“Nirvanna The Band The Show”
In the vein of comedy characterized by publicity stunts and feigned ignorance — the kind Sacha Baron Cohen and Mega64 have become known for — Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol’s Viceland mockumentary series, “Nirvanna The Band The Show” is gut-bustingly hilarious. An updated take on their web series of the same name, the show revolves around Johnson and McCarrol, who play exaggerated versions of themselves as a starry-eyed duo, Nirvanna The Band, as they try to get a gig booked at local Toronto venue The Rivoli.
What makes the show work so incredibly well is how committed the two are to their roles as naive showmen, evident in their attention-grabbing antics like convincing a Sundance projectionist to screen their amateur film, “Operation Avalanche” (a parody of Johnson’s actual film of the same name), in lieu of another film. It’s a series that revels in its characters’ stupidity and public reactions, leaving audiences to wonder how they pull off their feat.
– Julian Medranda, SSW
“Rolling Stone” – The Weeknd
I’ve listened to the song “Rolling Stone” off of “Trilogy” dozens of times but I recently revisited the album and rekindled my love for the track. When the song begins and the guitar melody starts to play, I found myself slowly vibing along to it, and then in a matter of seconds, I felt The Weeknd’s soft falsetto send chills down my back.
When I first heard it, I thought he was addressing another woman but was surprised that he was speaking to his fans. He mentions his appreciation for their support but wants to improve and go mainstream, leaving the underground scene, and says in the song, “And I hope you’ll still listen.” He hopes that as he enters the mainstream realm that his fans don’t see him as a sellout and still show support. Looking back on the song I see that he was capable of doing just that, becoming bigger and still giving his fans what they love, which is why this is one of his best underappreciated songs. It’s not just a reminder that he did what he said he’d do, but is a great throwback to his earlier work before he became a Starboy.
– Isaac Morales, CW
“Black Lightning” Trailer
Among the batch of upcoming programs The CW network announced last week was DC comics’ “Black Lightning,” which will feature the first black superhero to lead a live-action CW show.
The “Black Lightning” trailer is interesting in that we see a focus on family, which hasn’t been fully explored in a CW-DC show. Whereas in past superhero shows we see young superheroes just starting off, “Black Lightning” offers a new perspective through a retired superhero who returns to crime fighting. Black Lightning, also known as Jefferson Pierce, retires from his crime fighting days to focus on raising his daughters. Ultimately, the trailer also hints that his daughters will develop superpowers, and we might get to see the impact that might have on their family dynamic. Cress Williams as Black Lightning shows that age is not a problem through well-choreographed fight scenes and a display of his powers. The CW’s marketing team also knows how to hype a superhero show up with its distinctive tagline, “Justice walks like thunder, strikes like lightning …”
I’m not familiar with Black Lightning, except for his small role in Cartoon Network’s “Young Justice.” But, its first look trailer is full of promise of what could be a serious and entertaining show.
– Martha Delgado, CW
