Month: April 2021

Steve and Ian would be remiss if they didn’t kick off this week’s episode of Indiecast with a discussion of the Morrissey/Simpsons controversy, wherein The Smiths’ singer called the show’s depiction of him “hurtful” and “racist.”

The main crux of this episode, however, returns to the Indiecast Hall Of Fame, which was designed to honor albums in the indie rock and alternative rock realm that were influential and beloved at the time of their release, but have since been lost to the test of time and sadly — some might say shamefully — left out of the widely accepted canon of the genre. After an episode paying tribute to albums by Counting Crows, The Promise Ring, and more, Steve and Ian are now turning their attention to efforts from Saves The Day, Megafaun, Secret Machines, and Unkle.

In this week’s recommendation corner, Steve is boosting the forthcoming new EP from DIY power-pop icon Pronoun, entitled OMG I Made It. Ian is shouting out Snow Ellet, whose latest effort Suburban Indie Rock Star is out now.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 36 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify below, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts here. Stay up to date and follow us on Instagram and Twitter. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Twice already, Disney+ has proven that the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows can succeed on the small screen in serialized format. People were already pivoting more to watching blockbusters at home, even before the pandemic, but now, the ballgame has changed even more. People will still go to movies, yes, but streaming is the future. With that said, WandaVision successfully launched Phase Four with a tragicomic spin, and then The Falcon and the Winter Soldier took the MCU back into full-on action mode. The season finale, “One World, One People,” did wrap-up duties (while leaving the door open for more) for the begrudging-buddy-comedy vibe between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. We learned more about the fate of the Flag Smashers, and the identity of the Power Broker surfaced. Most importantly, we’ve met the (real) new Captain America.

A lot happened! Let’s wrap our hands around it by power ranking the main players.

10. The U.S. Government: Hoo boy, did Sam Wilson ever school the Senator during the finale. All of those labels flying around — terrorists, refugees, settlements — all of them served to condemn the government’s (both globally and domestically) actions. Yes, of course world leaders botched the post-Snap era of humanity. They handed the shield to a rando (any old white, blonde-and-blue-eyed soldier) after acting relieved that Sam Wilson gave it up after Steve Rogers bestowed him with the responsibility of being Captain America. The government failed to remember that Rogers was honorable and pure of heart before he received the shield and the serum and became a superhero. Yet they expected to make some dude a hero and roll with it, and the non-strategy backfired. The Senator received a lecture from Sam about how there’s now a “common struggle” that the government should learn from, yet the U.S. government turned around and messed up again with Sharon Carter. More on that soon, but yeah: the U.S. government has had many chances to do the right thing and failed almost every time.

9. Zemo: Well, well. Zemo achieved something (beyond the “last laugh”) from deep inside a maximum-security prison. After the Dora Milaje came to fetch him and settle the score for his crimes against Wakanda’s King T’Chaka, he was swept away to The Raft. He still had access to a radio and was able to hear the Flag Smashers’ fate, which is a wild one. Although it looked as though they were being arrested as terrorists, an attending soldier uttered their mantra to them in apparent solidarity. And perhaps the guy did believe in their cause, but then the armored truck blew up via a remote bomb. We then saw Zemo listening to the radio with a smirk on his face. If he did, in fact, arrange for the Flag Smashers to be taken out, then perhaps we haven’t seen the last of Zemo, although he still loses hard because he won’t be dancing anytime soon unless he’s doing so by himself in his prison cell.

8. Karli Morgenthau: Obviously, Karli herself did not come out of this season well since, you know, she died. Still, it’s worth remembering her words earlier in the episode. “It doesn’t even matter if we die,” she told an associate. “Our movement is strong enough to continue without us.” The Flag Smashers’ cause was made (mostly) evident by the finale, and it’s clear that their perspective was born out of necessity. Now, whether they went about it in the most optimal way is a whole other issue, and there was also some degree to which they were manipulated by the Power Broker. Still, there’s no denying that the whole 5-year-Thanos-snap had some far-reaching implications. It ain’t as simple as Hulk snapping his fingers and bringing back half the population with no ramifications. This led to some deep societal rifts, ones that we will probably see more of in the MCU.

7. John Walker: I dunno, man. On one hand, John Walker got a job again after acting heroic in the finale after accelerating quickly and murdering a Flag Smasher with the shield a few episodes ago. In the aftermath, he was officially enlisted by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who gave him a new costume and deemed him as U.S. Agent. Still, we really don’t know what the heck this means. The comics would lead one to believe that U.S. Agent is a hero (in the future), although it’s clear that Walker completely lost control of himself (or perhaps he became who he truly is) once he took the serum. We really don’t know when we’ll see Walker again, or if he’ll receive additional training, rather than be a guy with the look of a hero (as was the case with his Cap tenure) who simply gets handed a shield and turned loose.

6. Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine: A lot of mystery revolves around this character, who produced last week’s honest-to-god surprise cameo that still amazes me. Julia Freaking Louis-Dreyfus is not only part of the MCU now, but I’d be willing to bet my Bucky Barnes Funko Pop that no one ever suspected that Julia would ever surface in a Marvel project. Like, this was never on anyone’s Bingo card, yet it’s an absolutely delightful development, and there’s no way that the MCU is treating Val as a one-and-done character. You don’t hire Julia Louis-Dreyfus and let her go easily, for real.

Still, we really can’t tell what Val’s plans are, or exactly what strings she pulled during this season (or if she’s playing by ear, as her “answer my calls” approach could suggest) or how connected she is to Zemo. She told Walker’s wife that the situation with the Flag Smashers couldn’t have worked out better than if she’d planned it… although maybe she did plan it? Val’s a wild card. We also don’t know who else she (for lack of a better word) plans to assemble as John’s fellow recruits. Could, say, Florence Pugh’s Black Widow character, Yelena Belova, factor into this group somehow?

5. Sharon Carter: Oh boy. Sharon Carter is the Power Broker. From the moment that she appeared in the show’s trailer, questions arose about her purpose, other than apparently having the best hand-to-hand combat skills in town. The show held her back for a few episodes, yet it became clear that she was no longer the sweet niece of Peggy Carter. Instead, she’d lived the fugitive life after Steve Rogers had forgotten all about her after she put her ass on the line for him in Civil War. Sharon fled to Madripoor, where she apparently became Queen of the Underground Art Dealings, but it was more than that. She controlled the super serum, she helped embolden the Flag Smashers, and her disillusionment with the “hero” thing has now led her to infiltrate the U.S. Government by securing a pardon. Now, she’s apparently going to be dealing out secrets and weapons? Don’t sleep on Sharon Carter, people.

4. Sam Wilson: Alright, we’ve officially scored a new Captain America. Not only has he rightfully earned that title, but he showed the world that he deserves it, and he also mopped the floor (in front of witnesses) with the government’s behavior. He’s as pure-of-mind as they come in 2021, and he’s decided to not take the super serum. “The only power I have is that I believe we can do better” is a declaration that would make Steve Rogers proud, and he put the Senator in his place for essentially acting like as much as “an insane god” as Thanos. Power, said Sam, is one thing, but the real “question is, how are you gonna use it?” Much respect, and the only reason why I’m not ranking Sam higher here is because there’s clearly gonna be a rough road ahead. Yet Sam can handle it, as he says, as “a Black man carrying the stars and stripes.” He knows that prejudices will always need to be kept at bay, but he’s chosen to fight that battle forever. Even though he’s got the respect of the public and the acceptance of the government, the reality is that he’ll be held to a higher standard than John Walker was.

3. Bucky Barnes: Well, Steve Rogers’ best friend did not get to go to Aruba, which was my ultimate hope for him because the guy deserves a vacation after decades of HYDRA brainwashing and doing the difficult work (finishing off his list of amends) to break free of it. However, Bucky does get to go to Louisiana (Delacroix, specifically) and finds himself a part of Sam’s family. Did you ever think that you’d see the Winter Soldier bringing dessert to a party before flirting with Sam’s sister while kids dangled from his vibranium arm? Nobody would have guessed that, so Bucky scores points for helping to save the world and achieving the unexpected. Plus, the guy is now genuinely happy. The music in his head is gone! He can do whatever he wants to do! Good on Bucky.

2. Isaiah Bradley: If you teared up during the conclusion of this arc (and damn, whenever Marvel Studios does a museum shot, this happens), you’re not alone. Sam Wilson made sure that, even though he officially up the shield, the first Black Captain America’s story would become public in a way that would never be forgotten. Isaiah’s character went through decades of imprisonment because of systemic racism, and in the comics (as published in 2003’s miniseries, Truth: Red, White and Black), his backstory goes back to the 1940s and acted as a scathing commentary upon the Tuskegee Syphilis Study that took root during that era. After he’d taken the super serum, his Black Cap status was buried, and a white dude (Steve Rogers, who clearly had no part in Isaiah’s fate and didn’t even know that he existed) could carry the shield. That’s how this season began as well, although Sam made it his mission to unearth the buried history, so hopefully, it doesn’t happen again. And what a performance from Carl Lumbly.

1. The MCU Audience: What a ride these MCU shows have been so far. We can now look forward to Loki in June, and look here — in 2014, Sam and Bucky made their MCU debuts in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In 2021, things are very different within the MCU, even if it only looks like one words has changed with this title card that showed up when the show cut to black: Captain America And The Winter Soldier. So, is this a signal that a second season’s coming? Kevin Feige has left the door ajar for more, and the future looks wide open.

‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ season finale is streamable on Disney+.

A couple weeks ago, Usher went viral after it was alleged that he paid a stripper with fake money that had his face on it. It was later reported that he didn’t actually do that, but rather, he and his team were just leaving the phony bills around town to promote his upcoming Las Vegas residency. Now, in a new interview with Billboard, Usher has discussed the now-infamous “Usher Bucks.”

Usher spoke about how the fake money is part of his broader promotional campaign, saying:

“The idea behind Usher Bucks was really as a way of promoting the residency. And since then, there has been more conversations, thus proving roads lead to Las Vegas. Stay tuned. We’ve been working on the merchandise for the night and that was the start of it. […] I have a really great team, behind the scenes and on the stage putting together the show promoting the show, coming up with ideas of how to promote the show and market the merchandising. A lot of great detail and thought has gone into the experience. From the moment you walk into the Coliseum to the moment you leave the Coliseum we’re going to definitely make it an environment to enjoy, experience, and celebrate.”

He also spoke about his residency, saying it will feature a live band and fresh choreography. He added, “The anticipation is beautiful. I want you to guess. I want to keep you bubbling with anticipation until I have dropped the first record and you hear the first moment. When the lights go down and you feel the energy. I promise the classics and also new stuff. It’s about celebrating the years about celebrating the records, and celebrating the ones that brought us all together. And also to introduce new ones.”

Read the full interview here.

In a sign that the surprise Dexter revival is still on track for a Fall 2021 release, Showtime has dropped the first teaser for the series return. Granted, it’s not much, but it does deliver on the promise that the show will pick up on what Dexter has been up to after the divisive series finale that had the serial killer protagonist escape to Oregon to become a lumberjack. (Dexter actor Michael C. Hall has openly called that creative decision “unsatisfying.”) In the new teaser, the camera slowly zooms in on an ax at a snowy campsite as Dexter ominously says, “There really is nothing like getting back to nature. My nature…”

In a bit of cheerier news besides a serial killer getting back to serial killing, production on the Dexter revival recently wrapped and the town of Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts couldn’t be more thankful for the show giving the local economy a shot in the arm while recovering from the pandemic. Via The Greenfield Recorder:

“We had a really great experience with the cast and crew, at least from my perspective,” commented Melissa Stevens, general manager at Hearty Eats on Bridge Street. “They brought a little bit of action to our otherwise sleepy town this time of year. It was really fun to watch their operation.” Stevens said it was an experience she found fun to “observe and be part of.”

“They were very supportive of us,” she said. “We got a fair amount of business from them while they were here. Everyone was really kind and courteous and respectful.”

Some local residents had never even heard of Dexter before, but thanks to the production, they’ve reportedly been binge-watching the series and are looking forward to see how much of Shelburne Falls is featured in the 10-episode revival season.

(Via Dexter on Showtime on Twitter)

Dave Grohl is many things, but perhaps the most important title the Foo Fighters leader bears is that of proud father. He often speaks about Violet Grohl’s musical abilities and he even got her involved with the latest Foo Fighters album. Now the two have teamed up for a cover of “Nausea” by punk band X, and Dave explained the significance of choosing that song to record with his daughter.

Dave gave context about how the recording (which will be featured in the documentary What Drives Us) came to be in a new post on his storytelling Instagram page. In this post, Grohl tells the story about how he discovered he is related to a member of X, D.J. Bonebrake. He goes on to write about how he decided to play off that familial connection by asking Violet to record a cover of the band’s “Nausea” with him:

“A few weeks ago, as I watched the completed documentary, I reflected on the invaluable connections between musicians. I then had an idea that elaborated even further on the concept of inspiration and family lineage that I am so fascinated with: I wanted to record a song that would not only pay tribute to the people and music that influenced me to become a musician, but also to pay tribute to my long family history. So, what better song than an X song? And what better person to sing it than my daughter, Violet Grohl, another descendant of Johann Christian Beinbrech.

I picked one of my favorite X songs ‘Nausea’ from their 1980 debut album, ‘Los Angeles’ and forwarded it to Violet, hoping that she would agree to my most impulsive idea. Anyone who has ever heard Violet sing knows that she was certainly capable of doing it, but it was just a matter of getting her in front of the microphone to record, something that the two of us had never done together before. It felt so meaningful to have the first song Violet and I record together be a tribute to our Bonebrake heritage. I crossed my fingers and awaited her response.

Around 9 pm she answered with an excited ‘Yes!’ so I ran upstairs to my little demo studio and recorded the instrumental tracks as fast as I could. After about half an hour, I was done, and I brought her into the vocal booth to sing her part. As nervous as she was, she stepped up to the microphone and sang with the power and confidence of a seasoned pro as I engineered the session like a proud father, encouraging her to let it all out. I then sang my harmonies over her vocal in the chorus, our two voices blending perfectly in the mix, and we smiled upon listening to playback at full volume. It was a moment that superseded anything musical. A life moment that I will cherish forever. A family moment.”

Listen to the Grohls cover “Nausea” above and read Dave’s full post about the song below.

During his four years as president, Donald Trump held some bizarre press conferences. But he outdid himself one year ago today. On April 24, 2020, Trump suggested that the coronavirus could be treated by injecting disinfectant, like bleach, into the body.

“And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute,” he said. “And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.” Trump later claimed he was being “sarcastic,” but there was a rise in accidental poisonings following his comments. Lysol even released a statement begging customers to not drink their poisonous products.

“For me, it was the craziest and most surreal moment I had ever witnessed in a presidential press conference,” ABC’s chief Washington correspondent Jon Karl told Politico about Trump’s medical musings, while a former staffer added, “A few of us actually tried to stop it in the West Wing hallway. I actually argued that President Trump wouldn’t have the time to absorb it and understand it. But I lost, and it went how it did.”

“Undoubtedly [it was] a seminal moment in presidential communications, and while it is easy to laugh it off, I hope it educates leaders and communicators for decades,” said former Obama White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. “But this was the moment where we knew without any doubt that the government was in way over its head, and its ability to both respond effectively and educate Americans about what to do was not going to be anywhere close to meeting the moment.”

One year (and 570,000 deaths) later, people are still in disbelief about the briefing.

(Via Politico)

Netflix is kicking with some anticipated titles this week after helping us spring into spring. This week, the streamer adds a variety of original offerings, including a space drama, a fantasy series, a show to celebrate Earth Day, and some superhero goodness. First, there’s a couple of A-listers (Toni Collette and Anna Kendrick) dealing with a tense and claustrophobic dilemma situation. Next, the Grishaverse novels come to life with an expansive adaptation, which follows Sir David Attenborough narrating a truly beautiful nature series, and then there’s a reluctant superhero with an unusual power who also finds strength from those around him. As usual, you’ll never be able to watch everything here this weekend, and that’s a great problem to have.

Here’s everything else coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.

Stowaway (Netflix film streaming 4/23)

For All Mankind arguably sets the bar too high for every other space travel-focused streaming offering out there, but listen up because the cast is the real treat. Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette are a dream team when it comes to delivering the drama. As you may have guessed from the title, there’s an (inadvertent) stowaway aboard a three-person mission to Mars, and that’s going to affect the oxygen supply in a crucial way. It’s not the most original space crisis you’ll ever see, but with a cast like this, the freak-out performances (and the solving of the dilemma within mere hours) are guaranteed to be worth the click.

Shadow and Bone (Netflix series streaming 4/23)

Need a little fantasy to shut down reality for a while? You’re in luck. Based upon Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling Grishaverse novels, this show follows dark forces that move against an orphan mapmaker (Alina Starkov), whose power might be the key to transforming a war-torn world. Alina must conquer the Shadow Fold threat and train as an elite magical soldier (a Grisha) while learning that nothing is it seems, and she must also maneuver around a crew of charismatic criminals to determine who is an ally, who is an enemy, and who is both. The good news is that you really don’t need to know the books to enjoy the first season of this show, so surrender to the fold, so to speak.

Life in Colour with David Attenborough (Netflix series streaming 4/22)

Earth Day needed this three-part series, and so does your soul. Or at least, I’m assuming that your soul will be soothed while watching Sir David Attenborough traveling from Costa Rica’s rainforests to Scottish Highlands’ snow-covered landscape to show the world how animals make extraordinary use of color. The show promises “revolutionary camera technology created specifically for this series” (according to Netflix) to reveal, uh, invisible-to-us colors? It’s fascinating, especially the details about a butterfly wing sending “seemingly magical ultraviolet signals” and the revelation of what a Bengal tiger’s stripes truly signal.

Zero (Netflix series streaming 4/21)

This new Italian original series illuminates the power of invisibility with a new kind of superhero (a modern hero), who discovers his powers while hoping to save his suburb outside of Milan. In the process, the shy teen must at least wear a hero’s clothing while discovering the power of friendship and love.

Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:

Avail. 4/14
Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!
The Circle: Season 2
Law School
The Soul
Why Did You Kill Me?

Avail. 4/15
Dark City Beneath the Beat
The Master
Ride or Die

Avail. 4/16
Arlo the Alligator Boy
Ajeeb Daastaans
Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday
Crimson Peak
Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Season 4: Mexico
Into the Beat
Rush
Synchronic
Why Are You Like This
The Zookeeper’s Wife

Avail. 4/18
Luis Miguel – The Series: Season 2

Avail. 4/19
Miss Sloane
PJ Masks: Season 3

Avail. 4/20
Izzy’s Koala World: Season 2

Avail. 4/21
Zero

Avail. 4/22
Life in Color with David Attenborough
Stowaway

Avail. 4/23
Heroes: Silence and Rock & Roll
Shadow and Bone
Tell Me When

And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:

Leaving 4/22
Liv and Maddie: Seasons 1-4

Leaving 4/23
Mirror Mirror

Leaving 4/24
Django Unchained

Leaving 4/26
The Sapphires

Leaving 4/27
The Car
Doom

Leaving 4/28
Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Leaving 4/30
17 Again
Blackfish
Can’t Hardly Wait
Den of Thieves
How to Be a Latin Lover
I Am Legend
Jumping the Broom
Kingdom: Seasons 1-3
Knock Knock
Palm Trees in the Snow
Platoon
Runaway Bride
Snowpiercer
The Green Hornet
The Indian in the Cupboard
Waiting

The streaming services decided to get (even more) serious over the past year while attempting to give us no opportunity for boredom during our extended stay-at-home time. Netflix somehow kept on cranking unabated while several new streaming services launched, including Disney+ and HBO Max, and those two are reigning supreme this weekend for the services that are giving viewers the most for their dollar. On Disney+’s part, they’re bringing us the season finale of their second Marvel Cinematic Universe series, and there’s more of John Stamos’ basketball-coach-redemption show along with fresh offerings from two National Geographic shows. For sure, the Falcon and the Winter Soldier show coming to a head will be the must-see installment of the weekend, and for that reason, they’re winning the top prize this week.

However, the WarnerMedia streamer came damn close to edging out the competition, given that HBO Max is still committed to doing blockbuster releases both in theaters and at home this year. So, Mortal Kombat will be available at no extra charge to subscribers for you to “finish” your weekend off in (bloody) style. The new HBO Sunday night shows, The Nevers and Mare of Easttown, will also help fill up your streaming time, but do not sleep on the other streaming services. BET+, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Hulu all put up good fights, and Apple TV+ should come in strong next weekend. Here are the best offerings of this week, beginning with the victor.

Disney+

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+ series) — It’s finale time. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes are still doing their buddy action-comedy thing, but things accelerated quickly (to put it mildly) when John Walker turned Captain America into a villain and got booted from the gig. This led to an honest-to-God surprise cameo, but there’s still plenty of loose ends to clean up. Who’s the Power Broker? Can the show decide if the Flag Smashers are baddies, or nah? Let’s all root for an action-packed finale with clarification on the Sharon Carter/Batroc issue and then send Bucky to Aruba, alright?

Big Shot (Disney+ series) — David E. Kelley co-created and executive produces this series starring John Stamos as a down-on-his luck, ousted NCAA coach who’s attempting to get back on his (angry) feet with a ritzy private high-school gig. While reluctantly seeking redemption, Coach learns that his new team benefits from him showing some actual emotion beyond rage and stoicism, so he must — gasp — learn how to be vulnerable and empathetic. He might actually become a better person, too. The show co-stars Yvette Nicole Brown, who I hope gives Coach a really hard time (dude seems like he deserves it).

Secrets of the Whales (Nat Geo series on Disney+) — This four-part special event aims to celebrate Earth Day while exploring the newest technology to spotlight whales, including their friendships and traditions, and plenty of expertise shall be revealed by National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Brian Skerry.

Earth Moods (Nat Geo series on Disney+) — This five-part series launches this weekend to show us various “moods” from the corners of the globe to soothe us with the natural world. Each one (from glaciers to deserts to rain forests to cities) will take us on voyage to help our minds reset. Sounds fantastic.

HBO Max

Mortal Kombat (Warner Bros. film on HBO Max) — We’ve got another blockbuster-type movie in our living rooms this weekend, and this incarnation promises to be R-rated to the max with plenty of carnage in tune with the video game. Among other qualifications to that point, James Wan produced, so that makes sense! In all seriousness, this is a more serious treatment than the 1990s film, and we’ll get to see Sub-Zero hunting down MMA fighter Cole Young, and someone will end up being the loser of the “finish him” concept. HBO Max released the first seven minutes of the film ahead of time, if you’d like to get a taste of the bloodshed coming to your TV screen.

Mare Of Easttown (HBO series streaming on HBO Max) — Kate Winslet returns not only to TV but to HBO (a decade after her award-winning Mildred Pierce turn) to star as a hard-vaping detective in a small town where she both portrays and elevates the “complicated” cop trope. She’s captivating while digging into a murder mystery that has rocked her small town and caused the community to feel utterly claustrophobic. Evan Peters portrays her young, whippersnapper partner on the case, and he’s electric, as are the wonderfully sarcastic Jean Smart (as Mare’s mom) and an understated Guy Pearce (as the maybe-love interest). This show will suck you in, and you won’t mind one bit.

The Nevers (HBO series streaming on HBO Max) — This Joss Whedon-created show offers an intriguing setup about a group of “orphans” (almost exclusively women) who find themselves “gifted” with supernaturally-powered abilities. Although there’s far too many plot lines (and some plot holes), there’s also a fair amount of butt-kicking, and the atmosphere is killer. The embattled Buffy and Firefly creator officially exited the series last year, but you won’t be able to forget his presence. Whether that hurts or helps the show remains to be seen.

Pray, Obey, Kill (HBO series on HBO Max) — Catch a double-dose installment of a five-part documentary series from investigative journalists Anton Berg and Martin Johnson in a project directed by The Bridge‘s Henrik Georgsson. Follow along while Berg and Johnson retrace what happened on a frigid night when a small Swedish village saw a woman murdered and a neighbor shot before a nanny confessed to the acts of violence while citing a strange motivation. This led to a scandalous tale of a love triangle and a link to a prior suspicious death. Yet is the whole mess tied to the local tight-knit Pentecostal congregation and its charismatic leader, who referred to herself as “The Bride of Christ”? Get ready for an unpredictable true-crime ride.

Our Towns (HBO series on HBO Max) — This film (which is based upon journalists James and Deborah Fallows’ book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America) zeroes in on how local initiatives lead to change that spark a different future.

Netflix

Shadow and Bone (Netflix series) — Need a little fantasy to shut down reality for a while? You’re in luck. Based upon Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling Grishaverse novels, this show follows dark forces that move against an orphan mapmaker (Alina Starkov), whose power might be the key to transforming a war-torn world. Alina must conquer the Shadow Fold threat and train as an elite magical soldier (a Grisha) while learning that nothing is it seems, and she must also maneuver around a crew of charismatic criminals to determine who is an ally, who is an enemy, and who is both. The good news is that you really don’t need to know the books to enjoy the first season of this show, so surrender to the fold, so to speak.

Stowaway (Netflix film) — For All Mankind arguably sets the bar too high for every other space travel-focused streaming offering out there, but listen up because the cast is the real treat. Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette are a dream team when it comes to delivering the drama. As you may have guessed from the title, there’s an (inadvertent) stowaway aboard a three-person mission to Mars, and that’s going to affect the oxygen supply in a crucial way. It’s not the most original space crisis you’ll ever see, but with a cast like this, the freak-out performances (and the solving of the dilemma within mere hours) are guaranteed to be worth the click.

Life in Colour with David Attenborough (Netflix series) — Earth Day needed this three-part series, and so does your soul. Or at least, I’m assuming that your soul will be soothed while watching Sir David Attenborough traveling from Costa Rica’s rainforests to Scottish Highlands’ snow-covered landscape to show the world how animals make extraordinary use of color. The show promises “revolutionary camera technology created specifically for this series” (according to Netflix) to reveal, uh, invisible-to-us colors? It’s fascinating, especially the details about a butterfly wing sending “seemingly magical ultraviolet signals” and the revelation of what a Bengal tiger’s stripes truly signal.

Zero (Netflix series) — This new Italian original series illuminates the power of invisibility with a new kind of superhero (a modern hero), who discovers his powers while hoping to save his suburb outside of Milan. In the process, the shy teen must at least wear a hero’s clothing while discovering the power of friendship and love.

Chadwick Boseman: Portrait Of An Artist (Netflix documentary) — Following the Black Panther and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom star’s too-soon death last August, the streamer fathered an all-star team for this documentary that aims to explore “Boseman’s extraordinary commitment to his craft [and] an intimate look at the Oscar-nominated actor’s artistry and the acting process which informed his transformative performances.” Settle in for a long list of participants, including Viola Davis, Danai Gurira, Spike Lee, Phylicia Rashad, and Glynn Turman. This one will be available for a limited 30-day window, so don’t let it languish in your queue for too long.

Peacock

Rutherford Falls (Peacock series) — The newest Michael Schur sitcom is doing the streaming thing, and this show is flat-out putting its location in the title, in lockstep with the co-creator’s fixation with location. Can Rutherford Falls match up with Scranton and Pawnee, in the long run? That remains to be seen, but Ed Helms stars as Nathan Rutherford, who is (obviously, due to the last name) inextricably tied to the town’s history, and Nathan’s not taking too kindly to a movement to eject a historical statue. There’s more to that topic than one would assume, and the wrangling of Nathan seems down to his lifelong best pal, portrayed by Jana Schmieding. This looks about as refreshingly and delightfully offbeat as one would expect from The Good Place creator because everything he touches is magic.

BET+

Bigger (BET+ series) — Season 2 brings back the fan-favorite Will Packer comedy about thirty-somethings living in Atlanta, while they attempt to maneuver their way through, well, life. That would include professional, personal and other such obstacles, all while searching for love and dealing with uncomfortable truths on occasion. The whole season’s dropping at once, only on BET+

Amazon Prime

Invincible (Amazon Prime series) — This animated romp drops a new episode and pleases both fans of The Boys and The Walking Dead, and the latter reference has everything to do with the source material by Robert Kirkman. Invincible is an ultraviolent deconstruction of the superhero, and yes, we’ve seen plenty of dismantling already, but this story has heart. Stephen Yeun makes a fantastic leading man here, and the cast (J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Seth Rogen, Walton Goggins, Jason Mantzoukas, Zazie Beetz, Zachary Quinto, Mark Hamill, and several TWD names) is ridiculously good.

Them (Amazon Prime limited series) — This story’s sure to remind horror fans of Jordan Peele’s Us in more ways than a few, and for good reason. This show promises to explore American-bred terror with an anthologized approach, so the first season is all about the 1950s. Allison Pill’s reliably frightening, and here, she’s terrorizing a Black family, who moves into an all-white LA neighborhood and the welcome committee isn’t there for them, that’s for sure. Soon enough, the horror show begins; and both from a reality-based and a supernatural standpoint, this is pure nightmare fuel.

Hulu

Sasquatch (Hulu series) — So officially, this is a documentary series, although the Duplass Brothers are behind the project, so you gotta know that the show’s approach will be anything but straightforward. The series promises to dig into a gruesome triple homicide that was allegedly carried out by Bigfoot back in the 1990s. Investigative journalist David Holthouse promises to tell the craziest story that he’s ever heard, even after his undercover dives into Nazi groups and violent gangs. He heads back to the Redwoods (and the infamous Emerald Triangle) in search of the truth about those homicides, and somehow, there’s a bunch of cannabis involved, and that could directly be tied to the murders? This title arrives on April 20, so that (and the tone of the trailer, with distorted voices and a purposefully over-dramatic approach) probably tells us a lot.

Flatbush Zombies are in celebration mode this year. Aside from getting through the bulk of a global pandemic safely, this year also marks the fifth anniversary of their debut album, 3001: A Laced Odyssey. Last month, the group revealed awesome action figures of the three members — Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick The Architect — that were made in collaboration with Incenidum. After being turned into five-inch figures the group has announced another way they plan on celebrating 3001: A Laced Odyssey, this time through a graphic novel.

The group hopped on Instagram to announce their 3001: A Prequel Odyssey novel. “YOU THOUGHT WE WERE DONE CELEBRATING THE 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY?” they wrote. “THE GLORIOUS DEAD PRESENT TO YOU: 3001: A PREQUEL ODYSSEY. WHEN DARK FORCES INVADE FLATBUSH TO UNLEASH A NIGHTMARE ENTITY – ONLY ONE GROUP STANDS IN THEIR WAY.” They go onto reveal that the novel is written by Genius’ Rob Markman and features art from JJ Lopez and David Nakayama.

The novel is priced at $99.99 and is expected to be released at some point in October 2021. Consumers have the option to buy a basic softcover or hardcover edition, but they can level up to a packaged deluxe edition, limited to just 2,500 copies. This comes with an oversized hardcover deluxe edition graphic novel, graphic novel slipcase, three exclusive art prints, and a mystery fan token. There’s also a super deluxe edition — limited to just 500 copies — that comes with a limited edition Now, More Than Ever EP on vinyl, one limited edition trading card, and three framed exclusive art prints in addition to the oversized hardcover deluxe edition graphic novel and a graphic novel slipcase.

You can read the announcement from Flatbush Zombies in the post above.

The 3001: A Prequel Odyssey novel is out October 2021. Pre-order it here.

Flatbush Zombies is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

After delivering two projects to fans in 2020, Boss Man and Nobody Safe with NBA Youngboy, Rich The Kid quickly got to work at the beginning of the new year with his Lucky 7 EP. Just three months removed from that project, it seems like the “New Freezer” rapper has a lot more in store for his supporters in 2021. Rich The Kid returned with his latest single, “Richard Millie Patek,” a record named after the highly expensive Richard Millie and Patek Philippe watches. The track arrives with an accompanying video that sees him celebrating the pair of wristwatches, both of which can be found sitting comfortably on his wrist while turning up with women and large sums of money around him.

Rich The Kid’s Lucky 7 EP was highlighted by his “Nasty” song and video featuring some of today’s best and newest female rappers: Mulatto, Rubi Rose, and Flo Milli. While that was good moment for the rapper, its release was surrounded by controversy. Prior to the EP’s release he was sued by Fashion Nova for breach of contract and was ordered to pay his former manager $1.1 million. He also had to cough up $300,000 for skipping rent and wrecking a mansion. After the arrival of Lucky 7, he was reportedly arrested at an airport for carrying a loaded gun.

Press play on the “Richard Millie Patek” video above.