Fall TV season 2021: Streaming services have the most interesting new shows

As a fan of sci-fi, fantasy and horror genre shows, I find nothing that interests me on the broadcast television channels this fall TV season. Almost all the good stuff is on subscription video-on-demand services.
The broadcast networks are offering mostly uninspired, familiar programming. That includes returning shows, spinoffs, and remakes, along with game shows.
NBC is packed with Dick Wolf productions, including the “Law & Order” and “Chicago” procedural dramas. CBS has the “CSI” and “NCIS” franchises and Wolf’s “FBI” franchise. Not a lot of free time slots for daring programs.
The only genre drama is NBC’s “La Brea,” which looks like a stupid “Land of the Lost” rip-off.
Here are the shows that interest me this fall TV season, including their networks and premiere dates:

• “Y: The Last Man,” FX on Hulu, Sept. 13
• “Midnight Mass,” Netflix, Sept. 24
• “Day of the Dead,” Syfy, Oct. 15
• “Invasion,” Apple TV+, Oct. 22
• “Locke & Key,” season two, Netflix, Oct. 22
• “Girl in the Woods,” Peacock, October
• “Dexter: New Blood,” Showtime, Nov. 7
• “Cowboy Bebop,” Netflix, Nov. 19
• “Wheel of Time,” Amazon Prime Video, Nov. 19
• “Hawkeye,” Disney+, Nov. 24
• “The Witcher,” season two, Netflix, Dec. 17
• “Station Eleven,” HBO Max, TBD

Photo: Promotional art for “Invasion” on Apple TV+. (Apple)

Song of Summer 2021: ‘Good 4 U’ by Olivia Rodrigo

The song of summer for 2021 goes to “Good 4 U” by breakout star Olivia Rodrigo.
Spotify reported that “Good 4 U” was the most streamed song in the U.S. and worldwide this summer.
Rodrigo was clearly the most dominating artist this summer. She had two other hits in the top five songs of summer in the U.S., according to Spotify: “Deja Vu” and “Traitor.”
Billboard claims “Butter” by K-pop group BTS was the No. 1 song of summer this year. But I heard it maybe once or twice on the radio and nowhere out in public this season. It was definitely not part of my soundtrack for the summer of 2021.

My favorite songs this summer included:

“Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat feat. SZA
“Sacrifice” by Bebe Rexha
“Neon Lights” by Lodato
“You for Me” by Sigala & Rita Ora
“Love Again” by Dua Lipa
“Leave Before You Love Me” by Marshmello & Jonas Brothers
“Met Him Last Night” by Demi Lovato feat. Ariana Grande (Dave Audé Remix)
“Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande
“Titans” by Major Lazer feat. Sia & Labrinth

Related articles:

Spotify’s Top Songs and Podcasts of Summer 2021 (Spotify; Aug. 24, 2021)

Spotify Reveals Most-Streamed Songs of Summer 2021 (Complex; Aug. 24, 2021)

Camila Cabello just latest star to play Cinderella

Pop singer Camila Cabello is the latest in a long line of actresses to portray fairytale character Cinderella. Her musical movie “Cinderella” premiered Sept. 3 on Amazon Prime Video.
The role has been played previously by Julie Andrews, Jennifer Beals, Anna Kendrick and more. (See “Actresses who have played Cinderella in movies and TV shows.”)
Up next is Bailee Madison as a Cinderella-like character in the movie “A Cinderella Story: Starstruck.” The sixth movie in the “Cinderella Story” franchise, it is due out later this year.
Here is a list of actresses who have played Cinderella or similar characters in modern retellings of the classic fairytale:

Jennifer Grey, “If the Shoe Fits” (1990)
Drew Barrymore, “Ever After” (1998)
Marcella Plunkett, “Cinderella” (2000)
Hilary Duff, “A Cinderella Story” (2004)
Selena Gomez, “Another Cinderella Story” (2008)
Ashlee Hewitt, “Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale” (2010)
Lucy Hale, “A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song” (2011)
Sofia Carson, “A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits” (2016)
Lauren Perez, “Cinderella: The Enchanted Beginning” (2018)
Laura Marano, “A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish” (2019)
Maisa Silva, “DJ Cinderella” aka “Cinderela Pop” (2019)
Camila Cabello, “Cinderella” (2021)