Jeff Pfeiffer, Author at StayTuned Magazine

ID airing updated “Vanity Fair Confidential” episode about Robert Durst

March 17, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

In the wake of the recent re-arrest of alleged murderer and real estate heir Robert Durst — and Durst’s shocking, apparent confession on Sunday’s final episode of the HBO docuseries The Jinx — Investigation Discovery (ID) will air a special presentation of its Vanity Fair Confidential series. Called “The Robert Durst Story,” this episode is based on a February 2002 article by Ned Zeman that appeared in Vanity Fair. It touches upon rarely discussed or reported information about the relationship between Durst and Morris Black, the Gavleston, Texas, victim whom Durst was tried for killing. Durst was acquitted, even though the trial revealed that he did […]

Nat Geo Wild’s “Secret Garden” a timely spring special

March 17, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Here where I live, in southern Wisconsin, we suddenly started experiencing the first taste of spring over the past week. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s rapidly melted off about a foot of snow that had held firm on the ground for the previous six weeks, getting us ready for the official first day of spring this Friday. Amid the first stirrings of spring, it was timely that I was able to screen Nat Geo Wild’s new special Secret Garden, a lovely little program that similarly chronicles nature awakening to new seasons, and also timed in its airing near the first […]

Tyler Perry celebrates his OWN series with a “Too Darn Hot Party”

March 13, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Tyler Perry and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network both have reason to celebrate. Perry’s four series for the network — The Haves and the Have Nots, For Better or Worse, Love Thy Neighbor and If Loving You is Wrong — have become hits, and have recently been renewed for more episodes. To celebrate this success, and their partnership, OWN and Tyler Perry are presenting an event called Too Darn Hot Party. Perry hosts this event at his home, and the special offers an exclusive look behind the scenes. More from OWN: “From the intense pre-event planning to candid moments with celebrity guest […]

American Crime Episode 2 recap

March 12, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

American Crime Episode 2 spotlighted even more of what impressed me so much in the first episode — the unique, by television standards, filming style of John Ridley. Reading some responses to American Crime on Twitter when it debuted last week, I found some folks were not necessarily as intrigued and seemed somewhat confused at times. To be fair, it does take some adjustment. The quietness, especially in some of the extended scenes, is among the things that threw people off, if not outright bothered them, the most. There is little music to accentuate how you are supposed to be feeling; instead; […]

Will Ferrell playing in five MLB spring training games for HBO special

March 11, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

On March 12, Will Ferrell will be at five different Major League Baseball spring training ballparks in Arizona to begin production on a new HBO special from Funny or Die, in partnership with MLB. The special is dedicated to helping organizations dedicated to fighting cancer. Another goal for Ferrell from this is to honor Bert Campaneris’ historic 1965 feat of playing all nine positions in a game. Ferrell will be playing every position on the field for 10 different teams on the same day, and Campaneris is expected to be there with Ferrell as he begins his effort. Ferrell’s day will be covered […]

Lucy Lawless joins Starz series “Ash vs Evil Dead”

March 9, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Former Xena: Warrior Princess Lucy Lawless is back big time recently. Next month, she’ll be joining the cast of WGN America’s Salem as a recurring guest star, and today Starz announced that the actress will be joining the cast of its new series Ash vs Evil Dead, premiering later this year. Ash vs Evil Dead is a follow-up to the Evil Dead horror film franchise, with original star Bruce Campbell headlining the series, reprising his role as Ash and serving as co-executive producer. Lawless will play Ruby, a mysterious figure who is myopic in her quest to hunt down the source of recent Deadite outbreaks. The problem is that she […]

Standalone premium streaming service HBO NOW to launch in April

March 9, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Today, HBO announced the name of its standalone premium streaming service, HBO NOW, and the fact that it will launch in April (in time for the fifth season of Game of Thrones, according to a release. Season premiere for GOT is April 12). HBO, with Apple, also announced that for the first time an HBO subscription will be made directly to Apple customers through HBO NOW. For $14.99 a month, customers can subscribe using the HBO NOW app on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, or directly on Apple TV. Upon registering, subscribers will also be able to watch at HBONOW.com. HBO says […]

Intriguing “Dolphins: Spy in the Pod” embeds hidden cameras with dolphins

March 7, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

If you saw the impressive documentary Penguins: Waddle All the Way, in which hidden cameras delightfully captured the lives of the aquatic birds, you’ll be happy to know that same production team is back, and this time using their filmmaking techniques to follow dolphins. Dolphins: Spy in the Pod premieres March 7 on Discovery Channel, and takes an hour-long journey into the waters of Mozambique, Costa Rica, the Florida Keys, the Pacific Ocean and Shark Bay, Australia, to discover the relationships and habits of bottlenose and spinner dolphins. From Discovery: “Using a new generation of cutting-edge, animatronic spy cameras disguised as sea creatures, DOLPHINS: […]

Preview clips for Comedy Central’s “Night of Too Many Stars”

March 6, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

This Sunday, March 8, Comedy Central will once again air Night of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together for Autism Programs. Jon Stewart hosts the event, which since 2006 has raised over $18 million to benefit a variety of autism education and family service programs across the country. The Comedy Central broadcast of the special, which was taped last Saturday, will include live wrap-arounds featuring a celebrity phone bank, allowing viewers to call in during the airing to donate while speaking with comedians and celebrities. Talent that will be manning the phone banks include: Uzo Aduba, Samantha Bee, Aidy Bryant, Tom […]

American Crime Episode 1 recap

March 5, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Even from the opening credits of the first episode of ABC’s American Crime, which resembled those of a feature film, you could probably tell you were getting into something unique on broadcast television, something more cinematic and theatrical, more gritty and real. And from there, the style of the direction from creator and executive producer John Ridley (12 Years a Slave), and the intense performances he elicited from his great cast, may have confirmed your belief that you were watching something fantastic (if you weren’t already too engrossed in the story). If there was any drawback, it’s that it is on […]