If you don't have plans on stepping out this weekend because COVID concerns are sticking around or it's just too darn hot out there, perhaps you'll be bowing down before King James in the reboot of the Looney Tunes/NBA mashup Space Jam: A New Legacy on HBO Max (despite the lackluster reviews). But if you're looking for something else to stream, Cheddar's digital team might have a few suggestions to get you through the weekend.
Note: Spoilers possible. Proceed with caution.
Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Starz
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
As writer and showrunner Courtney Kemp would say, “Power never ends.” Premiering this Sunday is the second spinoff of Starz’s hit television series Power, titled Power Book III: Raising Kanan. The spinoff, a prequel to the Power series, is set in 1990s southside Jamaica, Queens and will track the origin story of rapper 50 Cent’s character, Kanan Stark. If you’re new to the Powerverse, no need to go back to the previous series to catch up but you should be prepared for a rough ride, centered around a savage family of criminals in the drug business. Starring in the series are a number of fresh faces including Mekai Curtis and Hailey Kilgore as well as some familiar ones like Omar Epps.
Gunpowder Milkshake
Netflix
Picked by Copyeditor Mike Nam
Need a cool, smooth streaming snack? Netflix's Gunpowder Milkshake offers up a stylish, vibrant action film performed by some top notch leading ladies. Marvel's Nebula, Karen Gillan, kicks off the blood-drenched, neon-noir-ish gunplay as an assassin rescuing a young girl with the help of her killer mom Lena Headey and some "librarians" played by Angela Bassett, Carla Gugino, and Michelle Yeoh.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Season 1, Episode 12
Disney+
Picked by Copyeditor Mike Nam
For more family- friendly fare, Star Wars: The Bad Batch continues with episode 12 of its inaugural season, Rescue on Ryloth, where the turncoat clone warriors crossover with a previous animated series, Star Wars: Rebels, as they aid young ace-pilot-to-be Hera Syndulla, whose parents have been arrested by the Empire.
Black Summer Season 2
Netflix
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo
In most cases, you'd be excused for skipping over the latest zombie TV series. They are a dime a dozen, and it's hard to tell what's good and what's just padding out the horror sections of streaming platforms. But Black Summer, which last month released its second season on Netflix, is a notable exception. The show, helmed by action director John Hyams and producer Karl Schaefer , forgoes exposition and extended dialogue scenes in favor of a near-constant string of nail-biting set-pieces. Each episode is a lean, mean horror-thriller: no build-up or delayed gratification, just incident after incident. In a classic example of showing and not telling, the characters come to life through their actions, rather than endless, half-whispered dialogue. Come for the thrills, stay for the almost elemental portrayal of survival and struggle.
The Kominsky Method
Netflix
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
When I'm only three years behind in my streaming playlist that's not too bad, and I am grateful I've finally had time to get around to The Kominsky Method on Netflix. It's dark, it's hilarious, and it's very, very bingeable. You need Hollywood royalty like Alan Alda and Michael Douglas to pull off this kind of humor about things we, as humans, unfortunately have to deal with at times: death, addiction, medical emergencies — fun stuff like that. After getting through a crazy day, it's just the kind of entertainment I need. And luckily at this point, I have three seasons ahead of me!
M&M's is rebranding its iconic chocolate candy characters with new looks and storylines highlighting the "progressive world" we live in today. Jane Hwang, global vice president of M&M's, joined Cheddar to talk about the company's rebrand. "M&M's is on a mission to create a world where everyone feels they belong," she said. The multi-colored, anthropomorphized candies will be getting an updated look and tone, according to Hwang, such as Green receiving a makeover that reflects more female empowerment and confidence.
The Department of Agriculture has officially unveiled its plan to fight catastrophic wildfires that have devastated parts of the West in the last few years. The department, along with the Forest Service will work to significantly increase fuels and forest health treatments to address the escalating crisis of wildfire danger. Executive Editor of Cipher, a publication by Breakthrough Energy, Amy Harder, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A new report out on Linkedin says that Crypto-related job postings in the US surged to 395% between 2020 and 2021. Job titles which included titles containing "Bitcoin", "Ethereum", "Blockchain", and cryptocurrency, all outpaced jobs in the wider tech industry which saw a 98% increase in listings during the same time period. LinkedIn also notes that the most common crypto job postings were blockchain developers and engineers. CEO of Radkl, Ryan Sheftel, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A new study has been causing a lot of buzz in the cannabis industry. Researchers from Oregon State University found that compounds in cannabis could prevent infection with COVID-19, but that doesn't mean smoking marijuana prevents people from getting infected. CV Sciences medical advisor Dr. Michael Lewis joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Software company BigPanda recently raised $190 million in Series D funding, led by Advent International and Insight Partners. The funding round gives the company unicorn status with a $1.2 billion valuation. BigPanda develops A.I. software that detects and analyzes problems in I.T. systems. The company says it aims to be the solution for other companies that do not have enough manpower to manage their data, as more and more industries continue to build a broader digital presence. BigPanda co-founder and CEO Assaf Resnick joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Amazon Prime announced the name of the highly anticipated Middle-Earth prequel streaming series to be called "The Rings of Power," premiering on September 2. The show takes place thousands of years before the stories set in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings."
Sebastien Lagree, creator and founder of Lagree Fitness, joins Cheddar News to talk about the growth of Lagree Fitness and industry trends to watch in 2022.
We've all seen the headlines about a record number of Americans quitting their jobs in what's become known as the Great Resignation. However, new data on why people are leaving the workforce in droves suggests the bigger headline is Americans are simply burned out. Stephanie Aston, CEO of Black Girl Group, joined Cheddar News to break down why so many employees have reached their breaking points and what employers can do about it.
Nikhilesh De, managing editor of global regulation and policy at CoinDesk, joins Cheddar News to discuss Bitcoin's slump and corporations' growing interest in NFTs.
Thrive Market is a health-first membership for conscious living, with a mission to make healthy and sustainable living easy and accessible. Nick Green, CEO and co-founder, chatted with Cheddar's Baker Machado about the company's approach and new ventures in 2022. "I grew up outside of Minneapolis, middle class, middle America, and really saw firsthand how hard my mom had to work to put healthy food on the table, on a budget, without a health food store nearby," he said. "Twenty-some years later we looked around and just thought it was crazy that millions of Americans are still struggling with the same thing, and we decided to change it." Recently the brand released a line of organic frozen products and will be introducing new beauty and home brands.
