Television and books..

Television first...because seriously, who here wants to hear about the latest romance novel I've been reading? I didn't think so.

So, I picked up TV Guide in an seemingly futile effort to somehow get a handle on: what is on, when it is on, and what channel it is on...because, it's beginning to feel impossible to keep track of these things.

Did find out a few things..

1. Fall-out from the METoo# Movement continues...

* The Great American Baking Show Winner talks Show Cancellation - apparently the show was yanked by ABC after multiple sexual harrassment claims were filed against one of the co-hosts, the American Pastry Chief. (Not Paul Hollywood, the other guy, Luzzani).

The third season of the baking series was canceled just one week after its Dec. 7 premiere when four additional women came forward to accuse Iuzzini of sexual harassment in mid-December. The pastry chef had already been accused by four of his former employees of harassment and abuse in a report from Mic a few weeks prior.

“Unfortunately, because of the actions of Johnny Iuzzini, we are not able to broadcast the show as was originally planned,” Lomas explained.

* After Kevin Spacey was fired from House of Cards for well, being a sexual predator, Robin Wright got promoted to the lead. The final season in 2018 will star Robin Wright.

* The Ranch kicked Danny Masterson to the curb. The Chew kicked Mario Battali to the curb.

* The Today show hired Hoda Kotb ( a woman) to co-anchor Today, and it boosted the ratings.

* Who Rules the World halted work December 26, when the coproducer confessed he had behaved badly. Also the future of Transparent remains up in the air.

2. Fox isn't abandoning it's scripted series post Disney deal. The deal gives Disney majority control in Hulu -- so the biggest effect would be Disney corralling all its TV and movie content including their slate of superhero and Star Wars films on one super catch-all streaming platform. (They basically bought Hulu for a billion dollars. I've tried Hulu, trust me, it's not worth a billion dollars. Although it very well may be after Disney gets through with it.)

3. Reboots

Besides Roseanne, they are Rebooting "Lost in Space" -- this round with PArker Posey, Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, and Max Jenkins. Parker Posey takes over the Dr. Smith role. I just want to know who plays Robby the Robot.

4. New Shows popping up...that I hadn't heard of:

* Howards End -- a television serial based on EM Forster's novel pops up on Starz.

(Hmmm, maybe I should tell old college pal about this, it may help explain the book and movie to her.
Old college pal: could you explain what Howards End was about? I didn't understand it.
Me: Uh, what exactly didn't you understand?
Old college pal: what it was about and meant exactly.
I also had to explain the Great Gatsby to her. Which was odd, considering she wrote her thesis on Fitzgerald. She was teaching honors English at the time. )

This is making me want to get Starz. First Counterpart, then Howards End, also Black Sails is on it, and Outlander, and American Gods (although Brian Fuller pulled out and Neil Gaiman refused to take over, so it may be dead in the water).

* Instinct -- so, Eli Gould Alan Cumming plays a former CIA operative, who gave it up for the love of a good man -- he's a happily married author and professor now -- but when the NYPD needs his help to stop a serial killer, playing house loses its luster.

I'm tempted. Just wish it wasn't about a serial killer. I despise stories about serial killers. There have been too many of them. There's more stories about them than there are serial killers. Or we'd all be dead by now.

This is March 11. at 8PM - CBS.

* Rise - the new Jason Katims series, is basically Friday Night Lights meets FAME. It's set in a working class Northern town, where football rules. Except the focus is on the drama school. The hero, English teacher played by Josh Radnor (of How I Met Your Mother) wrests control of the drama club from Rosie Perez and announces he plans to put on the controversial coming of age drama "Spring Awakening" -- causing an understandable conflict between the town and the well gown. The tunes are the kids rehearsing, and it's based on the nonfiction book "Drama High". It's co-created with Hamilton co-producer Jeffrey Seller.

March 13 at 10 PM NBC

* Antonio Banderas is taking on Pablo Picasso for S2 of Nat Geo's Genuius - April 24, 9pm)

* Krypton -- guess what that's about? Basically Game of Thrones meets Man of Steel, in a prequel that takes place two generations before Krypton's destruction. Cameron Cuff stars as Seg-El, a young rabble-rouser destined to become Superman's grandfather. Hey, you can get the back story on Kara and Superman's relatives and home planet!

It starts on Syfy on March 21.

* Sweetbitter - yet another reason to check out Starz, this is a hlaf-our dramedy based on Stephanie Danier's 2016 booze-soaked page turner about servers at a chichi Manhattan eatery.

* Supernatural Attempt at a Spin-off Take 2 -- Sheriff Jody Mills, and her all-female hunter team, including her wards Alex and Claire, cop Donna Hanscum, and two new characters, psychic Patience and dreamwalker Kaia -- go off to save Sam and Dean who got stuck in an alternate reality.

Airs Thursday, Jan 18 at 8 pm Eastern/7 Central. (I may watch this -- mainly because my problem with Supernatural was the all guy team. I know, I'm weird, but I need women in my stories. All male stories makes me edgy. Probably has something to do with working at a male-centric workplace, where I'm often the only woman in the room. Too much testosterone is bad for one's continued mental health.)


Time for bed. So no time to discuss books. Whew...