June, July and August 2015 - American Cable/Satellite and Online Streaming content

[PokerFace]

So many things to see ... how many will be free?

Some of the content has already aired in other countries, but now the Americans get a taste.

Canada will surely get a large chunk of this content, some simultaneously, some later on.

The link below doesn't include the conventional TV network content, but since that stuff is more widely publicized and easier to obtain, it's less likely to slip through the cracks.

Some of the upcoming content not included in the link below, hasn't been scheduled yet, so there's still more on the way.

http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-ra...s/201505290129
[Summer 2015 American content]

[PokerFace]

I saw the pilot episode of Clipped --> (10 p.m. June 16, TBS): Ashley Tisdale and George Wendt star in a comedy from the creators of “Will & Grace” set in a barbershop. GRADE: D+ (5.5/10)

I've seen worse, but the bothersome laugh track, boring storyline, and mostly bland and/or annoying cast had me going to the FF-skip button quite often. Nothing really wrong with Ashley Tisdale, and I noticed the female prison guard from Orange is the New Black is in it, but other than those cast members, and a perhaps promising last 10 seconds (I just liked the hit song that was playing), I can't recall anything else worth mentioning. I'll be getting my haircuts elsewhere, but I'll probably give this series just a few quick looks to be certain it's as bad as I think it will be.

EDIT: Clipped premiered on Canada's Comedy Network in Feb of 2016.

[PokerFace]

Proof: (10 p.m. June 16, TNT): Jennifer Beals stars as a doctor who investigates cases of possible reincarnation and near-death experiences.

GRADE: C+ (6.5/10) ... Beals has still got it ... shame about the rest of it.

EDIT: Didn't care for the 2nd episode, but the third episode was much improved (still some skip-jumping required) ... GRADE (for ep#3): 6.8/10 (C+)

http://www.bravo.ca/Shows/proof
[Proof on Bravo Canada, June 24th]

I watched the pilot and was not impressed (perhaps because I was expecting to be engrossed by the subject matter). It's filmed in BC (perhaps elsewhere too), and boy does this look like a cheap Canadian attempt, even though it's American ... really? Well, you fooled me. Sure, I like the outdoor scenery (BC looks great), but it's mostly drab look reminded me of Remedy, Saving Hope, and many TNT productions that go on for far too long.

It's got Jennifer Beals. That's basically it. The rest is all melodrama, base content that is so flat, it's dead on arrival (flatline). I've seen this series a million times. It should last 2 or 3 seasons, because I suppose that's what the audience might be comfortable with. Not me.

This is one series that I hope gets cancelled, so that Beals can be free to do something better (even though she is still fun to watch in this role, as she carries virtually the entire pilot, save for her sidekick (a Sudanese intern). The brief conversations between the two of them are the best things about the pilot.

Proof could have easily been a CraveTV exclusive, but the ratings should be high enough to justify a Bravo run, rather than to put it were it actually belongs (the garbage ... no, it's not that bad).

You can watch the pilot on the TNT website (disable adblock to view):

http://www.tntdrama.com/videos/proof...e-1/pilot.html
[Proof Pilot episode on TNT]

[PokerFace]

Another Period [June 23 - Comedy Central (US) and Much (Canada)]: centers on the Bellacourt sisters, Lillian (Natasha Leggero) and Beatrice (Riki Lindhome), who only care about being rich and becoming super famous (which is a lot harder in 1902). Lauren Ash, Michael Ian Black, Paget Brewster, Beth Dover, Brett Gelman, Christina Hendricks, Brian Huskey, David Koechner, Jason Ritter, David Wain and Armen Weitzman will appear alongside Leggero and Lindhome.

This wasn't on the list of upcoming Cable shows (from the article link in post #1), but as I watched the pilot episode, I did chuckle a few times at the random silliness of it all, even though I had to FF jump-skip through most of it. The cast is good, but since it doesn't appear to be my cup of tea, I can't give it a grade. I'll certainly watch parts of every episode, but I don't expect to be able to sit through each episode without skipping through several scenes to save some time. Perhaps it will grow on me (like tasty fungus).

Highlights: Natasha Leggero's little dog (what it's wearing) + the scenes for next week's episode (I laughed out loud).

http://www.cc.com/full-episodes/tcbp...eason-1-ep-101
[Another Period pilot via Comedy Central - Streaming piracy required for all but the Americans]

http://www.much.com/shows/another-period/
[Another Period on Much - June 23]

[PokerFace]

Rizzoli & Isles (Season 6 - TNT June 16 / Super Channel - July perhaps?): I forgot when I stopped watching this series, but I used to look forward to it each week.

I just skip-jumped my way through the Season 6 first episode, and it was too bland to even grade. It just exists. I was hoping for a little spice, but this paint-by-numbers episode was another successful attempt at mediocrity.

[PokerFace]

Tyrant (Season 2)(FX and FX Canada - June 16): I forgot when I lost interest in this series, but I was curious to see if the first episode of the new season would make me want to go back and watch the episodes that I skipped. Nope. The second season's first episode basically resolved what I was curious about (required some skip-jumping), and now I'm ready to skip-jump my way into the next new episodes, until I get bored again.

Once again I can't grade something that I don't find worthy of my time, but at least Tyrant has some solid situations that might turn out to be interesting enough (like the initial episodes of the first season), at least for a few more episodes. Fingers crossed.

[PokerFace]

Complications (USA Network/Bravo Canada)(9 p.m. June 18): The creator of “Burn Notice” is behind this thriller starring Jason O’Mara (“Terra Nova”) as a doctor who intervenes in a drive-by shooting.

From the very start, I wasn't interested in what this was offering. I just couldn't get into it. Skip-jumping through it didn't make it any less difficult to swallow. It's not for me. I can't grade it either.

I think Avril Lavigne said it best: Why you have to go and make things so complicated?

http://www.bravo.ca/Shows/complications
[Complication on Bravo Canada]

EDIT: USA Network releases the next episode (online) a week before broadcast, but even the third episode failed to rise anywhere above C level.

Note: The first two episodes were run back to back on June 18th.

EDIT 2:The 4th episode was leaked online (critics probably had it) and although I skip-jumped through it in about three minutes or so, the last few minutes were at least entertaining. Maybe episode 5 will be the one that elevates this series to at least C level.

[PokerFace]

Dark Matter (10 p.m. June 12, Syfy and Space): The crew members of a derelict spaceship wake up with no memories of who they are or what they are doing in outer space.

GRADE: C (6.2/10)

It looks Canadian, and it is Canadian. Regardless, I liked the pilot enough to look forward to the 2nd episode. However, the 2nd episode felt even more Canadian and required some skip-jumping. GRADE: C minus (5.8/10).

Both episodes were passable, but since I'm not expecting much, I'll probably be skip-jumping my way through the rest.

http://www.space.ca/Dark-Matter
[Dark Matter on Space]

EDIT: Episode 7 was an improvement over all the others (some skip jumping was required, but I still enjoyed the episode) ... GRADE: C+ (6.8/10)

[PokerFace]

Killljoys (9 p.m. June 19, Syfy and Space): Hannah John-Kamen (“Black Mirror”), Luke Macfarlane (“Brothers and Sisters”) and Aaron Ashmore (“Warehouse 13”) star in this drama about interplanetary bounty hunters.

GRADE: D+ (5.5/10)

Nothing wrong with Hannah John-Kamen, but even she's not good enough to distract me from the weaknesses of this Cancon series. I assume that it will improve slightly, but I still expect to do even more skip-jumping than I did with the pilot episode.

http://www.space.ca/Killjoys
[Killjoys on Space]

[InMontreal]

Killljoys (9 p.m. June 19, Syfy and Space)

The pilot of this disaster series airs again tonight (saturday) at 10pm on CTV. Will be easier to compare notes :)

[PokerFace]

Hmmm. Killjoys gets a shot on CTV, but Dark Matter didn't?

Killjoys is co-produced by Bell Media, so I assume that is the key reason.

Canada AM - Killjoys cast interview:

[PokerFace]

Humans: (9 p.m. June 28, AMC ... + Channel Four UK - earlier in June): Set in a parallel present where busy families uses robots — called Synths — an artificial intelligence robot servant. William Hurt stars in the series from former writers for “MI-5.”

I've already seen the first two episodes (of 8). This is shaping up to be a very good British (/US) series.

GRADE (pilot episode): B (7/10)

GRADE (2nd episode): B (7.4/10)

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/hu...-debuts-36749/
[Humans coming soon to AMC]

[PokerFace]

Sunday is a very busy night for TV. The HBO block from 9pm to 11:30pm usually accounts for a lot of eyeballs (the majority glued to Game of Thrones, obviously). However, now that 3 of the 4 shows are finished their runs (save for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver], how will the summer "replacements" do?

Before I switched over to HBO, I had The Travel Channel's, Xtreme Waterparks Season 2 premiere on at 8pm [soon to be on DTOUR - Sun. June 28], as I surfed the net. At an hour long (with commercials), I mostly listened to the audio, until the "sliding" moments began. It was okay, based in New Zealand, but not something that I needed to pay close attention to. I've seen better episodes from this series.

GRADE: C Minus (5.8/10)

[PokerFace]

True Detective - Season 2 pilot episode (HBO June 21, 9pm): New cast and plot.

GRADE: B (7/10)

It's just getting started, so I expect it to greatly improve (especially now that the cast appears to be ready to work as a team), and although I tuned in to see Rachel McAdams, I was also entertained by the rest of the talented cast; the one exception being: Vince Vaughn. To counter the appearances of Vince, I just turned my gaze towards ABC's BattleBots (on the other TV).

BattleBots (ABC, thus not considered a "cable" series)(a Six-episode season - that is technically Season 6 of a past series that last aired about 13 years ago): Fun for the whole family.

GRADE: B (7/10)

[PokerFace]

Ballers (HBO June 21, 10pm): Former football superstar Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) mentors other professional players on the business of football in his retirement.

GRADE: B+ (7.6/10)

I wasn't expecting much, but at least as a pilot episode, it managed to hold my interest the entire half-hour. Dwayne was "strong" enough to be the glue, and the rest of the cast held their own. However, after seeing clips from upcoming episodes, I'm not so sure that future episodes will be as solid as I found the pilot episode to be. But that's okay ... even solid B ratings for future episodes will keep me coming back for more.

[PokerFace]

And now that brings me to The Brink (HBO June 21, 10:30 pm): A dark comedy about a geopolitical crisis and its effects on a lowly foreign service officer (Jack Black), a Navy fighter pilot (Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is the New Black”) and a U.S. secretary of state (Tim Robbins).

GRADE: A PLUS (10/10)

Really? A TEN? Why? Especially when many of the reviews that I've read, rate it as a simple 6, or even worse.

The other reviewers have seen the first five episodes, and most admit that the series improves by the fifth episode. So why did I love the first episode so much more than most? I think it's because it pushed all of my buttons at exactly the perfect moment. I was only initially worried that Jack Black would ruin my fun, but then was pleasantly surprised by his character suddenly becoming fun to watch.

The Brink was clearly my favourite show of the busy, Sunday-night offerings (I've still got much more Sunday content to watch), and although I don't feel the need to watch it again, it was the initial first-time "discovery" of it that dulled my critical eye, and that allowed me to focus solely on the experience of watching something that was going exactly where I wanted it to go, doing exactly what I would have hoped it would do, all the while entertaining me more than anything else that came before it on a busy Sunday night. That's why it's a TEN out of TEN. However, if I watched it again, I might be able to pick it apart and only give it a 7, 8 or 9. But I don't really care what my second viewing experience would be like -- I'll always remember the first time ... the time when my critical eye was somehow completely disabled, and finally for the first time in a very long time, I just sat back and let the magic of streaming overcome me.

Thanks, HBO. It's not just TV ... it's HBO.

[Donovan's Monkey]

Hmmm. Killjoys ...

Not something I would watch, but is there any chance this bus shelter ad (in north-western part of Toronto yesterday, on south west corner of Steeles and Martin Grove) was printed backwards on purpose, or did someone just goof and not notice?

I did see another one in a different location a few minutes later that was the right way around.

[PokerFace]

That Killjoys bus shelter ad was altered by Bell's spin doctors ... or perhaps you briefly wandered into an alternate universe without realizing it ... welcome back?

Killjoys ... You spin me right round, baby, right round like a record, baby.

[PokerFace]

Sense8 (June 5, Netflix)(12 episodes): The minds of eight people in different parts of the world are linked in this series from the Wachowski siblings and “Babylon 5” writer J. Michael Straczinski.

GRADE (all 12 episodes): C+ (6.5/10)

Sprawling, but ambitious series that travels the world with several different characters, multiple sex scenes (yes, there's nudity), action, and unfortunately many, many, dull sections that required loads of skip-jumping to get through all the 12 episodes in a reasonable time.

[PokerFace]

Deutschland 83 (Part 1) (11 p.m. June 17, SundanceTV): An eight-part coming-of-age drama about culture and politics in Germany in the 1980s.

GRADE: C+ (6.5/10)

Too early to tell how this will fare, but for now, it seems to be good enough to return for more. It's in German with English subtitles, and I still needed to do lots of skip-jumping to get through it.