon.

In the second season, Melissa and Josh, now married, find their lives monotonous as doctors in New York City; they search for the quaint village of Schmigadoon but instead arrive in Schmicago, a world that pays satirical homage to sexy, dark 1960s and 1970s musicals; to escape, they are told, they must reach a happy ending.

The name of the setting, Schmicago, parodies the 1975 musical Chicago. As in the first season, the last episode reaches beyond the time period of the rest of season 2 to reference later musical styles.

In possibly the series finale (let's be honest musical series don't usually last forever, excluding Glee of course!) Melissa is about to be married to Kratt and Josh is tied up in Kratt's power plant. 

Kratt instructs Rivera to kill Josh, but Josh stalls by regaling Rivera with "parables" based on his favorite movies. Dooley determines to rescue Josh, as do Topher and Jenny, with help from the tribe. They arrive, and Jenny is reunited with her father after Rivera admits that he framed Dooley for the murder of his wife.

They all attempt to stop the wedding. Dooley throws his cleaver at Kratt, but it misses, pinning Kratt's tuxedo tail to the floor. Miss Codwell releases a chandelier that falls, killing Kratt. Madame Frau takes over the cabaret, where Rivera becomes a drag performer, and the now-business-minded tribe, aided by Bobbie, help to run Kratt's empire. 

Jenny and Topher run the orphanage, and Miss Codwell works with Dooley at the shop. Josh and Melissa are free to go, but the Narrator and the Schmicagoans tempt them to stay. 

The doctors explain that they want "Something Real". Leprechaun and his brother reveal that there are no "happy endings", but every day can be a "happy beginning". Back in New York, Josh cheerfully teaches medical students, and Melissa is finally pregnant.

This was a fun, easy twelve episodes (all up) series to smash (remember that short lived musical series?) while all my other shows are wrapping and well the writers strike is turning out to be a bigger deal than we first believed.

Schmigadoon! streams all episodes right now on Apple TV+

Fall Finales: All American - Season Five

All American has concluded it's bloated twenty episode fifth season. This is the second twenty episode season for the teen sports drama. Well they are sorta in college now. Finishing a good minute after the spinoff Homecoming, it is strange the parent show (which airs the same night as this series) ran for almost two months longer than the subpar spin-off. Which is yet to be renewed... News on that should be resolved later this week.

However what I feel like is the last season, All American is one of two The CW dramas coming back later this year or early next pending the current writers strike.

This season has been hit and miss. It did have a monster cast change up with OG star, mentor and pivotal character Billy Baker played by Taye Diggs departing around the time Homecoming concluded.

The series has struggled with drawn out storylines, relationship dramas, too many filler episodes and random JJ storylines that never seem to come to a conclusion.

While this is one of the best The CW series, I do think next season will have a smaller episode order, along with an end game insight.

I am not sure what is left for Spencer James played by the dreamy Daniel Ezra to do on screen. Billy Baker's passing was done well, sad, respective and game changing for the series. So should the series take a bow in its next run? 

So the big cliffhanger at the end.... SPOILER ALERTS! There was some serious romance then... for the SPOILER click here. RATED for the Fall Finales coming soon...

Fall Finales: 9-1-1 - Season Six

9-1-1 is on the move for its seventh and hopefully final season. I feel this episode titled Pay It Forward, was really written as a series finale.

Two characters going off into the sunset on a cruise? Two other characters finally getting some romance in their life. Angela Bassett deserves better than this.

Also is ABC big enough for the OG 9-1-1 and Station 19 on the same channel? Also with no crossovers likely now for 9-1-1: Lone Star as this remains on FOX, will Lone Star also get write their finale tomorrow like a swan song?

Alongside Angela Bassett, Six Feet Under's Peter Krause also stars with Oliver Stark, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Guzman, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Corinne Massiah and Gavin McHugh. 

So the network TV landscape next year is at an all time low for me next season. With Big Sky recently cancelled ahead of ABC announcing their full line up tomorrow. Fantasy Island and Monarch ending on FOX. NBC likely to can Young Rock with it not making the NBC 2023-2024 schedule and The Blacklist concluding.

The CW continues its bloodbath with The Flash, Stargirl, Kung Fu, Riverdale and Nancy Drew all ready to end.

So I will see out another season of 9-1-1, hoping it's the last!

This was a very average season finale, with zero cliffhangers, nothing new on offer, and I'm not alone. There is a recap along with some wild ass comments over HERE

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Stay in da House Cinema 2023 - Boston Strangler

Boston Strangler landed on Disney+ possibly last month or the middle of March when it was released Stateside by Hulu.

The historical crime drama film written and directed by Matt Ruskin, is based on the true story of the Boston Strangler.

Viewers head to Boston in the 1960's, where the strangler killed 13 women. 

With a killer cast lead by Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin, Carrie Coon, Alessandro Nivola, Chris Cooper, David Dastmalchian, and Morgan Spector.

Loretta McLaughlin is the reporter who broke the news for the Boston Record American. We see Knightley go from reviewing toasters and other lifestyle news to reporting on a serial killer.

To be honest, this was a damn fine quality film. Very cinema like. This is where cinema's are starting to have a problem. Yes there is the current Guardians film, Fast X on the way along with other blockbusters set to hit the big screen. However for dramas like this, you can easily sit back at home and enjoy the film at your desired time, at your desired pace.

Loretta and Jean Cole are two women on a mission in solving the case of the Boston Strangler. The pace of the film is decent with the run time hovering under the two hour mark.

Disney+ have some damn quality content right about now. With a new Aussie series The Clearing commencing soon, the latest Ant Man film incoming along with loads more current and incoming content.

Boston Strangler follows the typical historical crime film, however it is never too violent or over the top.

Ahead of the end credits we learn, Loretta becoming an award-winning medical reporter at The Boston Globe. Jean continued working as an investigative reporter for 30 years. She and Loretta remained close friends. 

Marsh was never charged with murder. Nassar never received a reward and is incorrectly said to still be in prison as of 2023. In 2013, DNA evidence linked DeSalvo to the 13th murder but not the other 12.

I give this at home film, 3 Stars.

Album of (NEXT) Week - ALISON GOLDFRAPP {The Love Invention}

 

Fall (Binged) Finale: Why Women Kill - Season Two

Why Women Kill was American dark comedy-drama anthology television series created by Marc Cherry.

The second season in my mind was far better than the first season, which aired all the way back in 2019. Season one was on CBS All Access before it became the new and improved Paramount+. While the first season was messy set across, multiple time periods, whereas the second season, changed its focus to a single time period. 

Now way ahead of the writers strike (currently in its second week) series was renewed for a third season, then scrapped before production could begin in July 2022.

Anyway Marc Cherry has given us a good few dramas over the years. Desperate Housewives, Devious Maids, now this.

So what does this second season look like?

In the season opener we head to 1949 in Los Angeles, Alma Filcott is an awkward housewife and wallflower who yearns to be seen. When a member of the exclusive Elysian Park Garden Club, Vonda Van Esen, dies, Alma sees this as an opportunity to join, only to be ridiculed by her next-door neighbor Mrs. Yost as she must be nominated by an existing member to join. 

At a brunch Rita Castillo, the president of the club, recognizes Alma through her husband, Dr. Bertram Filcott, a respected veterinarian, and invites her to a fundraiser at her home. Meanwhile, Rita is secretly cheating on her wealthy husband with a struggling actor, Scooter Polarsky, who in turn is cheating on her with Alma's daughter Dee, so she hires private investigator Vern Loomis to investigate Scooter. 

When Rita's husband Carlo tries to catch her with Scooter, he falls down the stairs and has a stroke, but survives. At the fundraiser, Alma wears an expensive pin she found in the attic with the label Enid Dolan, February 14, 1945, on it, which club member Grace recognizes as her Aunt Enid's who died on that date.

A shaken Alma returns home and finds a box filled with objects labeled with dates and the names of dead people. Later, Alma's husband Bertram after euthanizing his client Maisie Moran's dog, learns she has no family left and is suffering from cirrhosis. He comes over to her apartment where he euthanizes her, taking her hand fan as a memento.

SPOILER ALERTS, season two and the series ends HERE!

Vern confronts Alma about Isabel's death, so she lies about Isabel. Alma visits Bertram in the hospital and tells him Vern knows, but Bertram refuses to kill Vern. Alma then finds Scooter in the hospital recovering and planning on leaving for New York with Rita, where she tells him Dee is pregnant with his child. 

Dee is arrested as the police found her fingerprints on Mrs. Yost's stolen goods, but Vern gets her out. Dee then runs into Scooter who reveals Alma told him about the baby. Dee confronts her mother horrified to learn she was planning on killing Vern and framing Scooter. 

At Alma's inauguration for club president, Rita confronts Alma as Carlo's killer in the back alley. Alma admits to Carlo's murder, but accidentally confesses to Isabel's as well by stating details of her death the press did not release. 

Rita tries to expose Alma at her inauguration, but Alma brutally kills her with a screwdriver. During the inauguration, Alma is exposed by the blood on her stole and a chef finding Rita's body. Alma goes home where she reveals Rita's death to Bertram, who in return reveals he confessed to all their crimes to Vern and decided to commit suicide together. 

Alma lets Bertram kill himself and decides to turn herself in instead. Alma is arrested, found guilty of multiple homicides and sentenced to be executed. However, Alma is happy because the world is finally paying attention to her.

It was a fun, addictive, super easy to watch ten episodes. So if like me a load of series are wrapping up, maybe given this highly camp series a crack!

Just to recap my post for Fantasy Island yesterday. The series has in fact been cancelled.

Fall Finales: Fantasy Island - Season Two

Fantasy Island (stylised FANTASY ISLⱯND) has just concluded it's patchy AF second run. Will it get a third? With the current TV climate, the writers strike? I think FOX will let this one go.

The second season started right after new years day this year, which FOX dragged the 13 episodes out to conclude today. John Gabriel Rodriquez as Javier had been promoted to a series regular this season, along with Alexa Mansour being cast in a recurring role.

Desperate Housewives sweethearts, Teri Hatcher and James Denton also had a reunion this season. Season one we got a Melrose Place reunion, this season it was Desperate Housewives turn.

In the season finale (potentially series finale) Beverly Hills, 90210‘s Jason Priestly plays a doctor who’s made a fortune selling vitamins, and broke hearts along the way. His three wives (including the current) star in a revenge on Fantasy Island finale.

The series started strong, however some of the episodes were plain woeful. Peaches and the Jilted Bride was a particularly bad episode.

Look this is a USA summer soap at best. In the older days series like Mistresses, BH90210, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce or Midnight, Texas. These shows were smaller budget, easy to digest. They were like summer flings. Which is exactly what Fantasy Island is like. Week to week bite size looks into a short story, that is either heart warming or dull AF. 

Also man did Jason Priestly look old or what!

My odds are this either returning for a third and final ten episode run or being another TV victim of the writers strike.

Wait for next week, finale madness. All American, two times 9-1-1, Fire Country also potentially to finish all things fire fighting, the Station 19 finale.

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Stay in da House Cinema 2023 - Torn Hearts

Torn Hearts follows Ghosted in Stay in da House Cinema 2023 series. Sadly there is no time for a movie at the actual cinema so it was time to finish of the second half of this Blumhouse Television country x horror TV film.

Served up on Paramount+ almost a year after it was streamed in the USA by Epix.

Directed by Brea Grant and written by Rachel Koller Croft, the film starts off slow but hits full metal crazy in the second act. Jason Blum serves as the executive producer with the involvement of Blumhouse Television. Now Blumhouse has a good reputation in the horror genre. With hits like Paranormal Activity (2007–2021), Insidious (2010–2023), and The Purge (2013–2021). 

Blum has also had his hand in also produced Get Out (2017), Happy Death Day (2017), Us (2019), The Invisible Man (2020), The Black Phone (2021) & M3GAN (2022).

However this is not the gold horror standard we are used to.

Sons of Anarchy star Katey Sagal gives her all. However there is not much to work with her. Looking like filmed in the COVID era with limited players in most scenes. The country stars to horror genre is a bit of a stretch.

Abby Quinn, Alexxis Lemire, Joshua Leonard and Shiloh Fernandez also star.

It could have had potential however this could maybe have been shelved till we get further into the writers strike, when there is limited content filmed and ready to roll.

If you are completely up top date with everything, then maybe have this one in the background, however it's not life changing nor does it offer anything new in the horror genre.

2 Stars. Mainly for Katey Sagal.

Album of (NEXT) Week - PACIFIC AVENUE {Flowers}

Fall Finales: Dreamland - Season One

Dreamland is meant to be comedy, however by episode six, things get dark. Real dark. It also builds into some dark themes throughout the brief six episode run. Its Lily Allen's television acting debut, following her brother Alfie in Game of Thrones.

Based on Sharon Horgan's 2017 Sky Arts short Morgana Robinson's Summer. The series landed on Sky Atlantic early last month, along with Binge in Australia. 

Getting some heavy promotion on Binge, I gave this a go. Well mainly for Lily Allen.

Freema Agyeman, Gabby Best, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Frances Barber, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Sheila Reid and Samantha Bond also star.

Principal photography began on location in Margate, Kent in summer 2022. Filming also took place in London.

Look I wanted to like this a lot. However I didn't. It was a bit of a tough watch in parts.

It does leave it very open for a second season, however I am not sure I could go along for the ride. Sheila Reid from Benidorm fame, stole the show as the grandmother. However her acid tongue was not enough to save the series and deliver much needed laughs.

I struggled to find the series all that amusing. However Lily Allen did do a fine job in this role. Maybe park it until you have caught up on everything else!

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Fall (Binged) Finale: Bad Sisters - Season One

Bad Sisters the Apple TV+ Irish black comedy is golden! Renewed the series for a second season on 8 November 2022, the Garvey sisters ten part season one ended mid-October last year.

So after rejoining Apple TV+ it was time to catch up with a top title!

Set in Dublin and filmed on location in Ireland, based on the Flemish series Clan, Bad Sisters is centred around the five Garvey sisters—Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi, and Becka.

After Grace's abusive, controlling husband John Paul dies unexpectedly, the sisters find themselves at the centre of a life insurance investigation. 

Flipping between timelines—one before John Paul's death, in which Grace's sisters plot to murder their brother-in-law, and another after his death, in which a determined insurance agent tries to prove the sisters' malicious involvement to save his struggling business.

Spoilers ahead! Well it did end over six months ago, I avoided spoilers, so can you. You have been warned.

John Paul and Grace have a night in at the rebuilt cabin. While there, Roger arrives and confronts John Paul, saying that he knows it was him who framed him for paedophilia. Roger says he forgives John Paul and walks away; Grace sees him through the window. 

Grace and John Paul have dinner and she attempts to have sex with him; when he refuses, he blames his erectile dysfunction on when Eva seduced him. He reveals that he raped Eva but attempted to blame her.

Grace grabs his pyjamas and strangles him. She goes downstairs and begins knitting; she watches the film Isadora, where Isadora Duncan is killed by her scarf becoming entangled in the axle of her car. She and Roger dress John Paul, put him on an all-terrain-vehicle, and wrap a scarf around his neck and the axle, making it look like that was his cause of death. 

She admits this to her sisters. Matt, investigating the death, finds the movie and the yarn, and realizes how John Paul's death was staged. Becka attempts to commit suicide over guilt in Minna's death, but her sisters stop her. They discuss how Grace killed John Paul, only for Matt to overhear their conversation. He burns the evidence, and they agree to not make a claim on their life insurance policy. Grace and Blánaid move in with Eva.

Daryl McCormack as Matthew ("Matt") Claffin is that handsome man from my film of 2022, Good Luck to you Leo Grand.

It's worth watching it just for McCormack  basically.

But for real this is a damn fine series. I liked it a lot. I really can't wait for season two to land on Apple TV+. The Irish scenery is also a plus too!

April was a hell of a LIVE music month!

It was big month for live music for this old. Concluding with RUEL & FOREST CLAUDETTE last Friday night at the ICC.

A head of this was a trip to Groovin the Moo 2023 in Maitland.

So many highlights at GTM, LUUDE's set, GENESIS OWUSU, CONFIDENCE MAN, SLAYYYTER along with ELIZA ROSE!

On Friday I have to say young FOREST CLAUDETTE was absolutely stunning. His set was so good. Hope to get down early to see him supporting Lastlings in winter.

RUEL really had a One Direction impact on the young girls in the crowd. Then he covered One Direction! Here are some tunes that made me move in April.