The holidays are over, and you are either happy about that or sad.
Families, food and fun. Or drama, too much booze and canceled flights.
Regardless of how you rolled, sit back and relax with a new year, new content and a new you (just kidding, we know it’s the same you, but you are legally obligated to do the whole “new year, new me” thing).
Let’s goooooooooooo!
Three things to watch
‘Euphoria’ Season 2
Emmy-winning series “Euphoria” follows a group of high school students through their trials and tribulations around sex, drugs, identity and relationships.
Speaking of dysfunction, based on the trailer, recovering drug addict Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, is going through it in the new season of “Euphoria.”
She looks toasted, roasted and struggling — which means an absolutely stellar performance in the unconventional teen drama from the actor, who won an Emmy for the role in 2020.
Season two of “Euphoria” begins Sunday on HBO Max (which is owned by CNN’s parent company).
‘The Tender Bar’
Ben Affleck as Uncle Charlie (left) and Tye Sheridan as Junior star in “The Tender Bar.”
Mosey on up to this watering hole filled with a cast of characters.
With all Ben Affleck has going on in his personal life, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the man is in the business of acting.
This time around he’s playing a bar owner whose spot is a place of growth for his aspiring writer nephew (Tye Sheridan).
George Clooney directed this drama, which debuts Friday on Amazon Prime.
‘The Lost Daughter’
(From left) Dakota Johnson as Nina and Olivia Colman as Leda star in “The Lost Daughter.”
Clooney isn’t the only actor vying for awards season as a director.
Maggie Gyllenhaal directed and adapted this script from Elena Ferrante’s novel of the same name.
Award-winning actress Olivia Colman stars as a woman who becomes friends with a troubled young mother, played by Dakota Johnson.
That’s all I can share without potentially spoiling it, but trust that things get deep.
The psychological drama is currently streaming on Netflix.
Two things to listen to
The Weeknd performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, February 7, 2021.
Get ready for The Weeknd.
Yes, the weekend as in Saturday and Sunday, but also the artist The Weeknd, who is dropping new music on Friday.
“Dawn FM” is the follow-up to 2020’s critically acclaimed “After Hours.”
A trailer for the new album promises “a new sonic universe from the mind of The Weeknd” and lists Jim Carrey, Quincy Jones, Lil Wayne, Tyler, The Creator, and Oneohtrix Point Never in what has got to be one of the most eclectic groups of collaborators ever.
RuPaul is shown in a scene from “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” series two, episode one.
RuPaul is not just content to have the reality series with the most Emmy wins.
His new album, “Mamaru,” is out Friday, and it’s his 14th studio album, thank you very much.
If the lead single, “Blame It on the Edit,” is any indication, RuPaul is coming for any and all who run afoul with his special mix of wit and reading.
One thing to talk about
“This Is Us” stars and creatives pose at the season six red carpet in Los Angeles, December 14, 2021.
“This Is Us” is ending, and we are not ready.
The sixth and final season kicked off this week for the show most likely to make you go through a half a box of tissues per episode.
And while we feel all the feels, know that we aren’t the only ones.
Some of the stars have talked about how the NBC drama has also touched them deeply as well.
Because that’s what good television does — it draws you in and reminds you of the humanity in us all.
Something to sip on
The latest surge in Covid-19 cases is spurred by the highly contagious Omicron variant, but getting vaccinated and boosted helps mitigate the severity of the infection.
The preponderance of celebrities testing positive for Covid-19 is a reminder that the coronavirus doesn’t care anything about who you are or where you are.
In this past week alone, talk show hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, along with actor Lupita Nyong’o, have all gone public with a positive diagnosis.
Celebrities are people, just like the rest of us, and the worldwide pandemic is a great equalizer in many ways.
While this may feel like March or April of 2020 all over again, remember that we now have vaccines and boosters to help mitigate the severity of infections.
So, please stay safe and do all that you can to make sure you protect yourself and others.
