Music Update V5.0

It's been a hot minute since I have done a music update from my other part-time blog. Yes part-time as when I'm off holidays, or need to focus on my TV. I result to just posting here. So for now, let's look at some of the fun happening over here, right now.

It feels the time when Triple J are celebrating their second Hottest 100 for 2025. Today is the celebration of Australian songs, however right now let me focus on the return of the Friday Flash(back). Season two has just kicked off with a month of incredible acts and albums.

From local favourites to Garbage, Morcheeba and Bon Iver. The Friday Flash(back) continues next Friday (August 1st, can you believe it!) with The Kooks! Yes The Kooks!

So let's look at the albums that shaped the Friday Flash(back) second season for 225.

Morcheeba - Escape the Chaos

Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE

The Superjesus - The Superjesus

Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be the Light

Lastly lets check out this week's brilliant feature record from Chris Lake. Chemistry has been a wonderful record to dance to this winter.

Sneak peek, here is a look at next week's feature record....

Winter Warmer Watchlist - The Hunting Wives - Season One

The Hunting Wives finally landed on Stan on Monday after being held by Starz in the USA for a hot minute! I finished it this morning. We need more erotic thriller/mystery/dramas in our lives. The Hunting Wives delivered just that.

Based on the novel by May Cobb, the eight episode series stars, Malin Akerman, Brittany Snow, Dermot Mulroney, Evan Jonigkeit, Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman, & Katie Lowes. 

While in the USA this low hyped series, landed on Netflix, Aussies we this series set in a fictional East Texas town on locally run and operated Stan. Sophie (Snow), a young woman and mom, falls into an affluent socialite's seductive orbit - where a circle of housewives who have dangerous secrets themselves - that culminates in her becoming a prime suspect in the death of a teenage girl.

Brittany Snow is Sophie O'Neil, a woman from Cambridge, Massachusetts who recently moved to Maple Brook, Texas for her husband's job. She randomly falls for Malin Akerman as Margo Banks, the leader of an elite socialite group of wives known as the Hunting Wives.

Jaime Ray Newman as Callie, the number two of the Hunting Wives and town sheriff's wife who also loved Margo. Evan Jonigkeit has a lesser role as Graham O'Neil, Sophie's husband who is an architect.

While George Ferrier as Brad, Jill's teenage son who is having an affair with Margo, Katie Lowes plays Jill, Brad's mother who is the wife the reverend and member of the Hunting Wives. Chrissy Metz is Starr, a working class single mother whose daughter Abby is dating Brad and is not part of the elite socialite group, while Dermot Mulroney as Jed Banks, Margo's wealthy husband and Graham's boss who is an oil tycoon and aspiring candidate for governor.

Sounds like a lot... Well it is! There is strap on's, full frontal (male) nudity and a few C bombs. It's chaotic and erotic all at once!

Spoilers ahead if you didn't speed watch The Hunting Wives like I did.

While Callie revels in her hero status, Margo discovers who's her blackmailer is. Meanwhile, finally released from custody, Sophie thinks the worse is over, but she gets thrown for a loop when she uncovers a deadly life altering secret that not only links together the events of Abby's murder, but also exposes the skeletons in Margo's closet.

The drama, the lesbian sex, the jailbait sex.

This could be one of my favourite Stan shows of 2025. Stream it now, its a damn easy watch!

Winter Warmer Watchlist - The Bear - Season Four

The fourth season of The Bear streamed all 10 episodes, on my Dad's 90th. So I am finally catching up with the Jeremy Allen White lead series.

He reprises his role as Carmy Berzatto, an award-winning chef who returns to his hometown of Chicago to manage the chaotic kitchen at his deceased brother's sandwich shop.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Abby Elliott, Matty Matheson, & Edwin Lee Gibson also return for the fourth season of the hit series for FX/Disney+.

The Bear began filming with the third season in February 2024, and was completed in early 2025. 

This season has had positive reviews from critics, though reception was more muted than prior seasons.

Earlier this month the series was renewed for a fifth season. So more The Bear is on the way, likely gaining more award nominations.

If like me you are not up to date with your stories, then don't read on cause we are diving head first into episode ten of season four!

Sydney confronts Carmy over his decision to quit. Carmy insists he is making the best decision for the restaurant, arguing that he became a chef to avoid facing his familial trauma, and that Sydney is pursuing the field for the right reasons. 

He tells Sydney she is the reason the restaurant is surviving, and that he believes in her more than he believes in himself. Richie interrupts them; he is initially flippant about the news until Carmy reveals he came to Mikey's funeral, but could not bring himself to attend. 

The two have an honest and heartfelt conversation in front of Sydney, where they admit the resentments they held towards one another in the wake of Mikey's death. 

Carmy tells Richie that he is retiring in part to learn who he is outside of the kitchen. Sydney ultimately agrees to take over if Richie is also given a partnership stake, which he accepts. Natalie arrives and tearfully embraces Carmy upon learning the news while Cicero's clock eventually reaches zero.

So will season five be the end? I think it needs to end. This season was fine, it's not a comedy people at the Emmy's, but I reckon a fifth and final season is in order.

Winter Warmer Watchlist - Adolescence - Season One

Adolescence is one of those water cooler Netflix series. One of those ones that come along from time to time, that everyone is talking about. Department Q recently was another one, Baby Reindeer last year and the list goes on.

The British have done well for Netflix, with this series earning loads of praise, while receiving thirteen nominations at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards

Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham and directed by Philip Barantini. It centres on a 13-year-old schoolboy, Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who's arrested after the murder of a girl in his school. Each of its episodes was shot in one continuous take.

So this came mid-March, so there may be no spoilers here as you all, probably watched this one already. It's part of my winter watchlist raid.

One month later, Deadline reported that Netflix and Plan B Entertainment were in talks about a second season of the series. It does feel like a miniseries however I could see now how a second series would go.

So what's the plot for this exceptional drama?

In an unspecific English town, armed police raid a family home and arrest Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy, on suspicion of the murder of his classmate Katie Leonard, whom the viewers later learn had rejected his advances and then mocked him online. 

Jamie is processed and held at a police station for questioning and then remanded in custody at a secure training centre. Investigations at Jamie's school and interviews by a forensic psychologist uncover Jamie's views towards women associated with the manosphere and mockery he has received on social media. 

At home, Jamie's family deals with the community's backlash against them as they work together to cope with Jamie's arrest and subsequent detention.

After three brutal episodes, the finale focuses on Jamie's families life on his dad's birthday.

Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller & Amélie Pease as Lisa Miller all play brilliant roles. Obviously Owen Cooper completely shines as Jamie. However this episode does so well at focusing on life for the family.

A year after the murder, the Millers have made attempts to return to normality as Jamie awaits trial. On Eddie's 50th birthday, his van is spray-painted by teenagers that attend Jamie's school. Eddie plans to take Manda and Lisa to the cinema later that day to lighten the mood, but they first go to a hardware store to buy something to remove the paint from the van. 

There, Eddie is further distressed by an employee recognising him and awkwardly expressing support for Jamie. Eddie buys some paint to recoat the van. Outside, he spots the teens who tagged the van and angrily threatens them before throwing the contents of the can of paint on his van out of anger. 

On the drive home, Jamie calls and announces his plan to plead guilty. At the house, Eddie and Manda come to terms with Jamie's predicament, blaming themselves for not paying attention to his online radicalisation. Lisa joins them, expressing support for Eddie's decision not to move the family, knowing their connection to Jamie would eventually catch up with them. 

They decide instead to rent a film to turn the day around, with Manda and Lisa leaving to prepare breakfast. Alone, Eddie breaks down on Jamie's bed. He tucks in a teddy bear, kisses its head, and apologises to Jamie for not doing better before joining his family.

This was so well acted, such an important topic for the creators to tackle. It was shocking, raw and real. I highly recommend this. The hype was real.

Film Influencer 2025 - I Know What You Did Last Summer

OK, so the Amazon series was axed after one season, however I Know What You Did Last Summer is back on the big screen after that short lived small screen version.

Filmed across NSW and LA, there even is a post credits scene, so stay in your seat people.

Last night's Friday 7pm session was almost sold out. It was a full crowd of young adults and a few older folk like me remembering the 1997 OG film.

So how does this film go down?

When five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. 

A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they’re forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last summer…and is hell-bent on revenge. 

As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is a sequel to 1998's I Still Know What You Did Last Summer & the fourth instalment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. 

Starring Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, Billy Campbell, Gabbriette Bechtel, and Austin Nichols, with Freddie Prinze Jr. & Jennifer Love Hewitt reprising their roles from the first two films.

Continuing with the plot, which takes place 28 years after the Tower Bay murders, when another hook-wielding killer appears and begins targeting a group of friends one year after they covered up a car accident in which they supposedly killed someone.

I Know What You Did Last Summer has mixed reviews from critics, however for me, the throwbacks to the OG film, the links to it's sequel, the set up for another film. I was sold by the final credits.

Freddie Prinze Jr. & Jennifer Love Hewitt have both changed so much since the OG film, however JLH does roll out that famous line from the first film.

There are a couple of cameos that even Marvel would say, OKKKKKKKKKK. The soundtrack is great too, with a range of current hits, including personal favourite, Leave Me Alone, by Reneé Rapp.

This is not a fresh take on the slasher film formula, however it was a bit of fun. I also did jump a few times.

So I slept well and went from planning to pass this, to giving it 3 Stars. No awards will be won, it might be forgotten, however I'd love to see where the cliffhanger finale sends the viewers.

With no new ideas left in Hollywood, a sequel is a must, come on Sony!

Winter Warmer Watchlist - You - Season Five/Series Finale

The fifth and final season of You landed around Anzac Day on Netflix. So yeah I'm a little behind!

So how does the final season go? Joe Goldberg returns to New York City to live a peaceful life, but the appearance of a woman, Bronte, and the need to satisfy his darkest needs will put his entire life in danger.

Penn Badgley returns as Joe Goldberg, with Charlotte Ritchie returning from the previous season; and Griffin Matthews, Anna Camp and Madeline Brewer joining for one final season. With Anna Camp actually playing twins!

The final ten episodes kick off 3 years after returning to New York, Joe Goldberg has become famous due to his relationship with Kate, who has become CEO of her family's company. He has his son Henry back, and has put Mooney's up for sale. 

Joe learns from Kate's paternal half-brother Teddy that a hit piece is going to be published about an old business deal Kate made, which would ruin her reputation. Teddy and Joe confront Reagan Lockwood, Kate's paternal half-sister, who denies involvement in the hit piece. 

Going through Reagan's identical twin sister Maddie's phone, Joe discovers that Reagan, Maddie, and Kate's mentor Bob are planning a vote of no confidence against Kate. Joe later fantasises about murdering Bob and is caught writing about it by Kate at Mooney's. 

While leaving, he meets Bronte, who had been breaking in and borrowing books from his shop. When Kate confronts Bob, he confirms he leaked the information to the press and reveals he knows about Kate's involvement in covering Rhys Montrose's death. 

Joe murders Bob and stages his suicide later that night. Upon visiting Mooney's again, Joe discovers Bronte sleeping there and offers her a job, telling her to never go into the basement. Later, Joe goes there, revealing he has reassembled his glass cage.

Yeah Joe has a new obsession in Madeline Brewer as Louise Flannery / Bronte. Yes she also has two identities. It's a lot! Spoilers below. However like Mayfair Witches, I am way behind on this one!

In the finale, after loads of drama, back stabbing, whilst the body count builds, Joe and Bronte begin to go on the run after Kate's recorded confession of Joe's crimes.

Bronte debating when to corner Joe. Joe plans to cross the border into Canada under a false identity provided by Will Bettleheim, including Henry in his plans. 

Joe and Bronte break into a vacation house for a night until they get the papers. The two take a romantic boat ride, and later while they're having sex, Bronte points a gun at Joe and demands to know how he killed Beck, but he refuses to tell her. Bronte then forces Joe to identify his contributions to Beck's posthumous bestselling book, using a copy she bought at a gas station earlier. 

Joe manages to contact Henry through Will, but Henry rejects him and calls him a monster. 

A fight ensues between Joe and Bronte outside after Bronte attempts to escape. Bronte calls 911 before Joe seemingly drowns her, and the police arrive. Joe kills a police officer while trying to escape, but is then cornered by still-alive Bronte. 

Bronte shoots Joe in the genitals, and he is arrested. Joe is sentenced to life in prison; Bronte rewrites Beck's book, removing Joe's additions, which becomes a best-seller; Kate, who survived the fire, leaves the company–which becomes fully non-profit under Teddy–and helps Marienne with her art and raises Henry; Nadia leaves prison and becomes a writing teacher; Maddie and Harrison are released from prison and are expecting twins. 

Joe, in prison, reads fan mail, continuing to think he's not the problem, but society.

OK, so that was a lot. The final ever episode had loads of loose ends to wrap. It mostly did well as yet another major Netflix series calls it a day. This year alone. You, Squid Game, Heartbreak High, Stranger Things and Outer Banks all to end in 2025.

Yes Heartbreak High might be big for us Ausie's, however that list above is fairly major!

Until next time, Penn Badgley is a total hot rat boy!

Emmys 2025 Nominations | Predictions

Severance, The White Lotus, The Last of Us & The Studio dominate as HBO and Apple TV+ reign supreme over in yesterday's nominations. I still need to watch the second season of The Last of Us, however I was exceptionally surprised at how wonderful The Studio was.

Here are my Emmys predictions in red & bold.....

OUTSTANDING DRAMA

Andor (Disney+)

The Diplomat (Netflix)

The Last of Us (HBO)

Paradise (Hulu)

The Pitt (HBO Max)

Severance (Apple TV+)

Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

The White Lotus (HBO)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Kathy Bates, Matlock

Sharon Horgan, Bad Sisters

Britt Lower, Severance

Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us

Keri Russell, The Diplomat

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Sterling K. Brown, Paradise

Gary Oldman, Slow Horses

Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us

Adam Scott, Severance

Noah Wyle, The Pitt

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Patricia Arquette, Severance

Carrie Coon, The White Lotus

Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt

Julianne Nicholson, Paradise

Parker Posey, The White Lotus

Natasha Rothwell, The White Lotus

Aimee Lou Wood, The White Lotus

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Zach Cherry, Severance

Walton Goggins, The White Lotus

Jason Isaacs, The White Lotus

James Marsden, Paradise

Sam Rockwell, The White Lotus

Tramell Tillman, Severance

John Turturro, Severance

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Jane Alexander, Severance

Gwendoline Christie, Severance

Kaitlyn Dever, The Last of Us

Cherry Jones, The Handmaid’s Tale

Catherine O’Hara, The Last of Us

Merritt Wever, Severance

GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Giancarlo Esposito, The Boys

Scott Glenn, The White Lotus

Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt

Joe Pantoliano, The Last of Us

Forest Whitaker, Andor

Jeffrey Wright, The Last of Us

OUTSTANDING COMEDY

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

The Bear (Hulu)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Shrinking (Apple TV+)

The Studio (Apple TV+)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Uzo Aduba, The Residence

Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary

Ayo Edebiri, The Bear

Jean Smart, Hacks

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This

Seth Rogen, The Studio

Jason Segel, Shrinking

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks

Kathryn Hahn, The Studio

Janelle James, Abbott Elementary

Catherine O’Hara, The Studio

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary

Jessica Williams, Shrinking

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Ike Barinholtz, The Studio

Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons

Harrison Ford, Shrinking

Jeff Hiller, Somebody Somewhere

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear

Michael Urie, Shrinking

Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Olivia Colman, The Bear

Jamie Lee Curtis, The Bear

Cynthia Erivo, Poker Face

Robby Hoffman, Hacks

Zoë Kravitz, The Studio

Julianne Nicholson, Hacks

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Jon Bernthal, The Bear

Bryan Cranston, The Studio

Dave Franco, The Studio

Ron Howard, The Studio

Anthony Mackie, The Studio

Martin Scorsese, The Studio

OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM

The Amazing Race

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Survivor

Top Chef

The Traitors

OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Netflix)

Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked (Paramount+)

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (Hulu)

Welcome to Wrexham (FX)

OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

Antiques Roadshow (PBS)

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network)

Love Is Blind (Netflix)

Queer Eye (Netflix)

Shark Tank (ABC)

OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM

RuPaul Charles, RuPaul’s Drag Race

Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John & Daniel Lubetzky, Shark Tank

Alan Cumming, The Traitors

Kristen Kish, Top Chef

Jeff Probst, Survivor

OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES

Adolescence (Netflix)

Black Mirror (Netflix)

Dying for Sex (Hulu)

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (Netflix)

The Penguin (HBO)

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock)

The Gorge (Apple TV+)

Mountainhead (HBO)

Nonnas (Netflix)

Rebel Ridge (Netflix)

LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer

Meghann Fahy, Sirens

Rashida Jones, Black Mirror

Cristin Milioti, The Penguin

Michelle Williams, Dying for Sex

LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Colin Farrell, The Penguin

Stephen Graham, Adolescence

Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent

Brian Tyree Henry, Dope Thief

Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Erin Doherty, Adolescence

Ruth Negga, Presumed Innocent

Deirdre O’Connell, The Penguin

Chloë Sevigny, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Jenny Slate, Dying for Sex

Christine Tremarco, Adolescence

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Bill Camp, Presumed Innocent

Owen Cooper, Adolescence

Rob Delaney, Dying for Sex

Peter Sarsgaard, Presumed Innocent

Ashley Walters, Adolescence

OUTSTANDING SCRIPTED VARIETY SERIES

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (LIVE)

The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar (Fox)

Beyoncé Bowl (Netflix)

The Oscars (ABC)

SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC)

SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (Peacock)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (PRE-RECORDED)

Adam Sandler: Love You (Netflix)

Ali Wong: Single Lady (Netflix)

Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years (Hulu)

Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (Netflix)

Sarah Silverman: PostMortem (Netflix)

Your Friend, Nate Bargatze (Netflix)

OUTSTANDING TALK SERIES

The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)

OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM

Arcane (Netflix)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

Common Side Effects (Adult Swim)

Love, Death + Robots (Netflix)

The Simpsons (Fox)