008. Q+A, New On TV, and HBO Max
A few weeks ago, I posted an Instagram story for a little Q+A newsletter! I’ve kept the questions anonymous, but thank you to those who sent in questions! I only answered a few today, but if it’s something you guys like, I’ll do more in the future! Without further ado, let’s answer some Qs.
Photo is from this Instagram post of mine on the Monastery XX Rose Glycolic Gel from The Boxwalla April Beauty Box!
Osmia Lip Doctor ($12, 8g | 0.28oz), Echo Vie Tinted Lip Balm ($28, 5ml | 0.2oz), Heart of Gold Sky Compass Eye Balm ($66, 15ml).
*Editor’s note: This was comprised a few weeks ago, so I’d like to link lip balms by Black-owned brands too! Below are a few I’m eyeing for when I need a new one (haven’t tried any before, but looking forward to):
Dehiya The Lip Balm ($12, three scent options, currently sold out but pre-orders ship out first during restocks!)
Dehiya Lip + Cheek Tint ($38, 4 colorways, I have my eye on Dreamer)
blade + bloom rich lip balm / adore ($12, 4 colorways and scents)
The Great (Hulu): Last I wrote about this; I said I was curious to see how the show would progress since it started losing its initial luster in episode three. I'm happy to report it holds steady, and we've since finished the series! I'm genuinely saddened the season (series?) has come to an end. This show is so well-written, and the acting is superb. I'm continually impressed by the word count of each episode and the pacing of speech. The last two episodes are, by far, my favorite. The cast is excellent individually, but they shine as one. Remarkable.
I Know This Much Is True (HBO): We've only watched one episode so far, but wow. This is Mark Ruffalo at his best. This show is wholly earth-shattering and heartwrenching, not for the meek, and I was blown away by the premiere. It's sat with me for almost a week now, and it still feels so close that if I were to think a second too long on it, I might start to cry. Hoping the season holds up to the impeccable standard of the first episode.
Holey Moley II The Sequel (Hulu): I'm 99% sure Husband and I were the only ones who watched Season 1. But we were delighted to see it return for a Season 2! It's a mini-golf competition with commentary by Joe Tessitore (ABC, ESPN American sportscaster) and Rob Riggle (American Actor, Comedian). Hilarious, charming, and all the good feels with incredible "pranks" (obstacles). Season 2 is even better than Season 1. Watch and laugh along!
The Big Flower Fight (Netflix): This show is for fans of flowers, sculpture, and Nadja from FX's ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ (she hosts and dons an amazing wardrobe). Teams of florists from around the globe compete, making incredible floral sculptures!
Insecure / Season 4 (HBO): The season finale was last Sunday, and I saved it for this past week because I never want these seasons to end. Even though I in no way worked on this show, I'm incredibly proud of it. It's matured in many senses, and it's been thrilling and heartwarming to watch it come into its own. This season touched on the same relatable issues but explored deeper than ever before. Issa's grown up and I with her. It's a beautiful must-watch season.
Love Life (HBO Max): I binge-watched this over 3 days, maybe? More thoughts to come. And yes, that's the guy from 'Devs,' and yes, he is much more likable in this one.
Speaking of, on May 27th, HBO Max launched! I’d been waiting ever since I heard about it early last year (and possibly when I worked on some things for it). I was thrilled to hear that it would include the entire HBO library and so much more. I was already a subscriber to HBO Now so was grandfathered into HBO Max. It’s even better than I imagined it would be. It still costs the same $14.99 per month but it has new original series specific to HBO Max along with the current HBO library, plus the following “channels”:
Studio Ghibli: the entire library in both subbed and dubbed versions!
DC: movies, live action shows, and animated series
TCM
Adult Swim
Crunchyroll: 11 titles at the launch; unclear if they will rotate out or add new ones
Sesame Workshop, Looney Tunes, and Cartoon Network: for the kiddos and adults alike
A few new HBO Max Original series that launched with the streaming service are:
If you’ve been on the fence about subscribing, there’s no better time than now! This is by no means sponsored, but you all know how much I love my HBO.
Thanks so much for reading! ZeroZeroZero recaps are tentatively on hiatus, but I'm hoping to return to them soon! I hope you enjoyed the slightly different format of this week's newsletter. What are some of your favorite lip balms? And have you been watching any of the new series on TV lately? Let me know in the comments. Hope you have a great start to your week!
