#Severance is mind-blowing on so many levels! Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended viewing. #PeakTV #TwilightZone https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf4jkzEt2gJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

My Peak TV Journey: *The Good Fight*

I watched all of The Good Wife on CBS as it aired from almost the beginning. I had mixed feelings about the series finale, so I was slow to get around to The Good Fight, its spin-off/sequel. Coincidentally, it was the decision to move Evil, from the same creators, Robert and Michelle King. The two shows became my reason for a part-of-the-year subscription to Paramount+.  Now that The Good Fight has wrapped up, I miss it. Months later I  think about that series finale and how it did not feel like a series finale. It never tried to make sense of its crazy world, or ours on which it was loosely based. There is another spin off scheduled for this fall. It will be starring Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Taccioni, a character who appeared on both series. But it will not follow up on all the various plots here, because that would not be worthwhile. (Also, according to recent news, it will be set in New York City, where all of these shows are filmed.)

Though the series was introducing major characters until the last season, so maybe they will revisit them. The final season brought in Andre Braugher as Ri’Chard Lane, a real showman of a lawyer. Every episode he wore different, often wild, glasses. His story for the season was about how he fit in the firm, but he is richly drawn enough. The character’s frequent and loud proclamations of faith were off putting to me. But there are plenty of details about his life that I would be happy to revisit and see more of. The penultimate season introduced the mysterious Carmen Moya and every time I saw her I wanted more of her. Marissa and her father, the Rahm Emmanuel inspired, Eli Gold are probably done. His last episode was shocking and appropriate as a send off. Each of the episodes in the season was titled “The End of…” and “The End of Eli Gold” felt like the most appropriate title. Marissa’s life could be check in on again, but it looks like it will become something completely different than what we’ve seen.

I definitely feel like I have seen enough of Diane Lockhart's journey. I still like the character, but choosing to stay with her husband Kurt McVeigh, despite the way their political differences meant he could never be trusted was choosing a stasis that I'm done with.

I'd be happy to check in on Liz Reddick and her complicate family again.

The final season involved non stop protests outside the law firm’s offices and regular threats of violence from mostly unknown sources. I spent a lot of my watching time wondering what it said about politics. Was it doing a “both sides” thing? How does it fit in with the mostly rightwing talking points of violence in Chicago? Months later, those worries have mostly melted away. It was more about capturing the feel of the moment than making a statement about it. 

Thought that does to bring up some of the ways that this series is going to age weirdly. Its plotting choice leaded into being a product of its time so even a couple of years after an episode originally aired a viewer finds themselves thinking things like “remember the pee tape”?  And really after a little time, it is so irrelevant to life it is better forgotten. But it is funny to look back at what a big deal we made of the whole thing.

SNL Disses Ginny & Georgia in #PeakTV Takedown — WATCH

This weekend’s Saturday Night Live took aim at #PeakTV, and dissed a current Netflix hit in the process.

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Summer is officially over with our Labor Day celebrations, so let’s recap the TV.

The Sex Lives Of College Girls on HBO Max from producer Mindy Kaling is thoroughly pleasant and enjoyable. The experience is very TV and isn't as fraught as a lot of Peak TV. It's not as grating as HBO'S previous show Girls. The characters are all likable and the narrative is very compelling. The first two episodes dropped together, and then three more. The next three drop on December 2nd, and then the final two of season 1 a week after that.  #thesexlivesofcollegegirls #sexlivesofcollegegirls #hbomax #hbo #mindykaling #peaktv #hbogirls #girlshbo #PaulineChalamet #ReneéRapp #reneerapp #MidoriFrancis #AlyahChanelleScott #AmritKaur #GavinLeatherwood #LaurenSpencer #RenikaWilliams #ChristopherMeyer (at Portland, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CW1tlDXvWu2/?utm_medium=tumblr

The best scene in The Crown. Watched it a million times, always get chills...👏🏻❤️👏🏻

Forgot to post my cameo from Ep. 3 of @shermansshowcase ‘Behind the Charade’ I played ‘Beat Blaster Kev’ and @calvinevanscomedy was MC ‘Craig Ski’! If you haven’t caught #shermansshowcase on @ifc then you must hate “FUNNY!” Shout out to my dudes @diallo + #Bashir for inviting me on the show! If you don’t have #IFC borrow your parents passcode or hire a Russian hacker because you’re truly missing out on some legendary peak black television! PLEASE Don’t show up to the barbershop/hair salon not knowing all the great skits in this show because you WILL GET COOKED! #bashirsalahuddin #DialloRiddle #JohnLegend #VicMensa #MorrisDay #CalvinEvans #SSIFC #PeakTV #SmartAndFunny #lol #BPH #BlackPeopleHomework (at Quixote Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1fZgHsAznD/?igshid=6p08jjaoyqnu

Wednesday Afternoon Thoughts

Heeey,

It’s been SO LONG since I’ve done one of these things. I honestly can’t remember and don’t want to look at my Archive out of shame.

So.......

I moved in November, then I moved back to my original area a week ago. I wish I could have the last year back because basically from May 2018-May 2019 it was Stress City and I don’t think my anxiety shut down.

Speaking of which, after moving, I immediately got sick, like headaches, dizzyness, body aches, my body and mind felt like it just shut down.

I’m thinking it’s the aftermath of the whole moving/roommate stress thing, because if my health stuff is back, well boy howdy, that will be FUUUUN.

But today seemed better. First day I wasn’t dizzy walking. Got my Starbucks coffee on, got a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb pie and Subway because I can barely type out a sentence then let alone try to cook something.

So, I’ve been watching a SHIT TON of TV trying to catch up on Queen Sugar: Season 2 FROM 2017, I KNOW, I KNOW #ForShame, In The Dark, The InBetween, Blood & Treasure, The Hot Zone and Killing Eve: Season 2. Not counting just laying in bed watching old eps of Unsolved Mysteres and Sightings.

OH, OH, i recently found out about and became OBSESSED with the treasure and legend of the Lost Dutchman mine in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona. Like OBSESSED guys, where I can’t think of anything else.

So, yeah, that’s what’s been going on.

Okay todayyyyy! For Music!! Let's unwind and have some Detty Wenzdei💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃 Last Wednesday, I wasn't on radio... 😔 but duty called and phew, Abuja saw me! It was great seeing my big Bro @jdagbele. . This Wednesday, we are unwinding, music way! Music! Music!! Music!!! Send in your requests ahead in the comment section, request Live on Instagram, Facebook or our website (see flier for details). . You ready? Coz am readyyyyyy! See you, at the Teens Quarters on @peakradio by 4pm!!! . #Layo #LayoSobo #LayoXPeakRadio #OAP #RadioWay #RadioGirl #PeakRadio #PeakPathwayMagazine #PeakTV https://www.instagram.com/p/CJJGFdhh6i_/?igshid=1qtwsvm7ierjl

One of The best TV Shows ever. Realistic and gritty without being gory. Just everyday people trying to survive

Grab It While It’s Hot: Custom Content Scores For Ads On Peak TV

Peak TV is a steaming commodity, and everyone, especially advertisers, want a piece while it’s still hot. But how can advertisers be sure that they’re getting their fair share? Well, Viacom claims to have developed a strategy for picking the slickest slice of the pie, and here’s how. For starters, according to Brandon Garabowski, Director of Data Strategy at Viacom, there are two problems with the ways advertising campaigns are built for TV today. These large scale problems can be pinpointed to a. the projection of bias during data interpretation and b. target selection. The solution? An algorithm of course. 

“Algorithms are written by humans and are therefore subject to bias. We need to be using data to help us with the decision making process but not to make the decisions for us. That’s where our custom content score kicks in” stated Garabowski himself. So, how exactly is an algorithm expected to resolve the issues algorithms set forth? That’s what I’m wondering. 

According to Garabowski, the custom content score calculates the affinities of an advertiser’s target audience and creates a map of these affinities (for example: genre preferences, celebrity affinity, interests, and so on). This affinity map can surface contradictory data that can then be compromised to maximize both share and interest. So, it helps with the decision making process, but is not depended on to determine a definitive decision. While it certainly is a solution of sorts, I am still skeptical of how this approach makes sense. If advertising campaigns are criticized for added biases during the interpretation of data, then how is the solution to create a [proclaimed biased] algorithm that helps interpret biased results? 

That I do not have an answer for. What I can say, however, is that with growing numbers in a growing industry (with an estimate of 400 scripted series this year) algorithms do indeed seem to be here to stay. They may be built with biases, but then again, what isn’t? Am I letting this off too easy? Maybe. But for now I’ll say that by creating this method in which biases in an algorithm can be checked (by analyzing the created affinity map) is perhaps a step in the right direction. Perhaps results will be better refined. Perhaps. With that for now, the moral of the story: check yourself before you wreck yourself. We, well, advertisers, shall see how that plays out, with pie in hand. 

Stay tuned,

Roché 

Sources: 

http://v.viacom.com/tvadvertising-algorithms/?utm_source=012717_newsletter11&utm_content=tv-advertising-algorithms 

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/08/have-we-reached-peak-tv/401009/

“Dear White People” Official Trailer

The official trailer for dear white people is here and it's hilarious. from “Dear White People” Official Trailer

Shrinking: Harrison Ford Cast Opposite Jason Segel in Apple TV+ Comedy

Harrison Ford has finally been bitten by the #PeakTV bug. The Star Wars and Indiana Jones vet is set to star opposite Jason Segel in the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking, TVLine has learned.

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I feel similarly about Los Espookys as I did about Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in that it is this miracle of existence. Something so nestled in a niche that it wouldn’t have existed before #PeakTV, but I’m so thankful that it does. Will love it the most until it goes off the air.