Author Archives: Kyle

If We Controlled Your Remote… 8/20/17

Posted on August 20, 2017 by

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, Showtime’s comedy Episodes, which stars Matt LeBlanc (Friends) playing a heightened version of himself, finally returns to kick off the show’s fifth/final season. The new season picks up a few months later. Matt has been hosting the crazy game show “The Box,” which has become a major hit, but he’d rather be acting. Despite the success of the show, producer Merc (John Pankow) is still bitter with Matt for sleeping with his wife. Meanwhile, husband-and-wife writing team Sean (Stephen Mangan) and Beverly (Tamsin Greig) had their show taken away and are now begrudgingly working for irritating new showrunner/Sean’s former partner Tim (Bruce Mackinnon). Meanwhile, Carol (Kathleen Rose Perkins) is living like a hermit, jobless and disgraced after being fired.

I had forgotten how much I missed this show until I checked out the first few episodes of the season. I absolutely love these characters and this world. The series is so much fun, poking fun at the inner-workings of the TV business. However, as the season opens, some of the character dynamics of the past seasons seem to be missing — the storylines remain separate for a few episodes, especially with Matt working separately from the Lincolns and Carol not really part of the group. However, I am still thoroughly enjoying this series and look forward to seeing how it all comes to an end this season.

On tonight’s premiere, “Episode 501,” Matt’s gameshow is a hit, but he must also have daily contact with Merc Lapidus; Sean and Beverly work for Sean’s ex-partner; Carol goes into a tailspin.

Don’t miss the season premiere tonight on Showtime at 10/9c.

I’ll also be watching/recording The $100,000 Pyramid, Big Brother, The Great Food Truck Race, The Strain, The Last Ship, and Game of Thrones.

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If We Controlled Your Remote… 8/9/17

Posted on August 9, 2017 by and

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, the AT&T/DirecTV-exclusive Audience Network premieres the new thriller Mr. Mercedes, which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. The series is set in 2011. Former homicide detective Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson, Braveheart) has been retired for two years and still doesn’t know what to do with his time. He spends most of his days drinking, though that may partially be due to the fact that his final case, an unsolved brutal mass-murder, still haunts him. Hodges’ next-door neighbor Ida (Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men) is constantly trying to fix him, but he’s a stubborn man. When the Mr. Mercedes killer suddenly starts using technology to taunt Hodges, his obsession with the case only gets even more reinvigorated, and he enlists the help of whiz kid neighbor Jerome (Jharrel Jerome, Moonlight) to assist him. Meanwhile, Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway, Penny Dreadful) works two jobs in order to support his home-bound mother (Kelly Lynch, Magic City, 90210). In addition to his crappy job at a dying electronics box store, he also moonlights as an ice cream truck driver in Hodge’s neighborhood. His only friend is co-worker Lou (Breeda Wool, UnREAL, Betas), and the two of them often bond of their mutual hatred of their thankless, bigoted boss.

I’ve checked out the first four episodes of the series, and while I found it a bit slow initially, by the end of that fourth episode, I was totally hooked and anxious to see more. The series starts off with a bang and then resets, slowly building the tension once again as we learn more about the characters, their backstories, and their motivations. I really enjoyed this entire cast — they all do an excellent job of bringing these interesting, well-developed characters to life. If you are familiar with any of Stephen King’s work, you know that there will be plenty of death and creepiness to come, and I’m really going to miss some of these characters if/when they fall prey to Mr. Mercedes! Harry Treadaway is so perfectly creepy, giving off a Norman Bates kind of vibe. There is also a fun chemistry between Treadaway and Breeda Wool — it really feels like Brady & Lou have been commiserating coworkers for a long time. While she’s not in tonight’s premiere, Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) is also an excellent part of the cast. I wish this series was on a channel that was more generally available so more people could check this out. Hopefully they’ll release it elsewhere soon after it airs for those of us without DirecTV/AT&T UVerse.

I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with some of the cast and the creator of the series at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. You can check out my press room videos at NoReruns.net.

On tonight’s premiere, “Pilot,” two years after retiring, former homicide detective Bill Hodges is still haunted by his last case. When the demented culprit begins to torment Hodges, he embarks on a crusade to bring the killer to justice.

If you’re able to, check out the premiere tonight on the Audience Network at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching/recording Big Brother, The Carmichael Show, MasterChef, Odd Mom Out, Swedish Dicks, Blood Drive, I’m Sorry, Younger, and The Sinner.
 
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If We Controlled Your Remote… 8/2/17

Posted on August 2, 2017 by

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, USA Network kicks off the new mystery/thriller The Sinner. Cora (Jessica Biel, 7th Heaven) and Mason Tannetti (Christopher Abbott, Girls) have been happily married for three years and have an infant son. However, lately Cora seems a bit off or depressed. One day the couple is enjoying some leisurely time at the local beach when Cora suddenly snaps and commits a violent crime. In the moment, she doesn’t seem quite herself, and afterwards, she doesn’t have any recollection or explanation for her actions. Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman, Independence Day), the detective assigned to the case, quickly becomes obsessed with solving the puzzle of why Cora did what she did and discovering if there is more to the situation than she is letting on. The eight-episode series is based on the novel by Petra Hammesfahr.

Tonight’s premiere slowly introduces viewers to the characters, the town they live in, and the life-changing incident in question. The show slowly builds the tension as pieces of the mystery of Cora’s past and the motivations for her actions are revealed. The series kind of reminds me of a cross between Big Little Lies and Broadchurch. I really enjoyed the creepy atmosphere, drama, and performances, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of this mystery unfolds over the course of the season.

On tonight’s premiere, “Part I”, a housewife commits a vicious crime, which sparks an investigation and creates confusion in a small town.

Don’t miss all the excitement tonight on USA Network at 10/9c.

I’ll also be watching/recording Big Brother, The Carmichael Show, MasterChef, The Lowe Files, Blood Drive, I’m Sorry, Younger, and Kingdom.

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If We Controlled Your Remote… 7/17/17

Posted on July 17, 2017 by and

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, AMC kicks off the fun new comedy Loaded. The series follows four guys who become millionaires overnight thanks to the massively popular mobile game they created. While the money gives the guys a whole new outlook on life, it also opens up a lot of new problems. Leon (Samuel Anderson, Doctor Who) is the leader of the group and wants to take some time to enjoy their new windfall, Josh (Jim Howick, Broadchurch) is the serious and practical one who’s looking toward the future, Ewan (Jonny Sweet, Babylon) is the socially awkward programmer, and Watto (Nick Helm, Uncle) is the wild one who just wants to have fun. With their company growing, the guys now find themselves dealing with new employee issues and the demands of American investor Casey (Mary McCormack, In Plain Sight). The series also stars Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Skins, Peaky Blinders), Lolly Adefope (Rovers), and Scarlett Alice Johnson (Pramface).

I really enjoyed tonight’s premiere. This series is a lot of fun and totally feels like the UK equivalent to Silicon Valley — you can even map most of these characters to their SV counterparts. This should nicely fill the techie TV show void left by SV’s season finale and will nicely lead up to next month’s final season premiere of Halt and Catch Fire.

On tonight’s premiere, “Lawsuit,” four friends become tech millionaires after selling their hit iPhone game “Cat Factory.”

Meet the four newly rich friends tonight on AMC at 10/9c.

I’ll also be watching/recording Superhuman, Will, and Daytime Divas.
 
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If We Controlled Your Remote… 7/16/17

Posted on July 16, 2017 by

Have you ever been at a loss as to what to watch? Too many shows to pick from? We’re here to give you our opinions on what we feel is worth watching. Check it out and then let us know in the comments below what you’re choosing for tonight!

Kyle’s Choice

Tonight, Game of Thrones finally returns to HBO to kick off the short, penultimate season of the series. When we last let off, things were being set in motion toward the series’ ultimate endgame. Daenerys joined forces with Dorne and the Tyrells, and the army set sail for Westeros. Meanwhile, Arya finally learned that she was better off not being a girl with no name, and she, too, was headed for Westeros to cross another name off her list. In the Citadel, Samwell was introduced to the vast library but had to leave Gilly at the door. At the Wall, Bran tapped into a tree and finished his dream, where he learned of Jon’s true lineage. In Winterfell, with Lady Mormont’s backing, Jon Snow claimed the title of King of the North. And finally, in King’s Landing, Cersei reclaimed the Iron Throne after she used the secret stores of green wildfire to blow up the Sept where the High Sparrow, Queen Margaery, and most of the Faith Militant were awaiting her arrival for her trial. Unfortunately, Cersei’s last remaining son, King Tommen, was devastated over the loss of his wife and killed himself, thus fulfilling the prophesy that had been foretold to Cersei.

I am really looking forward to tonight’s premiere. Last season was easily the most exciting yet, and I think that was partially due to the fact that the series had moved past the material from the books, so the writers had a little more freedom. All the pieces seem to finally be coming together as the various parties are ultimately heading toward their clash for the Iron Throne. The series still has two major things to tackle before the end, and I’m not sure which of those we will see this season: How are these people going to defeat the White Walkers, and who will ultimately sit atop the Iron Throne? Also, what does the presumed fact that Jon Snow is both a Stark and a Targaryen mean to this upcoming battle for the throne? It should be another exciting (but too short) season, and I can’t wait to finally get some new episodes!

On tonight’s premiere, “Dragonstone,” Jon organizes the defense of the North; Cersei tries to even the odds; Daenerys comes home.

If you missed any of the 6th season or want to see it again, HBO will be airing a marathon starting at 11:30am ET on HBO2, with the sixth season finale and seventh season premiere airing on HBO.

Don’t miss the long-awaited premiere tonight on HBO at 9/8c.

I’ll also be watching/recording The Strain, Celebrity Family Feud, The $100,000 Pyramid, Big Brother, and Food Network Star.

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