A New Era in Streaming as CBS and HBO Announce Direct-to-Consumer Plans

Finally! Two channels have announced their own direct-to-consumer access sales. In a world of “cord cutters” (people who are fed up with ever-increasing cable costs and so stop subscribing) and “cord nevers” (younger customers who don’t see the need to subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service at all), networks are finally realizing that protecting the cable/dish monopoly in TV provision isn’t in their best interest. First, HBO announced that 2015 would bring a stand-alone internet streaming service. Richard […]

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Boomerang Changes Focus, Adds Ads

I used to think of Boomerang as the animation nostalgia channel, with its focus on older, archival programming. However, now it’s changing its focus, with a new direction in the US coming next year and expanded international presence. From the press release: Turner Broadcasting announced today that its second flagship kids brand, Boomerang, is being re-launched as a global all-animation, youth-targeted network, repositioned with a line-up of timeless and contemporary cartoons programmed for family co-viewing…. Drawing upon the vast resources […]

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Powers TV Show a PlayStation Exclusive

They first started trying to make a TV show based on Powers, the comic by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, back in 2009. A pilot was shot in 2011 for the FX network, but it didn’t fly. Now, there are more definite plans. Sony will air the Powers TV show exclusively to subscribers of the PlayStation Network beginning in December. The first hour-long episode is free; following episodes will require subscription to PlayStation Plus. This is the first […]

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There’s Going to Be a Supergirl Show!

This is surprising but exciting news. I guess superheroes are still a hot trend. According to Deadline.com, CBS has committed to a Supergirl series produced by Greg Berlanti, who’s also been responsible for Arrow and The Flash. Ali Adler will write the pilot; she previously worked on No Ordinary Family and The New Normal. The title character will be Superman’s cousin, and unlike the long-running Smallville, she’ll have and use superpowers for heroing. “Also closely involved in the development of […]

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Arrow Season 3 Trailer Promises Brandon Routh

Arrow season 3 launches on the CW on October 8, and here’s the trailer. Clearly, I have some catching up to do when season 2 comes out on DVD on September 16, since I have no idea which guy on the motorcycle is flirting with Felicity. Oliver, I guess, since he’s kissing her later. Anyway, Black Canary returns, yay, and even more exciting is the introduction of Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer, whom we comic fans know as the shrinking […]

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TCM Launches Pre-Code Focus Today

I’m a huge fan of Pre-Code movies, those films put out from 1930-1934, before Hollywood became subject to the Hays Code to maintain morality in its films. These early films tackled difficult subjects for a radically changing culture — the Depression was in effect, people were still arguing about what movies “should” be, sound films were relatively new, and morality, particularly as demonstrated by moviemakers both off- and on-screen, was a matter of much debate. Or, alternately, they showed more […]

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Arrow Season 2 Comes to DVD

Arrow: The Complete Second Season is due out on Blu-ray (or DVD) on September 16. I found the first season a pleasant surprise. I haven’t been as big a fan of the second, primarily due to not loving the Deathstroke plot and the continuing island flashbacks, although it’s good to see more done with Black Canary and other female characters. The second season home releases contain 23 episodes, the “Year One” recap episode, commentary, three behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, six […]

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