It seems there is no end in sight for comic book properties being bought and turned into movies or television series. Lucifer is one of the newest additions getting the television treatment, and personally this was a title I was looking forward to.  With Tom Kapinos (Californication and Dawson’s Creek) at the helm, this seemed like it would be a good fit, though one thing did nag at me.  When you have a show called Lucifer, and it is about the devil taking a vacation on Earth, is standard television really the proper outlet for broadcast?  As a fan of Californication, I was excited to see what Kapinos would do with the material, and for the most part the show doesn’t disappoint.

When we first meet Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), he’s already been vacationing on Earth for a few years with no real desire to go back home.  He’s a ladies’ man who runs one of the hottest nightclubs in Los Angeles; who can blame him for not wanting to return home? Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) is an angel that has been tasked by God to not only look after Lucifer but to bring him back to his rightful place in Hell.  This is a struggle that stretches throughout the first season but sadly doesn’t seem to carry any weight till later on in the season as we see the two get their hands dirty as they squabble.

The First Monday in May is a documentary that traverses many worlds. It caters to mass culture but also explores the inner sanctums of high art. What is art? This is one of the questions the movie asks. In this case, it examines the ignored stepchild of high art, which is fashion and costume design. The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art languished in the basement for many years, never truly respected. Something called the Met Gala has changed all that. It is one of the most important social events of the New York City social scene. The invitation list is ruthlessly trimmed every year to only include the most glamorous and relevant celebrities. It is also one of the biggest fundraising events that the museum has. This movie is full of celebrity faces and the inside world of the likes of Lady Gaga, Cher, Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Rihanna, Beyonce, Jessica Chastain, Kim and Kanye, Anne Hathaway, Katy Perry, the Olson twins, Helen Mirren, Larry David, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and on and on  and on and on. It is definitely a place to be seen, and only in the very finest fashion statements possible. But the Met Gala has a purpose, and that is to bring respect to a part of the culture that is not seen as true art. The superstar editor of Vogue, Anna Wintour, is the powerhouse behind the event. The other half of the equation is Andrew Bolton, who is the current head of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The beginning of the movie covers the enormous success that Bolton had with the Savage Beauty exhibition in 2011. It was a tribute to the work of Alexander McQueen, who had hung himself in 2010. It was such a success that it was an albatross around Bolton’s neck as he tried to mount an exhibition that could possibly top it.

The First Monday in May spends much of its time following Bolton around the world as he prepares a massive new exhibit, China: Through The Looking Glass. It also follows Wintour as she presides over the massive job of both running Vogue and supervising the “Super Bowl” of the social season. Two superstar directors are also brought in, Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) to consult on the Gala, and Kar-Wai Wong (In The Mood For Love) to consult on the exhibit. There are probably more big names in this movie than any other movie you are likely to see, but in situations that would be considered behind the velvet rope.

You think your home life is screwed up? I can almost promise you that the Gallagher family has you beat in spades. If not, perhaps watching them will help you feel better about your situation. Fiona, Lip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, Liam, and of course Frank are back with Season Six of Shameless, and it’s like they never left. That is the good thing about the series; it always feels like you can pick up right where you left off despite the several-month hiatus. This year is filled plenty of the same antics you are used to seeing by one of my favorite dysfunctional families, including illegal marriages, teenage pregnancy, and criminal mischief. After indulging in Season Six, the only thing you can say is in the words of Steve Howey, “F$8#ing Gallaghers.”

Thirty-second recap of last season: Fiona did a prison stint and almost lost custody (not to mention of the respect) of the family after becoming addicted to cocaine, and Liam almost died of an accidental overdose after getting into her stash. Lip continued to enjoyed campus life, eventually meeting and falling in love with one of his married professors (Sasha Alexander). Ian suffers a nervous breakdown and finally comes to grips with his bipolar condition. Debbie decides that she wants to have a baby with her boyfriend and goes about accomplishing her goal. Carl embraces his inner hoodlum, engages in drug running, and ends up being sent upstate. Finally, Frank finds love in the form of a terminally ill doctor who decides to go out on a bender. OK, all caught up; did it take longer than thirty seconds?

NCIS continues to be one of the top dramas on television. After 13 years, that’s a hard trick to pull off. With two spinoffs enjoying a pretty nice run, there are nearly 500 episodes of the franchise. The show just received a rare two-year extension and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. The show has seen a lot of changes over the years. Cast members have come and gone, but a strong core has remained for the long haul. More changes are on the horizon. Michael Weatherly leaves after this season. He’s certainly been one of the more beloved members of the original cast. It will be a tough road, but something tells me the show is going to be just fine. If Season 13 is any indication, NCIS is a long way from slowing down.

Season 12 ended with a shot Gibbs (Harmon) fighting for his life. Of course, he survives, but not without a few changes. For at least the early part of the season, Gibbs becomes a bit more reflective. He also appears to have a better appreciation for the team. Jon Cryer joins the cast as Dr. Cyril Taft, who saves Gibbs’s life. He ends up joining the team as the new guy.