NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 13: View of the atmosphere during a spine-chilling soirée in celebration of the launch of Disney+ and Hulu's "Goosebumps," the new series inspired by R.L. Stine's books, at Chelsea Factory on October 13, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)
Wondering what to watch this weekend? This week we have more picks for the spooky season, a classic fairy tale, plus a reality show about kids running errands.
Goosebumps - Disney+ and Hulu
Picked by Keara O’Driscoll
Recreating a classic childhood show is hard, but Disney somehow gets it right most of the time. The show takes a modern twist on the bestselling series by RL Stine, featuring stories that will be sure to take fans down memory lane. The plot follows a group of teens who experience some weird situations that all trace back to a strange connection that their parents all have with the town's most haunted house ‘Old Biddle House.” Ps, you know when there is a house that is referred to as “the old *insert surname here* house,” something is bound to be going down. The writing is smart as well and doesn't follow the cringe way writers try to make Gen Z sound in shows, but actually, in the way people of Gen Z talk. That being said, I binged the first five episodes that were dropped. The next five episodes will be released weekly.
Back when I initially recommended 'Old Enough!' I didn't think I would ever find a sweeter show. But then I checked out Season 2. The long-running reality show, which premiered in Japan back in 1991, follows young children as they purportedly run their first errand without their parents. Netflix has hand-picked a number of old episodes which subscribers can now enjoy the show way across the globe. The first set of episodes that Netflix picked to share with new audiences was adorable, but they upped the ante with Season 2. This time, every episode ends with a check-in to see where the kids ended up once they became young adults.
Continuing with the theme of Halloween, I've been seeking out horror flicks. I heard about Hereditary and decided to give it a go. I definitely enjoyed the plot of the film, which was centered around a Utah family whose connection to evil uncovers itself following a series of unbelievable events. The film has all the components of some of the most iconic scary movies like seances, conjuring the dead and gruesome death scenes. I have to admit, the finale scene of the movie left me so confused that I'm still unsure of what to make of it.
Bono and artist Gavin Friday have expanded the classic orchestral fairy tale into a half-hour mostly black-and-white animated film. The music is, of course, beautiful, and its mix of animation styles mirrors the swirl of feelings — both light and dark — that the 12-year-old Peter is going through as he deals with a major loss.
The Chinese government brought the sitcom "Friends" back to its streaming services. However, it had instances of LGBTQ+ references left out, after the series had been banned on Chinese streaming platforms for years.
Season 13 "Shark Tank" contestant Tania Speaks secured a $400,000 deal for her Speaks Organic Skincare brand with "Shark" Mark Cuban while also being named one of the best pitches in the history of the show — all at 19 years old. Now 20, Speaks joined Cheddar News to talk about the skincare line, the clean beauty industry, and the moment that host Cuban was moved by her pitch. "I couldn't believe that he got emotional. I'm surprised I held back my tears that long," the young entrepreneur revealed. "It's just amazing for someone else to be inspired by your story, especially Mark Cuban himself."
The media giant formerly known as ViacomCBS has officially rebranded itself as Paramount Global with a focus on its streaming service, Paramount Plus. Naveen Chopra, chief financial officer at Paramount, joined Cheddar to discuss the company’s name change and streaming wars. "There are components of content licensing that we continue to do, either historical arrangements or opportunities to license content that don't really impinge on what we're trying to do with our owned and operated services and that continues to be an important ingredient in our broader financial model," he said. "But our number one priority is putting our best assets on Paramount Plus." Chopra also discussed theatrical release windows before feature films hit its service and the platform's subscription goals.
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
While Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, it's also a time to reflect on how they can be better heard and supported.
Black Americans are still fighting for voting rights, facing more severe impacts from COVID-19, and experiencing gaps in workforce representation and pay. Alexandra Schrecengost, hybrid work expert and CEO of "Virtual With Us" and "Culture With Us,' joined Cheddar News to discuss.
