#is it my stream only or??? its espn

[thomas-mvller]

There's this person very close to the broadcaster's mic and has been screaming bloody murder the entire match

[azzibuckets]

now that we don’t talk part 1 [paige bueckers]

paige bueckers x fem!reader

summary: you and paige break up and neither of you know how to move on properly with your life

a/n: decided to go for some angst again…didn’t really have an aim or a direction when writing this so not sure if i should turn this into a series or not ? lmk what yall think

word count: 1.5k

masterlist | next

The First Week

In the first week, Paige had fallen into her daily routine. Her moments of forgetfulness were instinctual; she’d laid a dollop of minty Crest toothpaste on her blue toothbrush before doing the same thing to your red one, leaving it hanging over the edge of the counter.

The first time she did it, she’d hadn’t even noticed. It was only when she’d turned her mouth to catch the water under the faucet that she’d spotted your toothbrush that she’d set up, ready with Crest, as if you’d pop in any moment to stick it in your mouth and start scrubbing. Paige had almost choked on the water she’d been gurgling, grief worming its way up her throat and making it hard to breathe.

Heaving, she’d stood over the sink, hand gripping both sides of the counter to support herself until her knuckles turned white. It took all her strength not to buckle over from the precipitous wave of agony that had collided into her with gut-wrenching speed.

But for some reason, Paige had stuck your toothbrush under the stream of water then placed it carefully back in its cup. And so she’d made the same mistake the day after. This time, when she realized what she’d done, it wasn’t the weight of sadness that compressed her lungs, but a brewing storm of fury. Her vision had gone red, and she’d grabbed the toothbrush and hurled it against the wall as hard as she could, with a strength that she didn’t even know that she’d still had. And this time, when Paige stared at the toothpaste dripping slowly down the wall, mocking her as it made a mess on the floor, the counter couldn’t save her. She’d succumbed to the force of her fury dragging her down, and had crumpled to the floor, sobs racking her body.

The First Month

Your room was dark, in almost sub-freezing temperatures with the windows wide open to welcome in the frosty, bone-chilling winter air that Connecticut was known for. The only light in the room came from the dim glow of your laptop screen, opened live to the UConn women’s basketball game playing live on ESPN.

At first, you’d attempted to be nonchalant whenever Paige sunk yet another basket with ease, making the crowd and commentators going feral as she celebrated with her signature moves. But as the game between UConn and Stanford got closer and closer, you couldn’t help but smile when Paige crossed over her defense, sending them flying to the floor and leaving her wide open to score yet another 3. It reminded you all too well of the Paige you’d met and fallen in love with, whose confidence on the court had made you start viewing her as more than just your teammate.

But any trace of smile on your face quickly vanished once you watched Paige’s post-game interview during the livestream. “You’ve had quite a run this season despite being out for most of your sophomore and junior year due to injury. Who would you like to thank for your unpredented comeback?”

“I’d like to thank God. He’s been with me through everything, given me trials to test my resilience. In fact, he’s made me stronger than ever.” Paige had paused. You’d recognized her hesitance; the way she nibbled her bottom lip, her mouth half open as she debated a response, the uncertainty in her eyes as they flickered. But she seemed to recover from any reluctance, and what she said next made your heart drop. “I’d also like to thank my girlfriend, Leslie.” She motioned to someone off camera, and soon the frame was filled with tousled brown hair and soft green eyes.

Paige pulled her in close, and your world spun as you watched Paige, your Paige, press her lips against the brunette. Your hands had reached up to tear your headphones off your head, unable to further listen to the claps and hoots of the crowd along with the cooing of the commentators without feeling the need to throw up. But before you could, Paige had started speaking again. Your hands froze. You hated yourself for it, but you had to listen.

“She’s been with me through everything, from freshman year to now. She was my number one supporter when I got injured.” She wrapped her arm around Leslie’s waist, staring intently at the camera, and never before had you been this sickened staring at the blue eyes you’d once adored, could’ve spent hours getting lost in. “But even outside of my injury, Les has been on my side. Especially with all the immature drama that happened on the court last year, she was really a clear voice in all of that. So I’m pretty grateful for her.”

Leslie’s mouth split into a grin, and she turned to pull Paige in for another kiss, and that was when you slammed your laptop so hard that when you opened it the next morning, you were surprised to see that the screen hadn’t shattered.

You were not someone who cried. Your family members, your friends, Paige could all attest to that. But the torment that was clawing its way through your body, threatening to suffocate you, finally exploded. Tears had surged from your eyes, seemingly never ending, and you’d cried so much that night that it suddenly made sense why you’d almost never cried before; it was like all the tears in your life had been pent up, waiting for this moment, for when the pin fell.

That night was the lowest you’d ever felt in your life, and possibly even the lowest you’ve ever acted - blinded by a jealous rage over the girl that Paige had always promised you not to worry about, the girl Paige was basically making out with on live television just one month after you guys had broken up (and when it’d taken her two years to show PDA with you), you’d gone on all your social media accounts and blocked Paige on every single one of them.

Then an idea came to you. An act of retaliation that would hurt Paige as much as she hurt you. So you’d reopened Twitter, unblocked Paige. You’d scrolled until you found the perfect tweet. Your thumb had hovered for a split second over the like button, haunted by images of Paige’s hand trailing your stomach, her hair brushing your eyes, her mouth on your neck, before it was violently replaced by the image of Paige locking lips with the brunette flooding your mind, causing you to jam your thumb down with ferocity on the like button. You’d slammed the final nail in the coffin by deleting the app so that you couldn’t go back and undo your action before word got around to Paige.

The First Year

You thought you knew grief. You thought you’d familiarized yourself with every aspect of mourning: the realization in the morning, when your eyes open and you lose the blissful state of dreaming and you’re confronted with the harsh truths of the world. Or the late nights, when you’re restless and can’t sleep because of jealousy plaguing your mind. Even the deep longing of missing someone’s touch so bad that you swear that you can almost almost smell their perfume.

So you thought you knew grief - until your grandma died. It had been a matter of time. She’d had breast cancer, and for years now the doctors had been saying any time. But that still didn’t prepare you for the overwhelming pain that consumed all your senses, making it hard to think or eat or sleep or even breathe.

The first few nights after you received the news, you stared at the ceiling, unblinking until the early hours of the morning when the sun started creeping up through your windows. But you couldn’t even cry; you felt like a broken faucet. What the fuck was wrong with you? Sobbing over your stupid ex that you’d broken up with an entire year ago, but unable to shed a tear for your grandma, the woman who had single-handedly raised you. You were exhausted to the point of no return. When would everything stop hurting?

You’d only torn your eyes from your ceiling when your phone had lit up. It was 4 AM, and you wondered who it could be. You checked your phone, and every part of your body froze when you read the notifications.

TWITTER

From: paigebueckers1

I’m so sorry

TWITTER

From: paigebueckers1

I just heard the news

TWITTER

From: paigebueckers1

Don’t know if you’re even active on here anymore but it’s the only way I could reach you. If you see this, I just want to ask you to not keep your grief to yourself. Isolating yourself won’t make the pain go away. Make sure to talk to someone

Your heart had ached, your phone trembling in your hand. Because Paige had cared enough to send you a message, on the same app where you’d given the tabloids a wet dream and caused the UConn fandom to go into a spiral by liking a hate tweet about Paige. She’d cared enough to disregard all that to make sure you were okay. But she still hadn’t cared enough to offer to be that someone that she wanted you to talk to so bad.

So you’d left her on read, without responding. Had slipped back into your sheets, your head pounding and your lungs aching. This time the tears fell out easily.

[hyperfixationsstation]

Is the prime broadcasting really that good? (geniune question, since I don't have prime) I just wish we didn't have to pay for so many different streaming services just to watch the league. Any tips or tricks on how you're watching all of the games? Or do you have subscriptions to all of the services already?

i think the prime broadcast is the best bc of the little things like across all broadcasts the quality is good but prime are doing the little things that too me just show effort. so like they put the how many subs each team has and how many they use. i like thier little pregame theyll go into the locker room so that little snippet is cool. today they did a bit about coolers and thats just a nice little touch you know. idk for me i just appreciate the effort.

if i was ranking the broadcast this is how i would rank them:

prime

ion/nwsl+

espn+ (if the broadcast is on the tv like actual espn or abc its better and is tied for top spot)

and yeah i do think having the games on so many different things does suck i get why this deal was made and i do think its beneficial to the league. but yeah it does suck. as for how i am watching all of the games i do just happen to have all of these services already. partly form leeching off my family. so im definitely fortunate in that sense i do pay for a couple my self though. the only tip/trick i have for watching the matches without the streaming services is getting a vpn then you can just get them all on nwsl+

[myownsportsblog]

Streaming

There's no denying that streaming services are the future in broadcasting. While once could argue that there are too many of them and that most have yet to make a profit, this is still the future. The streaming of live sports events is no exception. I have a subscription for NBA League Pass as a benefit to having season tickets to the 76ers. I enjoy watching other teams broadcast, especially, since I don't have cable to watch Sixers away games. Last year an NFL playoff game was only available on Peacock, which had 23 million viewers and I have a subscription to. There are different sporting events streamed on Prime Video and even Netflix is getting into the game with the Mike Tyson/Jake Paul fight whenever that may be, as well as other events. While staged, the WWE is going to be available on Netflix next year and everyone's heard that it's going to be uncensored. For those unlucky souls, Apple TV has MLS and Friday Night Baseball and despite my love of baseball, watching it is torture.

The NBA is finalizing a new TV deal, which will have national games on ESPN/ABC, as well as Peacock and Prime Video. TNT will be left out of the new contract, which most of us are aware of. For one thing, TNT's parent company (Discovery) is having financial issues due in part to its acquisition of Warner Media Group. Just another example of a company acquiring another company and being over their heads. The other part to them being left out is that Discovery would rather live without streaming live sports, unless it were bass fishing or something to do with the state of Alaska. This was confirmed a while ago by their CEO that they really weren't interested in the NBA.

We've only have seen the beginning as to the future of streaming however only time will tell its full impact.

[fubotvfubo]

Fubo.tv/connect Enter Activation Code | Fubotv Fubo

How to watch Fubo TV Using fubo.tv/connect?

US Most popular streaming service called Fubo TV provides a wide variety of material, including sports, TV shows, and movies. But only the US, Canada, and Spain have access to it. This is due to location restrictions that fubo.tv/connect imposes on its programmes to adhere to licensing agreements.

An essential step in turning on Fubo TV on your device is Fubo TV connect. Fubo TV needs to verify your subscription status and device type via their backend servers in order for you to have access to all of their exclusive programming and sports on your device. You would have to manually connect your TV because of this.

The users can stream the internet material with a fubo tv login. Activation codes and email are the two methods available for signing into a Fubotv account. You must go to fubo.tv/connect to register an account and sign in to Fubo TV. Through the Fubo app, Fubo TV may be turned on on a variety of devices. The activation code is the second item. You must visit fubo in order to register an account and sign in to Fubo TV. You must finish the Fubo TV App account login process in order to activate Fubo TV on your devices via the Fubo app.

What is FuboTV?

An American streaming TV service called fubo.tv/connect is particularly well-known for airing live sporting events like international soccer, the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS. On FuboTV, you can also stream movies, news, and network TV shows. FuboTV was exclusively a soccer streaming service when it first began on January 1st, 2015. In 2017, this streaming service switched to providing only sports content, and it later evolved into a provider of virtual multichannel video content. Currently, the United States, Spain, and Canada all have access to fubo.tv/connect. It has about 600,000 customers and more than 100 channels. To activate your FuboTV account as a first-time user, you must input a code on FuboTV connects.

How to create an account on FuboTV?

You must visit the Fubo my account page in order to enable Fubo TV on the smart TV. To establish an account on fubo.tv/connect, follow the instructions below:

Fubo TV connect on Amazon Fire TV

How to Install fuboTV on FireStick

This is simple! The Amazon Store is the official retail location for fubo.tv/connect. I’ll demonstrate how to instal the app on a FireStick.

Fubo TV is now installed on your FireStick.

Fubo TV connect on Android TV

Activate Fubo TV On Xbox One Using Fubo.tv/connect

How to get fuboTV on Roku?

Users must sign up for a fuboTV account and buy a Roku device that is compatible with the service in order to begin watching fuboTV on Roku. Additionally, the user must register their Roku device, set it up, make sure it has the most recent software, connect it to the Internet, and link it into their television.

How to sign up for Sling TV and begin streaming it on a Roku device is explained in the steps that follow.

Fubo TV connect Apple TV

What is Fubotv and Its Features?

You may stream more than 100 channels on your app when using FuboTV. If you subscribe using fubo.tv/signin, you can view news, TV series, live broadcasts, and everything else the TV stations you subscribed to must offer you.

Access to other channels is also made available by FuboTV, particularly sports networks like ESPN, FS1, NBCSN, NBA TV, BeIn Sports, etc. It is advantageous for you if you enjoy athletics. You can watch things like baseball, the NBA, and football.

Additionally, a free cloud DVR will be provided for you to upload and record your preferred live TV. After completing your work in the office, you can enjoy your eagerly awaited sports.

fuboTV Option For the TV Avoidant: Web Browsers

You could desire fuboTV in order to get rid of your cable box, but you don’t like the notion of bringing more technology into your house. In that situation, starting streaming by going to your fuboTV channels using a web browser is a wise move. Your fuboTV service is compatible with the most recent versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari.

Connect your laptop to a second screen using an HDMI connection to stream your fubo.tv/connect there for a better watching experience on a big screen.

[nickgerlich]

To London And Beyond

It goes without saying that soccer—or as the rest of the world knows it, football—is indeed the most prominent global sport. Even if it hasn’t exactly gained the same level of popularity here as other sports, it is played nonetheless, and slowly gaining ground.

But when we look at other sports, we see that they become regional at best. Hockey, for example, is primarily the domain of nations in colder climes, although it is played in 74 nations. Baseball is played in 75 nations, but the US gets the lion’s share of attention. Basketball comes in with an impressive presence, with 200 national teams around the world, but it is the NBA here that is in the global spotlight.

And then there is American football, hands down the most popular sport in the US. It is played in 80 nations, but only Canada and Australia—with their own distinct variety—come close to the cultural importance we give it here. Basically, American football is a North American sport, and that’s only counting the US and Canada.

So what’s a sport to do? Promote itself, and hope to penetrate new markets, that’s what. And yesterday the NFL and ESPN did just that. The Jaguars-Falcons match-up was played at Wembley Stadium before a packed house.

Forty-five regular-season games have been played in other nations through the last century, but in recent years there has been a decided effort to focus on England and Germany. This season, there are three games slated for London, and two for Frankfurt.

Obviously, the NFL hopes to gain more interest abroad, and not just from ex-pats. Who knows, maybe someday an expansion team might find itself located across the pond. But it was what ESPN (owned by Disney) did with the broadcast rights that piqued my curiosity yesterday, because they reached to a different market segment: young people.

While ESPN+ aired the game in standard television format, Disney+ simulcast the game animated a la Toy Story. I tuned in while working at home, and it was executed flawlessly.

The alternate reality broadcast showed the game as it was being played in real time, but looked, felt, and sounded as if we were in the homeland of Andy from Toy Story. Make that Andy’s room. Every aspect of the video stream was authentic, from the announcers to replays. Better yet, they aired numerous sidebars that involved football trivia and other items designed to lure younger viewers. And, just like when watching the real game, there were pre-recorded segments featuring interviews and other related content.

You know the drill. If you can get a customer to latch onto you while they are young, there’s a strong likelihood of them becoming a lifetime customer. Sweetening the deal with a Toy Story theme is definitely something younger adults can relate to. I mean, who hasn’t seen Toy Story or its numerous derivatives?

Declining viewership of pro sports in general has become a topic of great concern, and ESPN/Disney must be commended for taking the bull by the horns. Kudos also to the NFL for its own approach to building a fanbase across international borders. Ultimately, the goal of marketing is to increase sales. Always. It’s just that the NFL is trying to do it by developing new global markets, while ESPN/Disney is approaching it by going after a different demographic. Either way, the product remains the same: American football.

My primary concern is that if the idea of sugar-coating a product is emulated by others, it can set a bad precedent. Will younger viewers transition to the traditional broadcast realm, or will they only watch it in animated form? Yesterday’s game was actually the second animated sports game on TV, the other being a hockey game last spring. If broadcasters have to produce alternative versions of everything they air, it could become an expensive proposition.

Also related: Disney is already looking into other animated programs it could produce, all designed with the younger viewer in mind.Still, this reminds me of my youth, when candy cigarettes and kiddie cocktails were what adults gave the children.

The implicit hope among tobacco and alcohol companies was that these child-friendly substitutes would one day lead to adult adoption. I realize that an animated football game is not exactly the same in comparison, but I think you understand my reservations. What if younger viewers simply do not graduate?

Otherwise, I was entertained by yesterday’s game, and I did not grow up with Toy Story. My kids did, so by virtue of that, I am very familiar. And, given that I am not a big football fan to begin with (the NFL missed the boat with me years ago), I actually watched a game. That’s saying a lot for a person who typically only watches one game a year, that being the Super Bowl, and only because of the ads.

The Jaguars won the game, but the both the NFL and ESPN/Disney scored a big W. Game well-played on all levels.

Dr “He’s Going Deep” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[alexcbusinessofmedia]

Current Events Blog: The Disney-Charter Dispute

Tuesday, September 19, 2023:

On Monday, September 11, 2023, Walt Disney Co. and the popular cable television provider, Charter-Communications (also known as Spectrum), finally settled their weeks-long contractual dispute through a landmark distribution agreement among the two companies which shed light on the potential future of cable television with the rise of streaming services. As Brian Steinberg writes in his Variety article, the month-long dispute between the two television giants came as a result of, “battling over a renewal for carriage of Disney’s various cable networks on Charter’s major-market cable systems.” However, the feud between the two corporate giants had come to a head the week before when Disney, which journalist David Marcelis breaks down in his article from the Wall Street Journal, abruptly left the “fifteen million customers of Charter’s Spectrum cable service” without access from Disney’s most popular networks, including, ESPN, ABC, FX, and the Disney Channel. This decision led to a week-long blackout ultimately culminating last Monday in which the two parties ended their feud by finalizing a deal, as Joe Flint reports in another WSJ article, in which Disney agreed to “restore its popular channels, including ESPN and ABC, to the cable operator’s” millions of subscribers. Going further, Flint explains that, “Charter has agreed to pay Disney higher rates to carry its TV channels,” in return, however, “for being able to provide the Disney+ and ESPN+ streaming services to its Spectrum pay-TV subscribers.” The dispute behind Disney granting Spectrum-TV’s customers complimentary access to Disney’s extremely popular and profitable streaming services was “a big point of contention during the standoff,” Flint describes, as the former grew frustrated about, “paying higher fees for Disney-owned channels while Disney was investing heavily into streaming services that compete directly with Charter’s cable business.” 

With that being said, throughout my research on this current event, I was extremely interested by reading different perspectives regarding whether the settled agreement was a win for both Charter and Disney, a step in the right direction for the success of both streaming services and cable television, or whether the public feud had cemented as Marcelis asserts in his aforementioned article titled, “Disney Fight Marks Cable TV’s Last Stand,” the “endgame for cable TV.” While I do to a certain extent agree with one Vulture article which touted, “What If Everyone Won the Charter-Disney Dispute?” I only believe that these “wins” for cable television are only feasible for the short-term. In the long-run, however, I agree with Marcelis as Disney’s actions do shed light on how entertainment companies, including Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global, have jumped ship alongside the many “consumers abandoning cable TV at an accelerated pace,” and these streaming giants have essentially monopolized the entertainment industry. Ultimately, the profitability and competitive edge they have substantially gained has been heavily consequential of these companies “further enticing consumers” as Marcelis elaborates, “to cut the cord by putting some of their highest value cable content—news and sports—into streaming services that compete with cable TV.” For Walt Disney Co. to behave in such a way, to then essentially backpedal, it feels slightly hypocritical, and that was made even more evident in the way Charter’s representatives voiced their concerns and frustrations towards Disney in these publications, but ultimately had to bite their own tongue in order to stay afloat. 

Word Count: 556 words.

[bradyoil]

From Soul Pancake to Sundance with Multi-Hyphenate Josh Shelton.

Josh Shelton is a multi-hyphenate producer, writer, director and composer who has worked for Netflix, MTV, ESPN, Participant Media and more.  Shelton was nominated for a Sports Emmy as a producer on Netflix’s "We Are The Champions." He has also been at the forefront of the digital landscape for over a decade as a YouTube Award and Telly Award Winner, working with the joy-filled digital media company SoulPancake, where he was a trusted producer/showrunner on a range of branded campaigns and served as interim Head of Production. In July 2023, he was hired as the lead Content Producer for the Sundance Film Festival/Sundance Institute.

EVENTS LIMITED TIME ONLY! Summer Office Hours, a chance for one-on-one consultations to whip your career, spec, rough cut or mojo into high gear. Book now while spots are available.

My next in-person Commercial Directing Bootcamp is Saturday, January 20th, 2024. Sign up soon or miss out.

Check out my Masterclass or Commercial Directing Shadow online courses. (Note this link to the Shadow course is the one I mention in the show.) All my courses come with a free 1:1 mentorship call with yours truly. Taking the Shadow course is the only way to win a chance to shadow me on a real shoot! DM for details.

How To Pitch Ad Agencies and Director’s Treatments Unmasked are now bundled together with a free filmmaker consultation call, just like my other courses. Serious about making spots? The Commercial Director Mega Bundle for serious one-on-one mentoring and career growth.

  Jeannette Godoy’s hilarious romcom “Diamond In The Rough” streams on the YouTube and has 72,000 views its forst week! Please support my wife filmmaker Jeannette Godoy’s romcom debut. It’s “Mean Girls” meets “Happy Gilmore” and crowds love it.

  Thanks,

  Jordan 

  This episode is 80 minutes.

My cult classic mockumentary, “Dill Scallion” is online so I’m giving 100% of the money to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. I’ve decided to donate the LIFETIME earnings every December, so the donation will grow and grow. Thank you.

Respect The Process podcast is brought to you by True Gentleman Industries, Inc. in partnership with Brady Oil Entertainment, Inc.

Check out this episode!

[coghive]

Skillet Drops ‘Dominion: Day Of Destiny (Deluxe Edition)’

17x platinum, GRAMMY-nominated rock band SKILLET releases their DOMINION: DAY OF DESTINY (DELUXE EDITION) today (Feb 17). With five new tracks, including upcoming Active Rock single “Psycho In My Head” (full track listing below), the project is the companion to DOMINION, one of the highest charting rock and metal albums of 2022. SKILLET and THEORY OF A DEADMAN will co-headline Rock Resurrection Tour, with support from Saint Asonia, which kicks off tonight in Gary, Indiana, running through March 26th in Los Angeles. The 25-date trek includes stops in Milwaukee, Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and more. Tickets are on sale now at www.skillet.com. SKILLET is one of the best-selling rock bands of the 21st century. The two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated, Pandora Billionaires Club members, and multi-platinum rockers have an undying spirit that has humbly asserted and affirmed them as one of this generation’s most successful rock acts. However, as all classic underdog stories do, it happened quietly under the radar. By 2019, they not only garnered a pair of GRAMMY Award nods and sold over 17 million albums worldwide, but they also took home a Billboard Music Award for the double-platinum Awake. Its breakout single “Monster” is 5x platinum and remains “one of the most-streamed rock songs of all-time.” 2016’s Unleashed bowed at #3 on the Billboard Top 200. Hitting #1 on Rock Radio, the lead single “Feel Invincible” cracked 643 million global audio streams and went platinum. Meanwhile, the gold-certified Unleashed became their fourth consecutive album to receive either a gold, platinum, or double-platinum status. Their 2019 release Victorious included the top ten rock radio hit “Legendary,” which lived up to its name with over 108 million streams. To date, nine original tunes earned RIAA recognition in tandem with high-profile syncs by everyone from WWE and Marvel to ESPN and NFL. Between selling out arenas in 26 countries and four continents, the group performed on CONAN and graced the pages of USA Today and The New York Times, Skillet debuted their first graphic novel, EDEN: A Skillet Graphic Novel with Z2 Comics, which became the publisher’s best-selling book of all time, followed by EDEN II: The Aftermath. Skillet’s latest project, DOMINION, is one of the highest charting rock and metal albums of 2022 and available now. Dominion: Day Of Destiny (Deluxe Edition) https://open.spotify.com/album/0yppsQTW8pACnrnH75Rvhv?si=3VgZ9XWvT-26HcvSH0H8DQ Read the full article

[hauntedartisanyouth]

Best streaming services 2023: Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and more

When you are looking for the best streaming services in 2023, then Netflix is a service that has been recommended to us again, and we can say with confidence why. For those who love watching movies or shows on demand, Netflix also offers excellent original content! You won't be disappointed in their selection of films available for viewing anytime. If you want something fun without all the complicated plot line-up stuff, go ahead and watch one (or five) episode volumes instead; they're cheaper anyway.

Top & Best streaming services 2023

Netflix– Editor’s choice ($9.99–$19.99/mo.)

Disney+– Best for families ($7.99/mo.)

HBO Max– Best for original content ($9.99–$14.99/mo.)

Hulu– Best on-demand/live TV streaming combo ($6.99–$75.99/mo.)

Prime Video– Best value ($8.99–$14.99/mo.)

Peacock– Cheapest (Free–$9.99/mo.)

ESPN+– Best for sports ($6.99/mo.)

Apple TV+– Excellent original content ($4.99/mo.)

Paramount+– Deep TV and movies library ($4.99–$9.99/mo.)

Discovery+– Best for reality TV fans ($4.99–$6.99/mo.)

Netflix is a relentless fire hose of original programming, but it doesn't have anything to shake up its streaming service until next year. That could change if Thailand's Tiger King decides he wants his internet show back!

Netflix has been our top pick for on-demand streaming services because it offers original content, like House of Cards or Orange Is the New Black, and plenty more movies and TV shows. So, whether you want to learn about a new show thoroughly researched by Netflix's team members (like thinker13) or enjoy some good old-fashioned entertainment with characters your kids know from their childhoods—you'll find what you need here!

Netflix compatible devices

Netflix is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, LG TVs, Nintendo consoles, PlayStation consoles, Roku, Samsung TVs, Vizio TVs, and Xbox consoles.

Best value: Prime Video

With over 18,000 movies available to stream on Prime Video and free shipping with an Amazon Prime membership, it is hard for viewers looking into streaming services. Netflix only offers 4500 titles but still provides excellent value as they offer their service for $8 per month instead of the usual price, which ranges anywhere from about $7-12 depending on whether you have student pricing!

One thing I love most about amazon prime video. The large selection of film genres, including foreign language films such as Italian cinema--something my hometown doesn't produce much, so there's always fresh content every day.

The video streaming industry is booming, but Amazon seems to be focusing more on original programming instead of living TV.

It's no secret that cord-cutters are in high demand these days. With more people cutting the cable daily, there has never been a better time to catch your favorite team on Live TV streaming services like Prime Video! You can stream live NBA games and NFL Thursday Night Football with this fantastic service for only $14.99/month (or less than ten bucks per week)!

Prime Video-compatible devices

Prime Video is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, LG TVs, PlayStation consoles, Roku, Samsung TVs, Vizio TVs, and Xbox consoles.

Best on-demand/live TV streaming combo: Hulu

Hulu is an excellent value for those who want live TV streaming, but only the monthly fee gets you to access shows on-demand. If your goal in signing up with this service was recording and watching programs for days without advertisements, then head over here: hulu. If we're talking about going all out, there are other options available - some even offer more channels than what comes standard within Hulu Plus!

Hulu is a great place to find hit TV shows and movies, with series like The Handmaid’s Tale earning rave reviews. It may not have the sheer volume of content that Netflix or Prime Video offers, but if you want high-quality programs Hulu will be there for your viewing pleasure year after year!

With exclusive content from FX, the cross-corporate deal produces new shows for Hulu and instant streaming of previous episodes available on demand. That means you can now watch What We Do in The Shadows or Mayans (if it’s still being aired) without having cable!

Hulu compatible devices

Hulu is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, LG TVs, Nintendo Switch, Roku, Samsung TVs, Vizio TVs, and Xbox consoles.

Final take: Netflix is still the king of on-demand streaming TV

When you thought it was safe to go back into the streaming abyss, hundreds of on-demand streaming services are ready and waiting for your respective device's app store. We've listed 16 of our favorites below so that finding something good won't take too long!

We love to stream, but we also have a soft spot for cable television. The best of both worlds? Check out HBO Max and Apple TV+! Call on(855) 561-1333 for the Best streaming services in 2023!

[avatar-news]

Avatar Studios masterpost!

Here’s absolutely everything there is to know about the big Avatar news from today’s ViacomCBS Paramount+ Streaming Event and investor day!

Summary of facts

Avatar Studios is a new studio at Nickelodeon. Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra co-creators and showrunners Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino are the co-Chief Creative Officers of Avatar Studios.

Avatar Studios will create original movies, series, and shorts set in the world of Avatar.

The first project is an animated theatrical film set to start production later this year.

One or more Avatar Studios Paramount+ Original Series will be among the 50 original shows coming to Paramount+ in its first two years.

The above image has been included in many articles and official social media posts. It’s presumably the current official logo of Avatar Studios.

That is a distilled list of the cold, hard facts from the whirlwind of news that has come out today, from many different sources. With that out of the way, the rest of this post will delve deeper into everything we’ve learned, including full-length quotes from the people involved.

Today’s event

Today, ViacomCBS (the company that owns Nickelodeon, and thus Avatar) held their “Streaming Event” and investor day. ViacomCBS is launching their big streaming service, Paramount+, on March 4th. It’s a rebrand and relaunch of their current streaming service, CBS All Access. Paramount+ is meant to be their big push to compete in the streaming wars with Disney’s Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+; WarnerMedia’s HBO Max; NBCUniversal’s Peacock; Apple’s Apple TV+; and, yes, Netflix’s Netflix by Netflix in collaboration with Netflix.

Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are already on CBS All Access in full, and they, like all the rest of the content on the service, will automatically transfer over to Paramount+. (Currently we know absolutely nothing about when or if either show will leave Netflix. They’re currently on both Netflix and CBS All Access, so it’s possible they’ll remain on both Netflix and Paramount+ for some time.)

Here’s my livetweet thread from today’s event. Below, I’ll cover the notable stuff:

The first big mention of Avatar was when it was called out by the CEO as one of the ViacomCBS properties that were big hits on other streaming services last year.

It’s notable that it was mentioned among a list of exclusively adult, live-action series.

This is totally in line with the earlier stuff where the CEO mentioned it as having potential for Paramount+ original content.

The presentation also included something along the lines of: if you helped make one of our properties popular on another streaming service, there’s a good chance originals will be coming to Paramount+.

Basically, they saw how huge Avatar was on Netflix last year, and that visibility was up to the highest levels of the company.

And of course, finally they announced the creation of Avatar Studios. This was actually a few minutes after the news went up officially online, so at that point I lost track of the stream as I covered the news. But, I do know they didn’t show/announce anything else in the event besides the news that went up online.

Official quotes/statements

Here are the official quotes about Avatar Studios sent out today:

Joint official statement from Bryke:

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 19 years since we created Avatar: The Last Airbender. But even after all that time, there are still many stories and time periods in Aang’s world that we are eager to bring to life. We are fortunate to have an ever-growing community of passionate fans that enjoys exploring the Avatarverse as much as we do. And with this new Avatar Studios venture we have an unparalleled opportunity to develop our franchise and its storytelling on a vast scale, in myriad exciting ways and mediums. We are exceedingly grateful to Brian Robbins and Ramsey Naito for their enthusiasm and respect for the Avatar property and us as its stewards. From the start, they’ve supported our ambitious plans and created a positive, proactive environment for us. We’re excited to be back at Nickelodeon where Avatar began, doing what we do best in the biggest way possible. We can’t wait to build the great teams and productions to make all of this fantasy a reality.”

via Entertainment Weekly

Bryan on his Instagram and Tumblr:

“Bryke is back at Nickelodeon in a big way. ⚡️💙⬇️💙⚡️ Mike and I are heading up a new studio dedicated to expanding the Avatarverse.”

Mike on his Instagram:

“BIG announcement! @bryankonietzko and I are returning to #Nickelodeon as co-chief creative officers of Avatar Studios to develop new animated projects in the #avatarverse and oversee the franchise. Couldn't be more excited and inspired!”

Brian Robbins:

“Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra have grown at least ten-fold in popularity since their original hit runs on Nickelodeon, and Ramsey Naito and I are incredibly excited to have Mike and Bryan’s genius talent on board to helm a studio devoted to expanding their characters and world into new content and formats for fans everywhere. Creator-driven stories and characters have long been the hallmarks of Nickelodeon, and Avatar Studios is a way to give Mike and Bryan the resources and runway to open up their imaginations even more and dive deeper into the action and mythology of Avatar as we simultaneously expand upon that world and the world of content available on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.”

via Deadline

Brian Robbins was referred to as the president of Nickelodeon on Entertainment Weekly, and “President, ViacomCBS Kids & Family” on Deadline. Ramsey Naito is the president of Nickelodeon Animation.

Press release

The post-event ViacomCBS press release mentioned Avatar in two places:

First, right up at the top:

“Over 50 original series to premiere on Paramount+ over next two years, including Halo, Frasier, Criminal Minds, iCarly, The Real World, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, shows from the Avatar, Yellowstone, Star Trek and SpongeBob SquarePants universes and more”

The wording makes it unclear if it will be multiple shows from each of the final four franchises mentioned, or if it’s plural because it’s listing multiple franchises. It’s talking about the first two years specifically, so it’s likely that in that timeframe only one Avatar show would be ready, but in general it’s basically guaranteed that there will be multiple in the coming years.

The second place it’s mentioned is in the “Expansive Slate of Upcoming Paramount+ Original Series” - “Kids & Family” section:

“Avatar – Nickelodeon’s new animation studio division dedicated entirely to creating content based on the wildly popular world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Led by the series’ original creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, in partnership with the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Avatar Studios will produce for Paramount+ a wide-range of Avatar-inspired content, ranging from spinoffs and theatricals to short form.”

Info from news

Across the many news sources today (sites, social media, etc.) this info has sort of coalesced:

What is Avatar Studios?

It has been referred to as a studio, a venture, a division of Nickelodeon, an animation studio division, etc. etc. etc.

As far as we know, it’s not an animation production studio and so doesn’t employ animators who draw the frames of animation themselves.

What does Avatar Studios make?

The various sources have said they’re making series, movies, and short-form stuff. The first two are pretty self-explanatory. The third, shorts, remains to be seen what it is. I could honestly see official TikTok videos or something, but that’s just my speculation. 😂

Right now it has been said that Avatar Studios will be making Avatar stuff only. Various wordings like “based on” and “Avatar-inspired” and “in the Avatarverse” have been used.

The question of live-action has arisen. Some places, including Mike’s post, specifically say animation, while Bryke’s official statement also says “myriad [...] mediums”. It’s highly likely there will be both animation and live-action at some point. Currently it’s probably animation-focused, with the first project being an animated movie.

Where will Avatar Studios content come out?

Another case where there have been various wordings used throughout the different news sources.

It has been said that Avatar Studios’ content will be made for Paramount+, Nickelodeon’s “linear” (meaning old-fashioned live TV) and digital outlets, third parties, and theaters.

Paramount+ is self-explanatory, that would be Paramount+ Originals streaming exclusively on Paramount+.

Nickelodeon complicates things a bit. I find it a little hard to believe that within a few years, new Avatar shows specifically for Nick’s TV channel will start being made. It’s possible statements to this effect are indicating the content will also end up aired on TV. ViacomCBS’s Star Trek universe’s first Nick show will be taking that route: first on Paramount+ and then later airing on TV on Nick, so I’m guessing something similar could be the case here. As for Nick’s digital side, they have episodes to watch on their website and apps, so I’m guessing that’s what that refers to-- I wouldn’t read into it too much. Nick itself is one of the sections on Paramount+, which also just makes my head spin a bit more.

Mention of third parties is also a little weird at first. ViacomCBS does double-dip a lot, so maybe Avatar Studios will also end up making shows for, like, Netflix and others, but it just seems like a weird business decision when they just announced Paramount+. One thing this could be referring to is potentially other mediums like books and games, for which it would make sense to be for other companies.

Lastly, theatrical. In their movies strategy, ViacomCBS announced that Paramount movies like the Mission: Impossible franchise will still be in theaters, but go to Paramount+ exclusively after a reduced 30-to-45-day theatrical window. (Some movies will also have the regular window, also a little confusing.) Some movies will also just be Paramount+ Originals in the first place, like the newest SpongeBob movie. Avatar Studios’ first project has been exclusively called a theatrical animated film. This seems to suggest that it will be in theaters at first, then a Paramount+ Original shortly after (probably the shortest, 30-day window if I were to guess). This is interesting because if it’s theatrical, that could suggest a big budget, especially if this is their first project they intend to make an impressive splash with. It could also potentially suggest 3D/CGI animation rather than 2D, but I personally don’t find that super likely. However, it could mean fancier 2D animation than we’re used to, and that’s saying a lot because we’re used to some pretty good animation from the Avatar franchise! The wording of “theatricals” could also just be used as a synonym for “films”, to indicate prestige, theatrical release quality and budget rather than made-for-TV or direct-to-DVD vibes.

In summary, it seems like right now, they’re covering all the bases, but if Paramount+ is as successful as they want it to be, it’s likely they would eventually (maybe quite soon) move more and more stuff into it exclusively. Currently, there’s also still a lot of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and so the new state of the theatrical, linear, and streaming marketplaces hasn’t really crystallized yet either. The world does seem to be moving to streaming quite hard though, so while they’re covering all the bases right now, again, it’s likely most of this stuff will end up mainly as a Paramount+ thing.

And again, I mentioned TikTok as a possible experimental place for short-form content. Maybe. Especially if they make the next Avatar after Korra modern day?! Ok, let me not get ahead of myself...

Who will work at Avatar Studios?

We only know about Bryke so far. They’re the co-Chief Creative Officers.

Brandon Hoang, who was working with Bryke on live-action ATLA at Netflix, has confirmed he’s not involved. He also left Netflix at some point; not sure if it was at the exact same time or for the same reasons as Bryke, but he’s neither here nor there, as it were.

No, I don’t have anything to tell you about Jeremy Zuckerman. :)

Given that there will be multiple shows and movies, it’s likely that lots of different people will end up working on them. Bryke’s official statement said that they will “build [...] teams and productions” at Avatar Studios, and Mike also said that they will be “oversee[ing] the franchise”. Right now, we don’t know what exact role Bryke will have. They might write/direct/showrun some stuff themselves, or they might oversee other creatives they hire for those roles, or, likely, both-- different levels of involvement for different shows and movies.

As mentioned previously, Avatar Studios (probably) isn’t an animation production studio. This means they will still hire animation production studios, like Studio Mir, to do the animation itself. I say “like” Studio Mir, because I’m not sure if Studio Mir itself is free right now. They recently officially partnered with Netflix and have plenty of things on their plate there. So, it remains to be seen who will be doing the actual animation for Avatar Studios’ projects.

Lastly, this is an awesome opportunity to have the “culturally appropriate, non-whitewashed cast” assurance Bryke originally made for live-action ATLA both on and off the screen at Avatar Studios!

Netflix and live-action ATLA

There has been no news or updates on the live-action adaptation of ATLA being developed at Netflix, which Bryke was originally showrunning but left (to do all this!) over creative differences.

No, it’s not cancelled.

I suppose this makes it a little more likely that Netflix would choose to give up on it, but right now there have been no changes. The existence of Avatar Studios almost definitely has no effect on the licensing rights Netflix obtained to make a live-action ATLA adaptation-- that stuff is usually pretty iron-clad. Again, maybe in light of all this Netflix will choose to not go through with it, but they also might want to make it even more now to compete with Paramount+ on Avatar. We don’t really know the stances of the decisionmakers at Netflix, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Personal note

Over the last few months I’ve gotten a lot of, err, rude comments and messages whenever I said there could be new stuff coming. I’m really not here to say “I told you so”, because I don’t care-- I run Avatar News for fun.

But, I hope this goes to show that I wouldn't be posting things if I didn't have good factual reason to believe them, and that very much panned out very correctly here. Sometimes it’s directly or indirectly based on stuff I can't say publicly. I always have and always will post in a trustworthy, fact- and reason-based manner.

In light of that, and for just a bit of “I told you so”, here’s a timeline of all the Avatar News posts that led up to today. Definitely had a lot of fun re-reading these just now:

August 12th, 2020: Bryke left the Netflix live-action ATLA series two months ago. It’s not the end of the world.

September 15th, 2020: ViacomCBS is relaunching their streaming service next year as Paramount+, the future home of Avatar shows and movies?

September 17th, 2020: Anonymous asked: Do you think now that the original creators left the live action remake that they will make a new avatar animated series?

November 6th, 2020: CEO says Avatar franchise has potential for new original series on Paramount+, the new streaming service launching next year to compete with Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max

January 4th, 2021: “This also brings up another interesting point, which is that Bryke actually originally pitched this storyline to Nick as an animated movie after the show. That obviously didn’t happen, but now that Paramount+ is coming and teasing potential new Avatar content…”

January 5th, 2021: Investor day announcement

January 21st, 2021: The Fire Nation Awaits 🌺 An in-depth look at the ever-elusive islands in the era of Korra and when we will finally pay them a visit. See section: Are they saving the Fire Nation for an animated movie?

February 12th, 2021: All seven seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are coming to Paramount+ on March 4th!

February 20th, 2021: The musical themes of Avatar: An Avatar News interview with Jeremy Zuckerman. See section: “So, another streaming service: Paramount+.”

February 24th, 2021: Avatar Studios masterpost :)

[gabriellasmith]

The Fragmentation of Media Audiences

“Have you seen Heartstopper on Netflix?”“No, it’s on my list”.

“Have you caught up with Peaky Blinders?”

“We haven’t got round to it; we’ve been watching the new Prime series”.

Do these conversations sound familiar to those you have with family and friends?

The overwhelming choice now available to us in terms of media consumption means that the recommendations are constant and our ‘to be watched’ list is never-ending. We are now living in a high choice media environment, which has been created through the development of multiple streaming platforms, and media giants vying for consumer attention.

“Infinite choice equals ultimate fragmentation”

Fragmentation is the price we pay for the endless choice.

A fragmented media environment is one in which audiences for each media tend to overlap very little or not at all with one another, which accounts for why the 'have you watched...?' conversations are ever present. Previously, in the 1990s/2000s, commonly referred to as 'The Golden Age of TV', most households watched the same programme at the same time, and then were able to discuss the programme with others the next day, safe in the knowledge that they had watched it too.

Source: https://www.snapcomms.com/blog/water-cooler-talk

Are the Soaps a Dying Breed?

A classic example of this is the soaps. Coronation Street, for example, started in 1960, and its most watched episode aired in 1985, attracting more than 21 million viewers. In contrast, the soap only pulled in 5.5 million viewers in March 2022. The soaps’ original popularity can be attributed to their ability to create 'water cooler TV' moments, 'in which our shared consumption fostered a sense of connection and...togetherness'. But this water cooler discussion at work, on the bus, or over the phone the next day has been replaced with a fragmented audience that is spreading their attention too thin and replacing ‘togetherness’ with more solitary moments.

The fragmentation of audiences means there is a lessened community around certain media because the multiple streaming services have created smaller 'sphericules' that scarcely interact. Whilst Netflix, Prime and Apple TV create enough competition on their own, the introduction of platforms like ESPN+ and DC Universe have created an even more niche set of audiences that are further removed from one another.

Source: https://midiaresearch.com/blog/niche-is-the-new-mainstream

Is Choice a Good Thing?

The question, then, is whether this increased saturation of the market should be viewed as a positive or negative?

On one hand, we can be much better informed, educated and entertained with the array of documentaries, dramas and comedies that are available to us, instantly. Also, the flexibility and portability of these services allows us to integrate our favourite media into our, now busier than ever, lives. However, this vast choice is arguably contributing to an 'epidemic of loneliness' as research shows that 45% of people watch a programme or film alone every day. With the loss of simultaneous viewing comes the loss of water cooler moments and family screenings, and with the increase in streaming choices comes solitary moments and spherical separation.

[aaronmaurer]

TV I Liked in 2020

Every year I reflect on the pop culture I enjoyed and put it in some sort of order.

Was there ever a year more unpredictably tailor-made for peak TV than 2020? Lockdowns/quarantines/stay-at-home orders meant a lot more time at home and the occasion to check out new and old favorites. (I recognize that if you’re lucky enough to have kids or roommates or a S.O., your amount of actual downtime may have been wildly different). While the pandemic resulted in production delays and truncated seasons for many shows, the continued streaming-era trends of limited series and 8-13 episode seasons mean that a lot of great and satisfying storytelling still made its way to the screen. As always, I in no way lay any claims to “best-ness” or completeness – this is just a list of the shows that brought me the most joy and escapism in a tough year and therefore might be worth putting on your radar.

10 Favorites

10. The Right Stuff: Season 1 (Disney+)

As a space program enthusiast, even I had to wonder, does the world really need another retelling of NASA’s early days? Especially since Tom Wolfe’s book has already been adapted as the riveting and iconoclastic Philip Kaufman film of the same name? While some may disagree, I find that this Disney+ series does justify its existence by focusing more on the relationships of the astronauts and their personal lives than the technical science (which may be partially attributable to budget limitations?). The series is kind of like Mad Men but with NASA instead of advertising (and real people, of course), so if that sounds intriguing, I encourage you to give it a whirl.

9. Fargo: Season 4 (FX)

As a big fan of Noah Hawley’s Coen Brothers pastiche/crime anthology series, I was somewhat let down by this latest season. Drawing its influence primarily from the likes of gangster drama Miller’s Crossing – one of the Coens’ least comedic/idiosyncratic efforts – this season is more straightforward than its predecessors and includes a lot of characters and plot-threads that never quite cohere. That said, it is still amongst the year’s most ambitious television with another stacked cast, and the (more-or-less) standalone episode “East/West” is enough to make the season worthwhile.

8. The Last Dance (ESPN)

Ostensibly a 10-episode documentary about the 1990s Chicago Bulls’ sixth and final NBA Championship run, The Last Dance actually broadens that scope to survey the entire history of Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson’s careers with the team. Cleverly structured with twin narratives that chart that final season as well as an earlier timeframe, each episode also shifts the spotlight to a different person, which provides focus and variety throughout the series. And frankly, it’s also just an incredible ride to relive the Jordan era and bask in his immeasurable talent and charisma – while also getting a snapshot of his outsized ego and vices (though he had sign-off on everything, so it’s not exactly a warts-and-all telling).

7. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)

This miniseries adaptation of the Walter Tevis coming-of-age novel about a chess prodigy and her various addictions is compulsively watchable and avoids the bloat of many other streaming series (both in running time and number of episodes). The 1960s production design is stunning and the performances, including Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead role, are convincing and compelling.

6. The Great: Season 1 (hulu)

Much like his screenplay for The Favourite, Tony McNamara’s series about Catherine the Great rewrites history with a thoroughly modern and irreverent sensibility (see also: Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette). Elle Fanning brings a winning charm and strength to the title role and Nicholas Hoult is riotously entertaining as her absurdly clueless and ribald husband, Emperor Peter III. Its 10-episodes occasionally tilt into repetitiveness, but when the ride is this fun, why complain? Huzzah!

  5. Dispatches From Elsewhere (AMC)

A limited (but possibly anthology-to-be?) series from creator/writer/director/actor Jason Segal, Dispatches From Elsewhere is a beautiful and creative affirmation of life and celebration of humanity. The first 9 episodes form a fulfilling and complete arc, while the tenth branches into fourth wall-breaking meta territory, which may be a bridge too far for some (but is certainly ambitious if nothing else). Either way, it’s a movingly realized portrait of honesty, vulnerability and empathy, and I highly recommend visiting whenever it inevitably makes its way to Netflix, or elsewhere…

4. What We Do in the Shadows: Season 2 (FX)

The second season of WWDITS is more self-assured and expansive than the first, extending a premise I loved from its antecedent film – but was skeptical could be sustained – to new and reinvigorated (after)life. Each episode packs plenty of laughs, but for my money, there is no better encapsulation of the series’ potential and Matt Berry’s comic genius than “On The Run,” which guest-stars Mark Hamill and features Laszlo’s alter ego Jackie Daytona, regular human bartender.

3. Ted Lasso: Season 1 (AppleTV+)

Much more than your average fish-out-of-water comedy, Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso is a brilliant tribute to humaneness, decency, emotional intelligence and good coaching – not just on the field. The fact that its backdrop is English Premier League Soccer is just gravy (even if that’s not necessarily represented 100% proficiently). A true surprise and gem of the year.

2. Mrs. America (hulu)

This FX miniseries explores the women’s liberation movement and fight for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and its opposition by conservative women including Phyllis Schlafly. One of the most ingenious aspects of the series is centering each episode on a different character, which rotates the point of view and helps things from getting same-y. With a slate of directors including Ryan Bowden and Anna Fleck (Half-Nelson, Sugar, Captain Marvel) and an A-List cast including Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Sarah Paulson, Margo Martindale, Tracey Ulman and Elizabeth Banks, its quality is right up there with anything on the big screen. And its message remains (sadly) relevant as ever in our current era.

1. The Good Place: Season 4 (NBC)

It was tempting to omit The Good Place this year or shunt it to a side category since only the final 4 episodes aired in 2020, but that would have been disingenuous. This show is one of my all-time favorites and it ended perfectly. The series finale is a representative mix of absurdist humor and tear-jerking emotion, built on themes of morality, self-improvement, community and humanity. (And this last run of eps also includes a pretty fantastic Timothy Olyphant/Justified quasi-crossover.) Now that the entire series is available to stream on Netflix (or purchase in a nice Blu-ray set), it’s a perfect time to revisit the Good Place, or check it out for the first time if you’ve never had the pleasure.

5 of the Best Things I Caught Up With

Anne With An E (Netflix/CBC)

Another example of classic literature I had no prior knowledge of (see also Little Women and Emma), this Netflix/CBC adaptation of Anne of Green Gables was strongly recommended by several friends so I finally gave it a shot. While this is apparently slightly more grown-up than the source material, it’s not overly grimdark or self-serious but rather humane and heartfelt, expanding the story’s scope to include Black and First Nations peoples in early 1800s Canada, among other identities and themes. It has sadly been canceled, but the three seasons that exist are heart-warming and life-affirming storytelling. Fingers crossed that someday we’ll be gifted with a follow-up movie or two to tie up some of the dangling threads.

Better Call Saul (AMC)

I liked Breaking Bad, but I didn’t have much interest in an extended “Breaking Bad Universe,” as much as I appreciate star Bob Odenkirk’s multitalents. Multiple recommendations and lockdown finally provided me the opportunity to catch up on this prequel series and I’m glad I did. Just as expertly plotted and acted as its predecessor, the series follows Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman on his own journey to disrepute but really makes it hard not to root for his redemption (even as you know that’s not where this story ends).

Joe Pera Talks With You (Adult Swim)

It’s hard to really describe the deadpan and oddly soothing humor of comedian Joe Pera whose persona, in the series at least, combines something like the earnestness of Mr. Rogers with the calm enthusiasm of Bob Ross. Sharing his knowledge on the likes of how to get the best bite out of your breakfast combo, growing a bean arch and this amazing song “Baba O’Reilly” by the Who – have you heard it?!? – Pera provides arch comfort that remains solidly on the side of sincerity. The surprise special he released during lockdown, “Relaxing Old Footage with Joe Pera,” was a true gift in the middle of a strange and isolated year.

The Mandalorian (Disney+)

One of the few recent Star Wars properties that lives up to its potential, the adventures of Mando and Grogu is a real thrill-ride of a series with outstanding production values (you definitely want to check out the behind-the-scenes documentary series if you haven’t). I personally prefer the first season, appreciating its Western-influenced vibes and somewhat-more-siloed story. The back half of the second season veers a little too much into fan service and video game-y plotting IMHO but still has several excellent episodes on offer, especially the Timothy Olyphant-infused energy of premiere “The Marshall” and stunning cinematography of “The Jedi.” And, you know, Grogu.

The Tick (Amazon Prime)

I’ve been a fan of the Tick since the character’s Fox cartoon and indie comic book days and also loved the short-lived Patrick Warburton series from 2001. I was skeptical about this Amazon Prime reboot, especially upon seeing the pilot episode’s off-putting costumes. Finally gaining access to Prime this year, I decided to catch up and it gets quite good!, especially in Season 2. First, the costumes are upgraded; second, Peter Serafinowicz’s initially shaky characterization improves; and third, it begins to come into its own identity. The only real issue is yet another premature cancellation for the property, meaning Season 2’s tease of interdimensional alien Thrakkorzog will never be fulfilled. 😢

Bonus! 5 More Honorable Mentions:

City So Real (National Geographic)

The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)

How To with John Wilson: Season 1 (HBO)

Kidding: Season 2 (Showtime)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Vs The Reverend (Netflix)

[nickgerlich]

Hand Me The Remote

Streaming television is so new in the grand scheme of things that it is hard to even say one of the providers is old. But that’s how things go in the digital world, where change happens month to month, not decade to decade. Take Netflix, for example, which only launched its streaming version in 2007.

Here we are today, and we can never say there’s nothing to watch. No, we have so many options that it is mind-boggling, overwhelming, and enough to just make us go to bed with intentions of sorting through it tomorrow. Smorgasbords can be too good to be true. Choice can be crippling when there is too much of it. And once your hunger is sated, it can make your stomach start to turn.

There are more than 200 streaming services available today, up from one in just 16 years. This number includes the heavy hitters alongside the esoteric and even channels that do only ancient reruns. In most cases, the result is the same: viewing on demand, a completely asynchronous alternative to the synchronous TV I grew up with. Heck, back in the really old days, if you missed it, you missed it, and your only chance was to see it during summer rerun season.

But my view from here shows me an industry that is so fragmented that the only chance for long-term survival is consolidation, much like most every other industry in the US has done over time. In the 1920s, there were 44 automobile manufacturers. Not too many years ago, there were dozens and dozens of cell phone service providers, and now we have three big ones, along with scattered hangers-on.

While it is possible for those hangers-on to remain along the fringes of an industry, as well as new growth to come from others (I’m looking at you, Scooter’s and Dutch Bros Coffee), the long-term result is most commonly one of industry power residing in the hands of a few very powerful companies.

That same kind of transition is starting to happen among the streaming providers, with bundling and consolidation of services the new normal. Paramount announced yesterday it is now bringing an old-school cable company under its wings with a new package called Paramount+ with Showtime. It is little different from the Disney+ package that includes ESPN and National Geographic.

The announcement also signaled efforts to streamline Showtime’s offerings, focusing only on those products that garner a significant number of viewers. Marginal original programming will now be much more limited. This comes at a time when it was suddenly possible for many of those starving actors, all working waitstaff and other menial tasks, to find employment in episodic shows and movies.

Once again, all that choice became crippling to viewers, and since we still only have 24 hours in a day, and not nearly enough snow days, it is impossible to consume all of that content.

Which leads me to wonder how industry innovator Netflix will proceed. It has nothing with which to bundle, and has plunged so deep into original programming, with studios in several cities, that they could be vulnerable. In fact, the company has been teetering for the last year, first with a drop in subscribers, then the option of an ad-driven option that actually resulted in a slight uptick recently. Now we are also facing the reality of a clamp down on shared passwords, the result being more add-on costs for those extra user profiles.

And then there is the cost of all that original programming. When Netflix invested in studios, there was little serious competition. But those days are over, and it is clear that Paramount has its sights set on Netflix, as do HBO, Hulu, and Disney.  Why, it’s beginning to look a lot like a fairly mature industry with a handful of kingpins. In economics, they call it an oligopoly.

I love having choice, especially compared to the standard drivel that passes for entertainment on prime time network television. I can find content that appeals to my interests and sensibilities. I don’t mind English subtitles, like on Netflix’ Lupin, or overdubs like on Squid Game. Just don’t look at the actors’ lips, because if you do, you’ll get bogged down quickly.

At the same time, I have long known that too much of a good thing can make it a bad thing. Even Edmund, in The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, discovered that too much Turkish Delight was a game changer. All that sweetness can have its downside, but man it sure tastes good when a Netflix, Paramount, or other provider teases us with delectables that cause us to betray our previous viewing activities.

In the process, as the industry “right-sizes,” maybe we will all come out winners, with fewer monthly subs to pay for and—hopefully—a more reasonable number of viewing options. One can hope, because my to-watch list just keeps getting longer. It’s enough to make me consider retiring.

Nah. You don’t get paid to watch TV. You just pay to watch it.

Dr “What To Watch Next?“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[coghive]

[Music] Finish Line - Skillet Feat. Adam Gontier

17x platinum, GRAMMY-nominated rock band SKILLET has announced the February 17, 2023 release of their DOMINION: DAY OF DESTINY (DELUXE EDITION). With five new tracks, including upcoming Active Rock single “Psycho In My Head” (full track listing below), the project is the companion to DOMINION, one of the highest charting rock and metal albums of 2022. Pre-Saves and  Pre-orders are available now with “Psycho In My Head” included as the first instant-grat track and now the second track – “Finish Line,” featuring Adam Gontier (formerly of Three Days Grace, now Saint Asonia and touring with Skillet this winter).  Fans can preorder exclusive DOMINION: DAY OF DESTINY (DELUXE EDITION) Box Sets via: https://stores.kotisdesign.com/skillet/dominion-day-of-destiny-deluxe-box-sets. SKILLET and THEORY OF A DEADMAN have recently announced the co-headlining Rock Resurrection Tour, with support from Saint Asonia, which will kick off on February 17th in Gary, Indiana,running through March 26th in Los Angeles. The 25-date trek includes stops in Milwaukee, Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and more. Tickets are going fast and on sale now at www.skillet.com. Finish Line - Skillet Feat. Adam Gontier https://youtu.be/CC5ZrOuu1_8 “We are so excited for our fans to hear “Psycho,” “Finish Line” and the other new tracks, and to be touring with our friends from Theory again!,” says Skillet’s John Cooper. “It’s been several years since our last tour together, and this time we are also joined by our friends in Saint Asonia. We are looking forward to kicking off 2023 the right way by joining forces for a super-charged rock show! Panheads get ready!” SKILLET is one of the best-selling rock bands of the 21st century. The two-time GRAMMY Award-nominated, Pandora Billionaires Club members, and multi-platinum rockers have an undying spirit that has humbly asserted and affirmed them as one of this generation’s most successful rock acts. However, as all classic underdog stories do, it happened quietly under the radar. By 2019, they not only garnered a pair of GRAMMY Award nods and sold over 17 million albums worldwide, but they also took home a Billboard Music Award for the double-platinum Awake. Its breakout single “Monster” is 5x platinum and remains “one of the most-streamed rock songs of all-time.” 2016’s Unleashed bowed at #3 on the Billboard Top 200. Hitting #1 on Rock Radio, the lead single “Feel Invincible” cracked 643 million global audio streams and went platinum. Meanwhile, the gold-certified Unleashed became their fourth consecutive album to receive either a gold, platinum, or double-platinum status. Their 2019 release Victorious included the top ten rock radio hit “Legendary,” which lived up to its name with over 108 million streams. To date, nine original tunes earned RIAA recognition in tandem with high-profile syncs by everyone from WWE and Marvel to ESPN and NFL. Between selling out arenas in 26 countries and four continents, the group performed on CONAN and graced the pages of USA Today and The New York Times, Skillet debuted their first graphic novel, EDEN: A Skillet Graphic Novel with Z2 Comics, which became the publisher’s best-selling book of all time, followed by EDEN II: The Aftermath. Skillet’s latest project, DOMINION, is one of the highest charting rock and metal albums of 2022 and available now. DAY OF DESTINY DELUXE EDITION Track Listing (*denotes new track): 1. Surviving the Game 2. Standing in the Storm 3. Dominion 4. Valley of Death 5. Beyond Incredible 6. Destiny 7. Refuge 8. Shout Your Freedom 9. Destroyer 10. Forever or the End 11. Ignite 12. White Horse 13. Crossfire* 14. Psycho In My Head* 15. Finish Line (with Adam Gontier)* 16. Unbreakable Soul* 17. The Defiant* Read the full article

[ericdeggans]

The Last DEGGY Awards of 2020: Special Honors for TV Highlights During the Strangest Year in Recent Memory

Here’s what I will say about TV in the year 2020: there may not have been a lot of truly great shows, but there were a whole lot of very good ones.

Which is what made it so hard to pick a top 10 list of best shows, and likely why every roster of best ofs this year was so individualistic. I’m not a huge consumer of comedy or coming-of-age stories and not a fan of soapy drama, so those kinds of shows weren’t high on my list.

Check out the best of 2020 list I cooked up with fellow NPR critics Linda Holmes, Aisha Harris and Glen Weldon to see how few shows we picked in common.

As a final look back, here’s a special edition of my DEGGY awards, pegged to the great swath of content we waded into as virus lockdowns forced us to spend months in front of our screens.

Best Reimagining of a Franchise: The Mandalorian (Disney+) – From its start, this series has achieved everything I’d hoped, bringing fresh storytelling to underutilized corners of the Star Wars universe and pointing the way toward a new future for a hallowed film franchise. But how will they top that second season ending?

Best Fight Scenes on TV: Gangs of London (AMC+) – If you don’t have the new streaming service AMC+, you probably haven’t seen this series, which is an explicitly violent look at a crime family rocked by the murder of its patriarch. But the fight scenes, especially those featuring star Sope Dirisu, are the most kinetic and unexpectedly thrilling that I’ve on any TV show.

Best argument against Trumpism: Little America (Apple TV+) – This criminally underseen series features eight vignettes about immigrants, ranging from a  poignant story about a young boy attempting to win the National Spelling Bee to help bring his parents back from India to a Nigerian graduate student who plug himself into cowboy culture to find his place in America. 

Best Blow Against White Centering: Lovecraft Country (HBO) – As a Black person of a certain age who has always loved science fiction and monster movies, it was a real treat to experience every episode of this series, which placed a Black family at the center of a supernatural fight in ways typically reserved for white characters. Yeah, it was at times way too dense and overstuffed with commentary on race, class, sexual orientation, Afrofuturism, horror tropes and more. But that only lent the sense that they held nothing back, making sure every idea got used, in case HBO didn’t let them do it again.

Best Cleaning up of Damaging TV Tropes: Cancellation of Cops and Live PD – The great reckoning over civil rights kicked off by George Floyd’s killing helped wake up people to the corrosive effects of these so-called reality shows, which follow police officers around and cobble together episodes featuring their exploits. Too often they feature the poor and people of color, with no way to correct the record if those who are arrested on camera are eventually found innocent or charges are dropped. Here’s a story I wrote back in 2005 (!!) about how producers convinced a cop in Tampa to dress like a clown while conducting prostitution stings.   

Best Network TV Examination of Race and Society: This Is Us (NBC) – I didn’t watch much network TV this year, but the way This Is Us has continued to mine compelling drama from Randall Pearson’s search for identity as a Black man raised by white parents trying find his way in the world, remains powerful and enthralling. Earlier this year, at the end of the previous season, Sterling K. Brown’s Randall and a therapist played by Pamela Adlon had Emmy-worthy exchanges searching for the source of his anxiety issues. 

Honorable mentions: I May Destroy You (HBO), Small Axe (Amazon Prime video), The Last Dance (ESPN), Driving While Black (PBS), The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix), Better Call Saul (AMC), Harley Quinn (DC Universe/HBO Max), Unorthodox (Netflix), Woke (Hulu), David Byrne’s American Utopia (HBO), Crip Camp (Netflix), The Salisbury Poisonings (AMC+), The Boys (Amazon).