SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Max's Original Comedy Series Starstruck Season 3 and Our Flag Means Death Season 2 Premiere Dates; AXS TV Announces Fall Programming Lineup

Co-produced by BBC Three and BAFTA nominated comedian, writer, star, and director Rose Matafeo, Max Original comedy series Starstruck will debut with all six episodes on September 28.

Still living in London and working at the local cinema, Jessie (Rose Matafeo) explores a new single life after parting ways with film star Tom (Nikesh Patel). Two years after the breakup, Jessie navigates the pressures of adulthood and is confronted with the consequences of her own choices as her friends move on to the next stages in their lives, while Jessie is left questioning what she is really looking for.

The eight-episode second season of the Max Original comedy series Our Flag Means Death, from creator-showrunner David Jenkins, Emmy®-nominated executive producer and star Taika Waititi, and Emmy®-nominated executive producer Garrett Basch, debuts with three episodes Thursday, October 5 on Max. The season continues with two new episodes weekly leading up to the season finale on Thursday, October 26.

Our Flag Means Death is based (very) loosely on the true adventures of 18th century would-be pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby). After trading the seemingly charmed life of a gentleman for one of a swashbuckling buccaneer, Stede became captain of the pirate ship Revenge. Struggling to earn the respect of his potentially mutinous crew, Stede’s fortunes changed after a fateful run-in with the infamous Captain Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). To their surprise, the wildly different Stede and Blackbeard found more than friendship on the high seas…they found love. Now, they have to survive it.

In addition to Darby and Waititi, season two stars returning cast members Samson Kayo, Vico Ortiz, Ewen Bremner, Joel Fry, Matthew Maher, Kristian Nairn, Con O’Neill, David Fane, Samba Schutte, Nat Faxon, and Leslie Jones. New additions joining the ensemble cast include recurring guest stars Ruibo Qian, Madeleine Sami, Anapela Polataivao, and Erroll Shand, and guest stars Minnie Driver and Bronson Pinchot.

Our Flag Means Death is executive produced by Academy Award® winner Taika Waititi, alongside creator-showrunner David Jenkins. In addition to his duties as showrunner, Jenkins directed the first two episodes of season two. Garrett Basch, Dan Halsted, Adam Stein, and Antoine Douaihy also serve as executive producers. Season two was filmed in Auckland, New Zealand.

AXS TV unveils its Fall Programming Lineup complete with all-new original series and returning favorites—headlined by the Network's partnership with legendary music outlet SPIN Magazine on the fresh listicle series SPIN 100 Greatest Rock Stars, premiering Monday, October 2 at 8p ET/5p PT. The roster also includes the all-new original music series Life In Six Strings With Kylie Olsson, as well as new seasons of Parking Lot Payday, The Top Ten Revealed, The Very Very Best Of The 80s, Rockstar Shuffle, and more.

Highlights of the upcoming Fall Schedule include:

Monday, October 2

8pm – SPIN 100 Greatest Rock Stars (New Original) – 12 Episodes – AXS TV's Fall Lineup kicks off on Monday, October 2 with the Network's landmark collaboration with SPIN Magazine on SPIN 100 Greatest Rock Stars—a star-studded countdown of the 100 greatest rockers, basedd on the legendary "100 Greatest Rock Stars Since That Was A Thing" feature curated by SPIN founder Bob Guccione Jr. and originally published in 2021. The series presents a comprehensive tour of the epic list specially updated for 2023—putting the spotlight on appearances and commentary by an impressive roster of icons and experts including Joel McHale, Dee Snider, Stewart Copeland, Carnie Wilson, Steve Vai, Roy Orbison Jr., David Archuleta, Kenny Aronoff, Bruno Major, Bob Mould, Shawn Stockman, and UK music journalist Kylie Olsson, among others.

8:30pm – Life In Six Strings With Kylie Olsson (New Original) – Eight Episodes – Music journalist, author and guitar novice Kylie Olsson joins up with some of the greatest six-string virtuosos in music, as guitar masterminds Steve Vai, Mick Mars, Nuno Bettencourt, and more, invite her into their homes to delve into the instrument's incredible impact on their lives. The series gives viewers a candid glimpse into where each artist is from—both sonically and geographically--detailing how their unique origins have informed their music. Along the way, she gleans some of their priceless tips and tricks to guide her on her own journey to learn how to play the guitar.

9pm – The Partridge Family (New Acquisition) – "C'mon Get Happy" as one of pop culture's most beloved broods makes its debut on AXS TV, in this popular classic series starring Shirley Jones, David Cassidy, and Danny Bonaduce.

10pm – Cash Cab Canada – AXS TV continues airing the acclaimed Canadian version of Cash Cab, as host Adam Growe takes unsuspecting patrons on the ride of a lifetime, giving them the chance to answer trivia questions for cash prizes while en route to their destination.

Tuesday, October 3

8pm – The Top Ten Revealed – 12 New Episodes – The hit countdown series returns as host Katie Daryl joins a rotating panel of rock and metal trailblazers including Sebastian Bach, Lita Ford, Stephen Pearcy, Nancy Wilson, Gina Schock, Gilby Clarke, Rikki Rockett, Carnie Wilson and many more to determine the top songs from a wide range of eclectic themes and categories.

8:30pm – New Season of Parking Lot Payday – 10 Episodes – Parking Lot Payday returns for Season 2 on a new night and time, and with new host—and AXS TV fan-favorite Art Mann, who cruises through the Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals to give fans a chance to win big by answering rock trivia. Shock pioneer Alice Cooper even gets in on the fun, taking the hotseat in the season premiere.

Wednesday, October 4

8pm – Hot Ones - The sizzling series continues to be a hit for AXS TV, as entertainment's biggest names put their taste buds on the line to talk about their acclaimed careers while sampling hot wings slathered in increasingly-spicy sauces.

8:30pm – Rockstar Shuffle – Eight New Episodes – Rockstar Shuffle continues its inaugural season with a wild blend of fast-paced hijinks and candid moments, giving music lovers a rare look into rock and metal titans such as Bruce Dickinson, Sammy Hagar, Vince Neil, Corey Taylor, Rod Stewart, Billy Idol, and Micky Dolenz, as they share their own priceless stories, showoff their personal collections of music memorabilia, reflect on their most-treasured memories, and so much more.

Thursday, October 5

8pm – IMPACT Wrestling – Pro wrestling powerhouse IMPACT! continues with even more high-stakes matchups and blockbuster drama, as wrestling’s top competitors step into the ring each week.

10pm – New Japan Pro-Wrestling – Don't miss the most unforgettable moments from NJPW's biggest events of the year, highlighting global heavyweights Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, SANADA and more.

11pm – The Power Hour – 10 New Episodes – Noted rock experts and enthusiasts Matt Pinfield, Josh Bernstein, and Caity Babs present a comprehensive breakdown of the scene’s latest news, buzzworthy videos, and more, featuring exclusive interviews with some of the genre's most influential acts.

Friday, October 6

Retro Night continues to be a hit with viewers, putting the spotlight on classic series, concerts, movies, and more from the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

8pm – The Very Very Best Of The 80s – Six New Episodes – Fan-favorite countdown series The Very Very Best Of The 80s opens the night with star-studded retrospectives, as pop culture heroes share their thoughts on the films, music, TV, toys, and more that defined the decade.

8:30pm – The Monkees – AXS TV continues to present all 58 episodes of the groundbreaking music sitcom The Monkees, broadcast in 4k.

9pm – Retro Movie – Cult classics take over the small screen in this special block celebrating beloved big screen hits from across the decades.

Special Events

Retro Binge – AXS TV turns back the clock with this all-new daytime block, putting the spotlight on a vintage lineup that includes every episode of the hit music sitcoms The Monkees and The Partridge Family, as well as nostalgia-fueled retrospectives The Very Very Best Of The 80s and A Year In Music — airing Monday through Friday at 1pm ET, starting October 2.

Starting in October, AXS TV Now presents movie premieres every Monday at 7:30pE. The roster includes:

10/2 – Wolfman's Got Nards – A love letter to the cult classic creature feature The Monster Squad, examining its enduring impact and influence through exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, as well as the legendary genre stars and filmmakers that it inspired.

10/9 – Antidote – MMA powerhouse Randy Couture faces his toughest fight yet, as he takes on a Mayan legend come to life in this jungle thriller.

10/16 – Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies – A pilot leads a motley crew of survivors through a deadly wasteland, after an experimental chemical turns the residents of Charleston, MS into bloodthirsty zombies in this sidesplitting horror comedy.

10/23 – Death of a Vlogger – An upstart vlogger gets more than he bargained for, when his viral video of an alleged haunting puts him face-to-face with the dark side of the internet. But is it real or just a clever stunt?

10/30 – Killbird – Stranded in the back country of Oregon, a young woman with a secret engages in a tense power struggle with a reclusive conspiracy theorist with a secret of his own.

11/6 - Guardians of the Tomb - An animal expert finds that some things are better left buried, when the search for her brother leads to an ancient emperor's final resting place—guarded by hordes of venomous spiders. Starriing Kelsey Grammer, Kellan Lutz, and Li Bingbing.

Additionally, AXS TV Now opens up the AXS TV vault each week, with themed blocks highlighting some of the Network's most popular series from its extensive content library. Highlights include MOCKpocalypse Mondays; as well as episodes of Music's Greatest Mysteries each Tuesday; acclaimed celebrity sitdown series The Big Interview With Dan Rather every Wednesday; the hilarious hijinks of Tom Green Live on Thursdays; intimate performances by some of music's biggest names on At Home And Social every Friday; an intoxicating trip through the world of drinking culture on Drinking Made Easy on Saturdays; and star-studded stand-up on Gotham Comedy Live each Sunday.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:03 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: AXS TV, Max, Our Flag Means Death, Partridge Family, Starstruck, The Monkees

HBO Max Renews Starstruck for a Third Season; Max Original Comedy Series from Issa Rae Debuts July 21

The Max Original comedy Starstruck, created by comedian and writer Rose Matafeo, has been renewed for a third season by HBO Max and co-producer BBC Three. The series is co-written by Matafeo, Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, with Matafeo and Snedden also directing. Seasons one and two are available to stream on HBO Max.

Starstruck follows Jessie (Matafeo), a millennial living in East London juggling two dead end jobs and navigating the complications of becoming romantically involved with famous film star Tom (Nikesh Patel), and follows the couple as they realize they can't keep away from each other. The ensemble cast previously included Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) and Russell Tovey.

Consistently receiving huge critical praise across the globe, Starstruck has been nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards 2022, and Best Comedy Series at the Edinburgh TV Awards 2021, while Matafeo has received nominations from BAFTA 2022 for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme, and a National Comedy Award 2021 for Best Breakthrough Artist. Starstruck was highlighted by Rotten Tomatoes as their #3 best TV show of the year, featured in the Guardian’s ‘Top 10 Best Shows of 2021’, AV Club’s ‘Top 8 Great TV Hidden Gems’, Decider’s ‘Best TV Shows of the Year’, as well as highlighted as one of the best shows to watch in Decider, New York Times, Paste Magazine, NME, Thrillist, Washington Post, CNET, The Guardian, The I, The Telegraph, Stylist, Vulture, Concrete Playground, Rotten Tomatoes, Time Magazine, Buzzfeed, Chicago Tribune, Paper City Mag, Mashable, Hollywood Reporter, NPR, Star Tribune, Jezebel, TV Insider, TV Guide, Boston Globe, and Bustle, while Matafeo was featured in Variety’s ‘Best Performances of 2021’, The Times’s ‘Top 10 Funniest Actors on TV.’

The Max Original comedy series Rap Sh!t, from Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Issa Rae, will debut Thursday, July 21 with two episodes. The eight-episode season continues with one episode each week, concluding September 1.

Rap Sh!t follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who reunite to form a rap group. Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell and RJ Cyler will also star.

Rap Sh!t is executive produced by Issa Rae and showrunner Syreeta Singleton, as well as Montrel McKay for HOORAE, Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment, and Deniese Davis. Rae also wrote the premiere episode and co-wrote the finale episode with Singleton. Hip hop duo Yung Miami and JT of City Girls serve as co-executive producers, along with Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas for Quality Control Films and Sara Rastogi for HOORAE. Rae’s audio content company Raedio handles music supervision for the series.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: HBO Max, Rap Sh!t, Starstruck

HBO Max's Starstruck Returns for Season 2; Mike Myers' The Pentaverate Premieres May 5

Max Original series, Starstruck, from comedian Rose Matafeo and co-writers Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, returns for a second season with all six episodes debuting Thursday, March 24. Matafeo returns to play Jessie in Starstruck, a millennial living in East London navigating the complications of becoming romantically involved with Tom (Nikesh Patel), a famous film star. The season two ensemble cast also includes Minnie Driver and Russell Tovey. Season one is currently streaming on HBO Max. After her grand gesture at the end of season one, in season two, Jessie must deal with the real-world consequences of deciding to stay and pursue a relationship with Tom, rather than sticking to her original plan of returning home to New Zealand. Starring Rose Matafeo, Nikesh Patel, Emma Sidi, Joe Barnes, Al Roberts, Ambreen Razia, Alice Snedden, Lola-Rose Maxwell, Nic Sampson, Edward Easton, Parth Thakerar, Jordan Stephens and Minnie Driver.

From the mind of Mike Myers comes a Netflix comedy series event - The Pentaverate - streaming 05.05. The Pentaverate [pen-tav-urr-uht] must never be exposed. What if a secret society of five men has been working to influence world events for the greater good since the Black Plague of 1347? As this new series begins, one unlikely Canadian journalist finds himself embroiled in a mission to uncover the truth and just possibly save the world himself. Remember, the Pentaverate must never be exposed! Starring Mike Myers, Ken Jeong, Keegan-Michael Key, Debi Mazar, Richard McCabe, Jennifer Saunders and Lydia West. Creator / Executive Producer is Mike Myers. Director / Executive Producer is Tim Kirkby. Additional Executive Producers: John Lyons, Tony Hernandez and Lilly Burns for Jax Media; and Jason Weinberg. Six half-hour episodes have been ordered. Mike Myers will be playing eight characters.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: HBO Max, Netflix, Starstruck, The Pentaverate