Category Archives: If We Controlled Your Remote

What do we think you should be watching each night? Find out!

If We Controlled Your Remote… 6/22/20

Posted on June 22, 2020 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!

Phoebe’s Choice

After the lackluster (at best) first season of Batwoman, I was not expecting a whole lot from another CW Arrowverse show. I did not realize, however, that it was simply being licensed for broadcast on The CW, that it was in fact a DCU show and was not part of the Arrowverse at all. I’m glad my expectations were so low, because now the season that I am swept up into is an absolute delight. Luke Wilson and Brec Bassinger star as S.T.R.I.P.E. and Star Girl respectively, two members of the second incarnation of the Justice Society of America. The tale takes place after the original JSA was wiped out by the Injustice Society of America. I know, real weak branding, but this show is still sooooo good. High school student Courtney Whitmore believes she is Star Man’s daughter because his staff activated for her and gave her all of his powers, even though her stepdad, who is also S.T.R.I.P.E – Star Man’s old sidekick and a robot made out of cars – tells her time and again that he was not her real dad.

After recovering a number of power items associated with each of the ex-members of the JSA, Courtney has been on a quest to find heirs apparent for each of the fallen members of the once prominent superhero team. Last week we added Hourman and Doctor Mid-Nite’s replacements in the form of the trouble student Rick Tyler & nerd outcast Beth Chapel. Beth snooped through Courtney’s room, where she found the relics of power. Donning the glasses of Dr. Mid-Nite, she is now guided by the disembodied voice of Charles McNider, the original Dr. M, incarnated here as an AI with all of his memories and an extensive library of information about the modern world.

While reluctant to let Beth claim the helm of a hero who she is not a direct legacy of, Courtney pursued Rick Tyler because she discovered that he is the original Hourman’s son. After giving him the hourglass medallion that his father used, he was imbued with the power of super-strength but only for one hour each day. He initially intended to use the powers to cause mischief, but after Beth used her goggles to show him that his parents were actually killed by the JSA, he agreed to join their growing group of super-powered beings.

This show has the production value of Titans but with way more heart. It is tremendous fun & if you aren’t watching this yet, it is time to #ketchup.

On today’s episode, “The Powers That Be,” Courtney makes a difficult decision after Pat confronts her about the potential consequences of recruiting new members to the JSA. Elsewhere, Barbara shows up in support of Mike’s science fair, and Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, and Rick prepare for their first major mission.

Don’t miss it this morning on DC at 9AM/8AMc.

I’ll also be watching the ever weird and hilarious American Dad.

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If We Controlled Your Remote… 6/21/20

Posted on June 21, 2020 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!

Jenny’s Choice

My pick for tonight was pretty obvious when I saw TBS’s new show, Tournament of Laughs. Hosted by Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live), the show features 32 comedians who will face off in a hilarious, single-elimination bracket-style tournament, with each episode featuring multiple match-ups. The comics will go head-to-head virtually to out-funny one another with Sudeikis acting as the master of ceremonies and providing color commentary. Roast Master Jeff Ross, Margaret Cho, Judah Friedlander, Michael Rapaport, Fortune Feimster, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Natasha Leggero, Godfrey, Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), Preacher Lawson, and Piff The Magic Dragon are just a few of the comics performing.

Each week the comics will create, produce, self-film, and star in their own videos — from stand-up sets to song parodies and everything in-between. After the episode has aired, the home audience will decide who moves forward, via phone and online voting, with the winning comics returning for the next round. The final episode will feature an expert comedy panel charged with crowning a winner in the championship match-up for the last laugh and bragging rights as tournament champion. In addition, a charitable donation will be made to the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and Black Lives Matter.

On tonight’s episode, “And a Round of 32 We Go Part 1,” the first round of the tournament kicks off with Jeff Ross, Margaret Cho, and Gilbert Gottfried shooting for big laughs.

Don’t miss the premiere tonight on TBS at 9/8c.

I’ll also be watching Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out, Hollywood Game Night, John Legend and Family: A Bigger Love Father’s Day, Renovation Island, Worst Cooks in America, & Beat Bobby Flay.

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If We Controlled Your Remote… 6/20/20

Posted on June 20, 2020 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!

Jenny’s Choice

I don’t normally recommend movies or even TV movies, but this one was recommended to me, and I’m looking forward to seeing it. The Warrant, tonight on INSP (the Inspiration Network), stars Neal McDonough (Project Blue Book, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Suits, Yellowstone, Justified, etc. He’s been in a lot of great shows!) & Steven R McQueen (The Vampire Diaries, Chicago Fire) as father and son who must leave differences in the past for the ultimate pursuit of justice.

Sheriff John Breaker (McDonough) and his son, Cal (McQueen), reunite after the Civil War to deliver an arrest warrant to John’s former Union Army buddy, “The Saint” (Casper Van Dien – Starship Troopers, Tarzan). Now the fiercest gang leader west of the Mississippi, The Saint frequently raids vulnerable Southern supply lines, threatening to pull the entire country back to the brink of conflict. With the post-war peace at risk, John must leave the comfort of his home and wife to track down The Saint before it is too late. After The Saint pins down father and son in a lethal firefight, John finds himself face-to-face with the ghosts of his past.

This will be a great movie to watch with your dad or husband for Father’s Day, so check it out on INSP at 8/7c. (Check their website to find out where/if you get INSP on your TV provider.)

I’ll also be watching Heartland Docs DVM & Saved by the Barn.

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If We Controlled Your Remote… 5/29/20

Posted on May 29, 2020 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

Today, Apple TV+ launched the new animated musical comedy Central Park, from Loren Bouchard, who also created Bob’s Burgers. Owen Tillerman (Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton) is the park manager for New York City’s Central Park. He loves flowers and nature in general and is devoted to his job. However, he finds that not everyone seems to care about the park as much as he does. He and his family live in Edendale Castle, a home adjacent to the park, though not actually a castle as the name implies. Owen’s wife Paige (Kathryn Hahn, I Know This Much Is True) works for a small weekly newspaper, What’s New New York?. She is eager to branch out into covering hard news and not just the puff pieces her editor usually assigns to her. The Tillermans have two children. Cole (Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) is a kind-hearted animal lover, while older sister Molly (Kristen Bell, Frozen, The Good Place) likes to draw comic books. The heroine of Molly’s comics is an idealized version of herself – Fista-Puffs can rewind time 5 seconds at a time, and her hair turns into giant fists to take down the bad guys. She often teams up with the handsome Kite Boy – who is based on a boy she often fantasizes about after exchanging just a few words in the park.

Living in the penthouse of a hotel overlooking Central Park is the evil Bitsy (Stanley Tucci, BoJack Horseman, Feud: Bette and Joan), a wealthy hotel heiress who only really loves her dog, Shampagne. Bitsy has come up with a secret scheme to buy Central Park and turn it into condos. Her loyal maid, Helen (Daveed Diggs, Hamilton, Snowpiercer), puts up with Bitsy’s poor treatment in hopes that one day she will inherit a fortune.

Leading the viewers through this story, and serving as narrator, is troubadour Birdie (Josh Gad, Frozen, Avenue 5). Birdie is a musician who hangs out in the park and often breaks the fourth wall to make puns and comment on what’s happening (or going to happen) in each episode.

It’s hard not to compare this series to Bob’s Burgers. The Tillermans have a very similar family dynamic as the Belchers – son Cole is a lot like Gene Belcher, with a love of food and making sarcastic comments, and while the Tillermans only have one daughter, Molly is an amalgam of the boy-crazy Tina Belcher and the wilder, scheming Louise. The series does a nice job of balancing a serialized storyline with fun adventures and story-of-the-week arcs. Like with Bob’s Burgers, there are both stories involving the entire family at home, as well as multiple side adventures involving various combinations of the kids and parents.

While episodes of Bob’s Burgers contain a musical number here and there (or in the credits), Central Park is much more of a proper musical, with the characters breaking into song at least 4-5 times per episode. The original songs run the gamut of musical styles but are always thoroughly entertaining and catchy, with smart, witty lyrics and amazing performances by the show’s talented cast, all of whom have musical theater backgrounds. I especially enjoyed an amazing contrasting duet in episode 4, where Paige is singing about setting rat traps while Cole is singing about deactivating them to save his potential furry friend. The musical numbers don’t feel like a quick afterthought – they feel fully produced and enhance each episode’s story lines.

Apple TV+ released the first two episodes today, and additional episodes will be released each Friday. This is such a delightful show, and I highly recommend checking it out – especially for those who are already fans of Bob’s Burgers. The first season will be 13 episodes, and a second season has already been ordered, so there’s plenty of musical goodness to come.

I’ll also be watching/recording Space Force and The Graham Norton Show.

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If We Controlled Your Remote… 5/26/20

Posted on May 26, 2020 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

Last week, The CW kicked off its latest superhero series, Stargirl. (Episodes also air a day earlier, on Mondays, on the DC Universe subscription service.) In the premiere, we learned that a decade earlier, a band of heroes known as the Justice Society of America was protecting the Earth from a similar band of villains, known as the Injustice Society. However, the heroes were nearly all killed in battle. Just before he died, Starman (Joel McHale) gave his Cosmic Staff to his sidekick, Pat Dugan aka Stripesy (Luke Wilson), telling him it would find a worthy successor. However, the staff would just sit in storage, gathering dust for the next decade. During that time, Pat met and married Barbara Whitmore (Amy Smart), a single mother whose first husband mysteriously disappeared one Christmas, right around the time that the Justice Society of America was killed off (is there a connection?!).

In the present day, the newly-combined family – Pat, his son Mike (Trae Romano), Barbara, and her daughter Courtney (Brec Bassinger, School of Rock) – have moved across the country to their new home in Blue Valley, and Courtney’s first day at Blue Valley High School doesn’t go well. She’s picked on by the popular kids and forced to sit at the reject table for lunch (the future members of a new Justice Society of America?). After school, she stumbles upon the Cosmic Staff in the basement, which seems to come to life and flies her to the drive-in theater, where the cool kids are hanging out. Courtney is a bit of a gymnastics star, and her skills seem to blend well with that of the staff. However, the staff gets a mind of its own and blows up jock/bully Henry King Jr.’s (Jake Austin Walker, Rectify) car. It turns out that his father, Henry Sr. (Christopher James Baker, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) was a villain named Brainwave, and now, with this new turn of events, he’s decided to don his old costume and come out of retirement. Courtney eventually meets up with Brainwave and is about to lose their fight when she is saved by Pat, who is wearing a giant 15-foot robot Transformer-like armor.

I really enjoyed the premiere and can’t wait to see more of this series – it has the humor and lighter tone of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, so it should pair well with that on Tuesday nights. I am looking forward to seeing Courtney don the Stargirl uniform (I mean, despite Pat’s denial, Starman has to have been her father, right?), and form a new Justice Society of America to take on these bullies and actual villains.

On tonight’s episode, “S.T.R.I.P.E.,” after Courtney has an unexpected run-in with a member of the Injustice Society of America, Pat reveals the truth to her about their history; Barbara is elated when she sees Courtney making an attempt to get along with Pat.

To learn the truth about Pat and Courtney, tune in to The CW at 8/7c.

I’ll also be watching/recording DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

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