Clearing Out Our Queue: August 5, 2022
We talk BARRY & unpack what's up with HBO Max
Welcome to Clearing Out Our Queue, our newsletter with TV news and recommendations to keep you filled in between episodes of our podcast. Every Friday, Adina and Kara will keep you in the loop about what’s going on in the entertainment world, and what you should be watching.
If you have any questions, reactions, or suggestions for the newsletter or the podcast, you can email us (itsinmyqueuepod@gmail.com) or message us on Twitter (@inmyqueuepod). We love to hear from you!
Think a friend might enjoy this newsletter? Send them this link to read & subscribe!
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH HBO MAX AND DISCOVERY+?
Ever since the Warner Bros.-Discovery merger earlier this year, there've been a lot of questions as to how the company will handle their various TV brands and streaming platforms. Rumors swirled this week after they canned the Batgirl film despite it being nearly finished – what other shows or films might get canceled? Was HBO Max going to disappear? (Most important to Kara and Adina: IS MINX STILL GETTING A SEASON 2?)
On Thursday, the company announced plans to merge Discovery+ and HBO Max into one streaming service in the summer of 2023. HBO Max, much like its cable parent HBO, is known for high-quality scripted content, while Discovery is known for unscripted (reality) shows. The new service will have both, though many are wary of potential cancellations of HBO Max properties since CEO David Zaslav is known for cutting costs with scripted content. Who knows what will happen in the next year, but at least for now, HBO Max favorites like Hacks and Sex Lives of College Girls are safe.
TV NEWS
Today, August 5th, is the 19th anniversary of The O.C. Pilot, which aired on August 5, 2003. You can reminisce by listening to our podcast on that first episode!
Kenan Thompson suggested that the never-ending juggernaut Saturday Night Live should maybe… end. With the potential departure of SNL head Lorne Michaels coming in a few years, Thompson said, “Capping it at [Season] 50 might not be a bad idea.” We have to agree with him there.
Netflix is suing the creators of The Unauthorized Bridgerton Musical. You may be thinking “aren’t they safe, because parody is fair use?” First of all, their musical is not so much a parody as an adaptation; second, they’re making money off of it; third, their marketing materials falsely claimed they were using Netflix’s trademarks “with permission” (they were not). Normally, I’d support the underdog over the major corporation, but this particular situation sounds like a clear-cut case of “play stupid games, win stupid prizes”.
In sadder news, Nichelle Nichols passed away at age 89. The actor was beloved for her trailblazing role as Nyota Uhura on Star Trek, and was part of the first interracial kisses shown on television. Many of her co-stars and other entertainers who were inspired by her work shared their respects, a testament to her impact.
CLEARING OUT OUR QUEUE
Or, what we’re watching this week.
Kara: Season 3 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is finally here, so that’s what I’ve been watching. I was kind of hesitant at the musical choice being Frozen, but I think once everyone has their parts (hopefully in next week’s episode) I can get more on board. I am very interested in the potential groundwork for a Ricky/Gina/EJ love triangle and I would like to see how Nini’s storyline plays out since she’s separated from everyone else due to Olivia Rodrigo’s busy real life schedule.
Adina: I re-watched the second season of Mythic Quest, in preparation for the third season coming this fall. It was just as delightful the second time – I highly recommend it as one of the best workplace sitcoms currently running, that also has a lot to say about creativity in general. (You don’t need to like video games to like this show!) I also watched “Breaking Bad”. Y’know, the eleventh episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul? It was slightly more entertaining to me than last week’s, mainly because of that cameo that got me hyped. I have to admit, I cheered for the return of… Francesca!
PODCAST NEWS
We’re back to regularly scheduled episodes! This week, we discussed the Emmy-Award-Nominated HBO dramedy, BARRY. You can listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or your other preferred platform.
(If you like the episode, consider subscribing and writing us a review on your platform of choice! It really helps us.)