The It List: 'Comic genius' Phil Hartman's last days examined in ABC News special, 'Game of Thrones' likely to win big at the Emmys, 'ER' turns 25 and the best in pop culture the week of September 16, 2019
The It List is Yahoo’s weekly look at the best in pop culture, including movies, music, TV, streaming, games, books, podcasts and more. Here are our picks for Sept. 16-22, including the best deals we could find for each.
WATCH IT: Look back on one of SNL’s saddest moments in The Last Days of Phil Hartman
More than 20 years after Saturday Night Live alum Phil Hartman died, when his wife killed him in a murder suicide, ABC News recalls his life and tragic end in a two-hour special. It includes previously unseen interview footage and home videos of the comedian, as well as sit-downs with former SNL cast member Julia Sweeney and others who worked with him including his NewsRadio co-stars Andy Dick and Vicki Lewis; Los Angeles police officers who examined the crime scene; and Gregory Omdahl, the brother of Hartman’s late wife. — Raechal Shewfelt
The Last Days of Phil Hartman airs Thursday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. on ABC.
WATCH IT: Game of Thrones looks to roar one last time at the 71st Emmy Awards on Sunday
It’s no secret that Game of Thrones’s final season left many fans wanting to channel Daenerys and Drogon and burn the whole thing down. But among Emmy voters, at least, HBO’s fantasy series is still King in the North. Thrones scooped up a record 32 nominations — including Outstanding Drama Series and multiple acting and technical categories — for its last six episodes, lifting the show to a cumulative total of 161 nods over its entire eight-season history. While an upset seems unlikely at this point, Killing Eve and Succession are possible dark horse candidates to take home the crown. Over on the Outstanding Comedy side, Amazon Prime’s period favorite, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, looks to repeat last year’s win, but has formidable competition in the form of Twitter’s favorite show, Schitt’s Creek, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s critically adored Fleabag.
Like this year’s Oscars ceremony, the Emmys are opting to go host-less, though a bevy of famous presenters will be on hand, including Stephen Colbert, Angela Basset, Billy Porter and, of course, the Game of Thrones cast. Drinks are on them since we know they’ll have the Emmy gold to pay their debts. — Ethan Alter
The 71st Emmy Awards airs Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8pm on Fox.
STREAM IT: Rihanna throws an eye-popping, booty-shaking fashion show for her Savage X Fenty lingerie line
Rihanna's big lingerie show, which has been heralded as a more inclusive version of the Victoria's Secret show, took place during New York Fashion Week and can now be streamed in all its lacy glory on Amazon Prime. Under RiRi's vision, the worlds of fashion, music and celebrity came together for the event, which boasted 40+ models and dancers — a diverse range, celebrating various sizes and genders — in nearly 150 looks in a show choreographed by Parris Goebel. (Cara Delevingne, Gigi Hadid, Laverne Cox and Normani were some of the models.) A performer first, Rihanna didn't skimp on the musical acts either, which included Halsey, Migos, DJ Khaled, Big Sean and A$AP Ferg. The empowering special goes behind-the-scenes in the weeks leading up to the show as well as the actual event, which had such tight security that attendees had to put their phones in sealed cases for the duration of the show. Perhaps the best part is that if you like what you see, the collection — which ranges in sizes from 32A-42H and XS-3X — is all shoppable on Amazon in a range of largely affordable prices.
Watch the Savage X Fenty fashion show on Amazon and purchase items from the Fall/Winter 2019 collection on Amazon Fashion.
WATCH IT: Prepare to embark on a space odyssey that’s more 2001 than Star Wars with Brad Pitt’s Ad Astra
Iconoclastic director James Gray partners up with Brad Pitt for an intimate father/son drama that plays out on a galaxy-sized canvas. The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star plays cosmonaut, Roy McBride, whose famed father, Clifford, disappeared in deep space decades ago. Now, cosmic pulses radiating from the vicinity of Neptune are threatening life on Earth, and the elder McBride may be responsible. So Roy suits up for a top secret mission to find his estranged dad, rediscovering his own sense of self in the process.
Working with the largest budget of his career, Gray designs some spectacular space-scapes, which recall Stanley Kubrick’s seminal 1968 classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as Darren Aronofsky’s more recent (and more divisive), The Fountain. (Ad Astra also contains a healthy streak of Apocalypse Now, particularly in Pitt’s world-weary narration.) The director does make concession to the multiplex audience by including action sequences that range from a moon buggy chase to Pitt forcing his way onto a rocket moments before takeoff. But make no mistake: Gray is first and foremost concerned with matters of the head and heart, with some scenes effectively finding that balance, and others falling flat. Like the movies it’s striving to replicate, Ad Astra seems unlikely to be a box office smash but the viewers who are on its wavelength will follow it to infinity... and beyond. — E.A.
Ad Astra opens in theaters on Sept. 20. Visit Fandango and Atom Tickets for showtime and ticket information.
WATCH IT: American Horror Story heads to summer camp circa 1984
Ryan Murphy, American Horror Story vets (Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, John Carroll Lynch, Cody Fern) and some new-to-the-AHS franchise faces (Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworhty, DeRon Horton, Zach Villa) pay homage to scary slasher flicks of the ‘80s — think Friday the 13th, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street — with the ninth season of the anthology horror series. AHS: 1984 follows psychiatric hospital escapee Mr. Jingles as he goes on a throat-slashing spree at Camp Redwood, where his victims are the (naughty) camp counselors. In addition to the decade’s questionable fashion lewks (we see you leg warmers!), the opening credits clip teases a whole lot of gore this season, which was confirmed by Lourd on Jimmy Fallon promising, “This one is even gorier than it ever has been before.” This new season of AHS is already giving us Olivia Newton-John “Physical” music video meets bloody murder massacre vibes, and it’s officially terrifying! — Gisselle Bances
AHS: 1984 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. on FX.
HEAR IT: Blink-182’s new LP Nine arrives 20 years after their career-defining Enema of the State album
The pop-punk boys grow up on their ninth studio album (and second with Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba), with songs like "Happy Days,” "Darkside,” "Blame It on My Youth” and "Generational Divide" inspired by world events and founding member Mark Hoppus’s battle with depression. — Lyndsey Parker
Download on iTunes; buy on CD/vinyl/cassette at Amazon.
BOOK IT: Madonna kicks off her Madame X tour
Madonna's latest reinvention tour, which opened in New York City on Tuesday night, was everything a true fan would expect from their queen: thrilling, joyous, disturbing, high-powered, a bit naughty, at times awkward — and over an hour late. But that was no matter for anyone in the crowd, excited to be so close to the icon as she kicked off her 17-night run at the intimate, ornate theater in Brooklyn. The performance was beautifully generous, both in its fantasy-array of through-the-decade offerings ("Human Nature," "Like a Prayer" and "American Life" among them), and in the seriously superhuman strength from Madonna's two-plus hours onstage (not to mention the talent of the show's dancers and musicians, which included turns by most of her kids). The true gems of the evening, though, were the newest songs, from the Madame X album, which offered equal parts apocalyptic fear and pure joy — just like life on Earth in 2019. — Beth Greenfield
The Madame X tour goes through Oct. 12 in Brooklyn, N.Y., before continuing on to Chicago, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia and Miami, then onto dates in Europe. Visit Ticketmaster to book your concert tickets.
WATCH IT: Zach Galifianakis debuts Between Two Ferns: The Movie on Netflix
Can Zach Galifianakis stretch his 5-minute Funny or Die bit where he pelts the most famous of celebrities with awkward or insulting questions into a feature-length film? Well, yes, he's done that, this is established fact. But is it any good? We’re happy to say that that is also an affirmative. Director Scott Aukerman and gang pass the sketch-to-film test that so many SNL movies have failed with a clever premise that finds a documentary crew following Zach's frantic trek across country to capture 10 interviews in two weeks for the chance to get this own real, live late-night (non-cable access) hosting gig. While stars like Matthew McConaughey, Jon Hamm, Brie Larson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tiffany Haddish, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and Keanu Reeves (because of course, it's 2019) are all game for mockery in interviews that don't disappoint, it's one of the "characters," improv star Lauren Lapkus (Orange Is the New Black) as Zach's loyal producer, who steals the show. — Kevin Polowy
Watch Between Two Ferns: The Movie starting Friday Sept. 20 on Netflix.
WATCH IT: ER, the iconic medical drama that made a star of George Clooney, turns 25
Oh sure, George Clooney may be a movie star, Oscar winner, director and husband to Amal now, but he’ll always be Dr. Doug Ross to us. Sept. 19 marks the 25th anniversary of ER, the long-running medical drama that saw everyone from Julianna Margulies and Maura Tierney to John Stamos and Mekhi Phifer scrubbing in. It’s all the excuse you need to settle in for a binge-watch and relive the Benson-Carter bromance, Dr. Romano’s bad helicopter mojo and that Lo Fidelity Allstars-soundtracked stabbing. — Erin Donnelly
ER is available to stream on Hulu and Amazon.
WATCH IT: Sean Spicer and 11 more celebs make their ballroom debut on the Dancing With the Stars Season 28 premiere
The long-running ABC reality show kicks off with a supermodel, Bachelorette star, NFL Hall of Famer and former White House Press Secretary as Christie Brinkley, Hannah Brown, Ray Lewis and Sean Spicer are just a few of the celebrities competing for the Mirror Ball trophy this year. There was immediate backlash after Spicer's casting was revealed, but the network stood firm despite outrage. So how will that impact voting? Guess we'll have to wait to find out. — Taryn Ryder
DWTS premieres Monday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
HEAR IT: Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher releases sophomore solo album Why Me? Why Not.
Following his critically acclaimed debut solo album in 2017, the mouthy Oasis brother is back with a strong set of collaborations with superstar producers Greg Kurstin and Andrew Watt. For all you diehard Britpop fans still waiting for an Oasis reunion, make note that Why Me? boasts a harder sound reminiscent of what turned out to be Oasis’s final album, 2008’s Dig Out Your Soul. — L.P.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD/vinyl at Amazon.
WATCH IT: Catch up with the Crawleys in the Downton Abbey movie
It’s been three long years since we last saw Lady Mary, Bates and all the rest, so it’s about time for checking in on the family. When we left them, Edith had just married and Mary was pregnant, but, oh yes, there’s more drama headed their way: a visit from the king and queen! Expect the lovely costumes and elaborate 1920s set to play out even more beautifully on the big screen. — R.S.
The Downton Abbey movie arrives in theaters Sept. 20. Visit Fandango or Atom Tickets for showtime and ticket information.
WATCH IT: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am documentary puts the legendary American novelist into context
Celebrated author Toni Morrison died last month at the age of 88, which makes the release of this documentary on DVD a bittersweet offering. On the bright side, it gives both dedicated fans of her literary works and more casual film fans a great excuse to spend two hours digging into the legacy of the Song of Solomon and Beloved scribe. Directed by Timonthy Greenfield-Sanders, The Pieces I Am takes an intimate look at a remarkable life and career of an American icon, with insights shared by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Angela Davis and Fran Lebowitz. But most importantly, it's the presence of Morrison herself, narrating her own journey, that's the film's greatest gift. — K.P.
Buy Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am on DVD or Digital on Amazon.
HEAR IT: Zac Brown Band’s sixth album, The Owl, takes flight Sept. 20
The Grammy-winning country group enlists a surprising cast of multi-genre collaborators for their sixth album, including techno star Skrillex, pop super-producers Max Martin and Benny Blanco and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder. — L.P.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD/vinyl at Amazon.
WATCH IT: Celebrate the 30th anniversary of TGIF, the TV lineup favorite of the ‘90s
If you grew up in the ’90s, then TGIF was a way of life. The family friendly two-hour TV comedy block on ABC debuted 30 years ago with Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers and Just the Ten of Us. The classic lineup of comedies aired until 2000 and produced a slew of hit shows that are still beloved today. It was cheesy. It was fun. And it was long before the days of social media and streaming services when people actually watched television in real time with no distractions. Later TGIF shows included Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Boy Meets World, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper and Step by Step. TGIF itself was rebooted — twice! — once in 2003, and then a second time in 2018. Even though we have Fuller House and Girl Meets World, we’re still holding out hope for a Family Matters reboot. Your move, Steve Urkel, your move! — Jen Kucsak
Watch every episode of Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Boy Meets World, Step by Step, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper on Hulu.
HEAR IT: Enjoy the last days of summer with Fitz and the Tantrums’s All the Feels
The Los Angeles neo-soul party band returns with their most personal, raw and vulnerable collection of songs to date — the perfect end-of-summer soundtrack. — L.P.
Download on iTunes; buy on CD/vinyl at Amazon.
PLAY IT: Get your game on with Daemon X Machina
This eye-popping throwback mech battle game unfolds like a manga come alive. Set in (natch) a dystopian future, DxM is a beautifully art-directed game from the creator of Armored Core that lets players customize their own avatar and mech (known here an Arsenal) and then launch into attack against the evil AI-powered ‘bots in either a single-player story mode or a co-op battle royale (which includes online play). Nintendo promises even longer playability with a series of forthcoming DLCs. — Marcus Errico
Daemon X Machina is now available at Amazon and retailers nationwide.
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