Too Much TV: Your TV Talking Points - Holiday Edition

In theory, I am on a holiday break

Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Thursday, December 30th, 2021. I'm writing this from the Twin Cities, where AllYourScreens HQ is still trying to work my way through all of the screeners I need to watch this week.

A COUPLE OF PROGRAMMING NOTES
The daily newsletters will return next Monday. And January is looking to be a very crazy month. If you'd like to see what's coming, this list of 300+ premieres, movies and specials that have already been announced for the new year should scare you a bit. Also, here's a list of everything that premiered in 2021.

With 2022 just a couple of days away, I wanted to thank everyone for the support of this newsletter and the web site. The free newsletter just crossed the 19,000 mark this week and AllYourScreens.com looks like it will end December with just over 2,000,000 unique visitors. It's a crowded media environment and I appreciate all of the support you've given me in 2021.

MY 2022 STREAMING WISHLIST
I have several new pieces posting tomorrow on AllYourScreens: Five Predictions For 2022 and my 2022 Streaming Wishlist.

One of items on my wishlist which seems as if it would be an easy tweak for any streaming service is the ability to delete titles from my "Continue Watching" que. It's not an option that Netflix offers and Discovery+ not only doesn't offer subscribers that option, it also force loads another semi-random title when the current one you're watching is over. So if you don't back out of it at just the right moment, you end up with a title stuck in your "Continue Watching" que that is only there because the system forced it on you. 

That's not just annoying, but counter-productive for engagement. Especially since Discovery+ will automatically load new episodes of shows you've put on your list as they premiere. Making it an easy way to stay current with shows that you enjoy.

Q&A WITH TRUE-CRIME DOCUMENTARIAN JOE BERLINGER
Joe Berlinger is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker who in recent years has focused on true-crime documentaries that have a strong social justice component to then. Recent productions for include Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel (both for Netflix), Confronting A Serial Killer (done for Starz) and Murder Among The Mormons. 

In all of those productions, he has expanded the vision of what a true-crime documentary should be. In Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel, he told the story of the hotel's crime-ridden past, but also used those stories to illustrate the dangers of trying to solve crimes from the safety of your living room. Confronting A Serial Killer told the horrific story of serial killer Sam Little, but it also told the story of Jillian Lauren, a true-crime author who found herself drowning emotionally as she became Little's outlet for his stories of murder.

In the same way, Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer tells the story of Richard Cottingham, a nearly forgotten serial killer nicknamed "The Torso Killer" by the press. But the episodes also tell the story of Times Square in the 1970s: a sexually-charged neighborhood filled with everything from hundreds of sex workers to live shows featuring couple having sex in front onstage.

I recently spoke with Berlinger about the show (which premiered yesterday) and why he felt it was so important to tell the story of Richard Cottingham. 

NEW IN JANUARY
If you have trouble keeping track of all the new stuff coming to your favorite streamers and networks in January, these lists I've posted over the past few days should prove useful. There are list for all of the major streamers, as well as many smaller and niche services. If there are any you'd like me to add, just let me know.

* New On Amazon Prime Video

* New On Britbox

* New On Crackle

* New On Discovery+

* New On Disney+

* New On IMDb TV

* New On MHz Choice

* New On Netflix

* New On Paramount+

* New On Peacock

ODDS AND SODS
* The key to defeating spoiler culture: take a page from professional wrestling. Seriously.

* When we look back at the demise of cable 10 years from now, 2021 may still stand out as a year when new cracks in the foundation appeared.

* So how much money does Mariah Carey make every Christmas?

TWEET OF THE DAY

WHAT'S NEW FOR THIS WEEKEND
Here's a quick rundown of all the new stuff premiering this weekend on TV and streaming:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31ST, 2021:
Cobra Kai Season Four Premiere (Netflix)
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 (ABC)
Dishmantled Season Two Premiere (Roku)
Gary Owen: Black Famous (Showtime)
How To Win With John Wilson Season Two Finale (HBO Max)
Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party Hosted by Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson (NBC)
New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash (CBS)
Queer Eye Season Six Premiere (Netflix)
Restoration Road Season Premiere (Discovery+/Magnolia)
Seal Team (Netflix)
Stay Close Series Premiere (Netflix)
The Established Home Series Premiere (Discovery+/Magnolia)
The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
2021: It's Toast! (NBC)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1ST, 2022:
Crickey! It's The Irwins Season Premiere (Animal Planet)
Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks special (BBC America)
Finding Andrea (Investigation Discovery - previously premiered on Discovery+)
Ghost Hunters Season Premiere (Discovery+)
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (HBO Max)
Homeboy Series Premiere (Discovery+)
Homicide For The Holidays Season Premiere (Oxygen)
London Lit Series Premiere (Discovery+)
New York Homicide Series Premiere (Oxygen)
Rose Parade (NBC)
The Chief 2: Going For Broke (Netflix)
The 80s: Top Ten Series Premiere (NatGeo)
The Hookup Plan (Netflix)
The Perfect Pairing (Hallmark)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2ND, 2022:
Alex Vs. America Series Premiere (Food)
Around The World In 80 Days (PBS)
Dirty Jobs Season Premiere (Discovery)
Guy's Chance Of A Lifetime Series Premiere (Food)
Home Town Season Premiere (HGTV)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
Next Level Chef Series Premiere (Fox)
Relentless (Investigation Discovery - previously premiered on Discovery+)
The Equalizer (CBS)
The Repair Shop Series Premiere (Discovery+)
This Came Out Of Me Series Premiere (Discovery)

Click Here to see the list of all of the upcoming premiere dates for the next few months.

SEE YOU MONDAY! 

If you have any feedback, send it along to Rick@AllYourScreens.com and follow me on Twitter @aysrick.