Peabodys get it right, again

Music industry urges streamers against AI

What to know

• Peabody Awards once again honor the actual best shows… If you want to know what’s worth watching right now, don’t look at the Emmys (though they’ve gotten better in recent years). Look at the Peabody Awards, who have consistently highlighted the actual best programs. This year’s nominees are: Abbott Elementary, Andor, Atlanta, Bad Sisters, Better Call Saul, Bob’s Burgers, Documentary Now!, Los Espookys, Mo, Our Flag Means Death, Pachinko, Reservation Dogs, Severance, Somebody Somewhere, Sort Of, The Patient, and We’re Here. Solid list.

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• Music industry asks streaming companies not to use AI for copycat tracks… With the way AI is going this year, it seems completely plausible that the tech could wholly create new music that sounds just like human-created music. The music industry is trying to head this off by asking the streamers not to let AI do this. I doubt the streamers are going to listen, which all but guarantees a future where you might not be able to tell if your music was manmade or not. Wild (and scary) stuff. 🤖

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opening weekend is tracking below Guardians 2… That’s not good and you have to wonder if superhero fatigue or Marvel’s qualitative cold streak is to blame. That said, it’s still early and the marketing campaign for Vol. 3 hasn’t fully peaked yet — but you’d expect a trilogy-capper, especially one being sold as the end of a story, to be generating more interest than the previous installment. 📼

• HBO and Max boss Casey Bloys avoids question about J.K. Rowling’s past transphobic comments… This is disappointing, but what was he going to say? “The executive producer of our biggest franchise is a bigot?” Expect more and more deflection from everyone on the project for the next 10 years. Should be a super fun decade. 🤔

• Jack Black’s song “Peaches” from the Mario Movie might be the biggest hit of his career… I’m not surprised, as Tenacious D weren’t exactly chart toppers. There’s been a lot made about the song being “Oscar-eligible,” which is cool but I’d say it’s a long shot for a nomination. 🐢

• John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler to star in film adaptation of August Wilson play The Piano Lesson at Netflix… John David’s brother and Denzel’s other son Malcolm Washington will write and direct the film, solidifying the family’s love for adapting August Wilson. 🎹

• Pete Davidson to host SNL May 6… That’s gotta be a record for fastest time between being a cast member and host. Seriously, what blackmail does Davidson have on Lorne Michaels? As host, this will likely be the most Davidson appears in a single SNL episode. 🗽

• Beef showrunner confirms 3-season plan… Everything’s on a three-season plan these days. I’m a bit behind on new shows, but hearing only good things about this Netflix dark comedy. 🥩

• Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson could have family ties… McConaughey says his mother apparently “knew” Harrelson’s father back in the day, but let’s not jump to any conclusions. 👀

• Mia Goth joins Marvel’s Blade… Mia Goth is a big deal in the horror genre, which delivers some nice synergy to Marvel’s next horror-adjacent project. 🧛🏿‍♀️

• “Giant pothole” filled by Arnold Schwarzenegger was actually a service trench used by gas company… Look, it’s a slow news day. 🕳

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What’s new

• Rennervations — Apr 12 | Disney+ reality show | 🍅

• Florida Man — Apr 13 | Netflix drama series | 🍅

• The Last Thing He Told Me — Apr 14 | Apple drama series | 🍅 40%

• Renfield — Apr 14 | Horror comedy in theaters | 🍅 60%

• Returning: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel s5, Barry s4

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What to watch

Back in the days before streaming, TV series (especially comedies) had room to grow. Take Parks and Rec or Seinfeld as examples, two shows that were notoriously weak in the early going, but both went on to be pantheon hits. These days, with the abundance of options, our patience for growers not showers has dropped immensely, which puts extra pressure on series to be good right away. It’s not easy, and that’s what makes Apple TV+’s Shrinking, created by Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, and Jason Segel, so impressive. Shrinking is great, immediately. It’s funny, and sad, and warm, and wry and well-plotted, and a great hang — all the things you want a 2023 TV comedy series to be. Maybe it’s because of the creative trio’s combined pedigree or maybe it’s the wonderful casting (Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, and Michael Urie especially), but the confidence level here is through the roof, yet never smug. After the comedic auteur era of TV comedies (ushered in by Girls, Louie, and Masters of None, then arguably ended by Atlanta and Barry), we’ve entered a new period defined by raw emotion and found families (often times in the workplace). Shrinking joins Ted Lasso and Hacks at the forefront of this welcome, positive trend.

For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!