📺 The Media Guide S5E3

Well this is such an empty week that I feel bad even sending this out... one show that probably won't be great, a decent albums, no new #1's, and two movies that, if I'm being honest, I likely won't ever see.

But! Our list of top ten albums of 2024 is included down below in the Sonic Vibrations section. You can, of course, catch the full write-up, exclusive to [+] subscribers.

📺 New Shows

🔫 Prime Target S1 (Apple) — 21 Jan

This doesn't look that great, but could end up being Apple's version of The Diplomat or The Day of the Jackal as a fun, action-lite, political-adjacent series. It's Jason Bourne mixed with A Beautiful Mind, brightly lit for some easy TV watching. It will be a big test for Leo Woodall (Jack from S2 of The White Lotus) to see if he has leading man material. I'll give it a chance.

📝 What Else?

• Night Agent S2 (Netflix) — 23 Jan

Tuesday

• Prime Target (Apple) 1:1-2

Thursday

• Bookie (HBO) 2:7
• The Pitt (HBO) 1:4
• Harley Quinn (HBO) 5:2

Friday

• The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO) 3:10
• Severance (Apple) 2:2

Sunday

• The Agency (Paramount) 1:10
• Dexter: Original Sins (Paramount) 1:7

💽 Release of the Week

🌀 Swirl by Flora Hibberd

It took a few songs for this to click for me, but eventually I started getting hints of Nico from The Velvet Underground & Nico, and started to dig the whole album. The simple instrumentation with bright, sharp guitar strokes, subtle drumming, and a bass that drives forward all come together behind Hibberd's delightfully full voice and storytelling to create something that feels both fresh and nostalgic.

🏃 Runner-ups

👤 Humanhood by The Weather Station

This isn't quite for me, but it is still beautiful. I look at this like angelic art folk pop. Even at it's most angelic, there's still a hint of darkness hanging over the whole thing as drops of jazz are sprinkled through—placing you in the back corner of a dimly lit jazz club.

🔰 Force Majeure by Delivery

There's something about aussie's and post-punk that just hits me right in the gut, soothing my soul. Delivery knows how to lift your spirits and they nail it here as they feel like they will push through anything like an unstoppable force.

📝 What Else?

• into a pretty room by lots of hands
• Balloonerism by Mac Miller
• Are You B-O-R-E-D? by Tigress

🏆 Top Ten Albums of 2024

A full write up along with honorable mentions and the most anticipated albums for 2025 is available for [+] subscribers.

1. Poetry by Dehd
2. Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee
3. The New Sound by Geordie Greep
4. CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, the Creator
5. Pacific Highway Music by Skegss
6. TAKE CARE by BigXthaPlug
7. Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
8. On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System by The Bug Club
9. Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman
10. Heavy Metal by Cameron Winter

🦸 No. 1's

Nothing new to report on this week, but we'll have our top ten comics of 2024 next week!

📝 What Else?

• W0rldtr33 (Image) #12
• Black Hammer: Spiral City (Dark Horse) #3
• House of Slaughter (Boom) #29
• Nullhunter (Image) #4
• The Terminator (Dynamite) #4
• Nightwatcher: TMNT (IDW) #5
• Metamorpho: The Element Man (DC) #2

🎥 New Movies

*Disclaimer: I'm not excited about anything here, but figured I should include something.

🎭 The Performance

IDK... Jeremy Piven is in this one that's both written and directed by his sister, Shira Piven (who is also married to Adam McKay). It's based on a short story written by Arthur Miller for The New Yorker about a Jewish tap dancer who has to perform in Berlin during the 1930's.

💰 Inheritance

I've been obsessed with Rhys Ifans ever since his role in The Replacements so if I see his name, my interest piques, at least a little bit. The inheritance is about a girl Maya, played by Phoebe Dynevor, who discovers h!er father is a spy before finding herself in the middle of an international conspiracy. Not a bad log line, but I'm still not sure.

📝 What Else?

• Flight Risk