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THE GODMOTHER

Novel + iHeart Radio

Spotify

We love a good kingpin podcast and in The Godmother, we are transported to the 1930s where Lucky Luciano is one of the most notorious mobsters of his time. He was taken down by a rookie prosecutor. Eunice Carter was one of the first Black women ever to be a prosecutor in America.

With her world and office being centered in the Harlem Renaissance, she navigates the world which is a blend of corruption that is rampant in downtown Manhattan politics along with the nuances of a racial and sexist pre-Civil Rights American social structure and society.

As a pioneer in what would be known as the “trial of the century” that has been previously lost to history.

In this podcast we learn how Eunice, a writer, social worker, mother, teacher, sister, socialite, political candidate, community organizer and previously known pioneer made her mark in this case as well as a far reaching legacy, search for justice and an undeterred ambition.

EXPATS

Amazon Original

Prime Video

In the limited series Expats, we are introduced to those who have taken residency in Hong Kong. On the surface, we see successful men and women at work, home, and at play. We watch as they engage in their surroundings and even enjoy the aesthetics of their wardrobe, homes, and the way they relax!

But throughout the episodes, we see that the goals and ambitions of the women in a multifaceted group are challenged by a series of events that bind as well as fragment them.

This complex web takes place between two friends with increased tension and a young woman who was initially there to assist their lives while becoming a catalyst to a chain of events that will affect all their lives as well as those that are related to them!

What is the balance between blame and accountability and where does forgiveness come into play - at what cost?

Although we hope that there will be a second season of this immersive series, you can watch all episodes in the perfect binge now!

UNTOLD: THE RETREAT

Financial Times

Apple

From the special investigations team at the Financial Times, Untold is a new podcast that we can't wait to see future stories. In Untold: The Retreat, host Madison Marriage looks at the Goenka network which promotes a form of intensive meditation known as Vipassana. Numerous people go on these retreats every year; however, there are those that attend and suffer while there as well as when they have returned. Some have described feeling terror or a break with reality that makes it difficult for them to cope and ultimately, they are no longer the people they were prior to going to the retreat. The investigative team follows the leads to see what is going on in this wellness space.

Read the FEB ISSUE #98 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY BOOKS in mag.

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BOSTON STRANGLER

Hulu Original

Hulu

In terms of True Crime, the Boston Strangler was a series of murders that many of us have heard of, and interestingly enough, there are a number of details that we're not aware of. In Hulu's Boston Strangler, we learn how 2 reporters, Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightly) and Jean Cole (Carrie Coon) broke this story about a man in 1960s Boston who strangled women with their stocking and tied them into a bow. We learn how they had to fight to be involved in the story, the blow back when the story hit the papers and then the revelations that have continued to emerge from this case and what we know about it now!

TED LASSO

Apple Original

Apple TV+

We've always enjoyed the good vibes that you get when watching Ted Lasso which brings us on a journey from an American football coach who goes across the pond to coach British footballers. Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) encourages everyone surrounding him to be their best selves by looking on the bright side of life and never giving up - even when you're going through tough times in your life.

Even when he isn't aware of how the game is played, his optimism and determination is one that leaves you rooting for him. It even makes the wins his team achieves even better. We also see how he brings the team and front office management together through his can do attitude.

This 11X Emmy Award winning show definitely gives you the giggles when you watch it and has great cameos of those that have been included in the show. Now in its third season, it's the perfect time to binge previous seasons to catch up or to rewatch some of your favorite memories!

We can't wait to see what happens to the AFC Richmond team and what one-liners Ted will share throughout the season!

THE TURNING: ROOM OF

MIRRORS

Rococo Punch + iHeart Radio

Spotify

We enjoyed Season 1 of The Turning focussed on a group of women who joined the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa’s secretive order of nuns. Minnesota-based producer and reporter Erika Lantz is back with Season 2 Room of Mirrors which looks at the ballet system that was created by choreographer, George Balanchine who was brilliant in his artistry, but also created a number of systemic issues for those that trained under him. Erika, a former ballerina interviews a number of people who worked with him to talk about their experience and where they are now.

Read the MAR ISSUE #87 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY STREAMING in mag.

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THE HARDER THEY FALL

Netflix Originals

Netflix

The Harder They Fall is a fictional film that is based on real cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws of the 19th-century American West with principals being a member of an all Black cast.

We follow Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) who is intent on getting revenge for the death of his parents when he was young. This outlaw connects with his crew to take down his mortal enemy, Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) a ruthless crime boss who was just released from prison.

Throughout the film, we look at the interactions between the Nat Love Gang, the Rufus Buck Gang and the US Marshal Bass Reeves. These historical black figures have goals that keep them on their mission. Nat's focus is to kill Rufus for his wrongdoings as well as to steal from bandits which keeps him on Bas Reeves' radar. Buck stays focused on protecting Redwood, a safe haven for Black settlers.

Ultimately, we'll see who has left standing with so much at stake.

THE CURSE OF VON DUTCH: A BRAND TO DIE FOR

Hulu Documentary

Hulu

The Curse of Von Dutch: A Brand to Die For looks at the rise and fall of one of the most iconic brands to jump on a trend that dominated the 2000's. We're introduced to a series of characters from gangsters, Venice Beach surfers, European garmentos, Hollywood star power and more that attempt to gain control of Von Dutch.

We see as the brand begins from one that is obscure to one of the most recognized global labels. In a decade, the brand oscillates between backstabbers, greed and even bloodshed. Everyone that was involved with this brand is forever changed - even the scope of pop culture!

HAILEYWOOD

iHeart Originals

iHeart Radio

We've all had that moment when we visited a destination or even saw it online and thought that we would want to live there and in theory, bring all of our favorites to this town to make it our own. In Haileywood, hosted by Noble Blood's Dana Schwartz, she talks about the true story of Bruce Willis' quest to buy an Idaho town.

In this podcast, we connect with the Die Hard and 90's movie icon and we learn about the era and how celebrity was being produced beyond the screen. We also learn that Bruce was not one who enjoyed the media's eye on him and how he yearned to have a private life and how he thought he could do this in one of the smallest towns in Idaho.

Read the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

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DOPESICK

Hulu Originals

Hulu

Hulu's latest limited series, Dopesick focuses on what happened when one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in US history. We're taken to a mining town where a number of its residents are injured to their work. We also learn about the origins of OxyContin and how one of America's richest families launched, marketed and infiltrated the medical community via its sales reps to get it into the hands of those who would eventually become hooked on it and in many cases would die.

With a cast that includes Michael Keaton, Rosario Dawson, Peter Sarsgaard and Michael Stuhlbarg tell this story from the doctors, Big Pharma, judicial system and the people who consumed the medication.

SQUID GAME

Netflix Series

Netflix

Sometimes there are shows that become phenomenons where you don't want to be the only person who hasn't watched it. Squid Game is a Korean series that has dominated the top 10 for weeks. Who would have thought that classic children's games can be turned on its head and involve winning life-changing money?

We come to know 456 contestants who come from various walks of life but all have financial strife as a common link between one another. The only way that they can change their life now is to play the games, stay alive, continue to win and then take their lives back!

Ultimately, we find that everything is not child's play and that even the game itself has a number of intricacies that include those who created the game, those with a vested interest in it and the societal implications that are involved. Even though this is the 1st season, we're hoping that there will be another one to see how it continues with everything that we now know!

QUEEN OF THE CON: THE IRISH "HEIRESS"

iHeart Radio

True Crime is always our go to and Queen of the Con: The Irish "Heiress" has been a story that we have heard at various times. Mair Smyth was friends with noted reality TV producer of Jonathan Walton. He found her to be sweet and a woman that was in need. She came from a storied Irish family and was fighting for her $25 million inheritance.

She fell into a few legal issues and after attempting to help her out, Jonathan learned the truth about his international scamming best friend.

Her con spans from Los Angeles to Belfast for hundreds of thousands of dollars. As he finds out about the diverse scams, can he get justice in time?

Read the OCT ISSUE #70 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

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AFTER SHOCK

Nomadic Engine, Salmira Productions + iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio

This month, we've been enjoying After Shock on iHeartRadio which looks at an earthquake that takes place in LA and how people are disconnected as well as finding new living dynamics as they try to continue living after the largest recorded disaster! Sarah Wayne Callies (The Walking Dead) is the creator, director, producer and stars in this scripted podcast which is also executive produced by Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) and David Harbour (Stranger Things). All 3, in addition to more actors interact as they meet preppers, indegenous activists, a utopian cult on the island and more. Even though they survived the initial effects of the after shock, there are unexplained deaths that take place that they can't explain and it seems like there is something much larger at play than just the earthquake itself. The all star cast also includes: Tati Gabrielle (The 100), Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars), Russell Hornsby (Black Mafia Family), Rockmond Dunbar (9-1-1), Tovah Feldshuh (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill), Michael O’Neill (Council of Dads), Austin Amelio (The Walking Dead) and EJ Bonilla (Colony).

BAKE SQUAD

Netflix Originals

Netflix

We love a baking competition! Bake Squad is hosted by the founder Milk Bar, Christina Tosi whose cakes and cookies are always a treat. This show brings creativity, competitions and over the top dessert designs. Each episode has 4 bakers tasked to make a cake with the specifications of the client in 7 hours. Only one will be chosen from what they create to add to the person's special day!

The 4 bakers you'll get to know each episode who has participated in a number of baking projects for celebs includes: Maya-Camille Broussard - "the flavor fanatic" founder of Justice of the Pies, Ashley Holt - "queen of cakes" founder of Sugar Monster Sweets, Christophe Rull - "pastry illusionist" a pastry chef, and Gonzo Jimenez - "champion of chocolate" co-owner of Miette et Chocolat.

LOUD: THE HISTORY OF REGGAETON

Spotify Original

Spotify

When you think about Reggaeton, you think that it started with Daddy Yankee in Puerto Rico; however, it started about 10 years prior in Panama as it's a blend of reggae + dance hall in Spanish. In LOUD, an original podcast, each Wed. our host, Ivy Queen, a respected voice in reggaeton dives into the history of the sound that started on Panamanian buses to the shores of Puerto Rico to the vibrant streets of New York City.

We learn how she got into the industry as well as how in Panama, Black artists and descendants of West Indian canal workers who became the pioneers of reggae en español such as Renato emerged.

This podcast investigates the historical, cultural and racial contexts of this while tracking its Black roots in Panama and Puerto Rico as well as its mainstage presence as a global phenomenon today!

Read the AUG ISSUE #68 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

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BLACKOUT

QCode

Spotify

Last Season, QCode's BLACKOUT, an apocalyptic thriller, introduced us to a small-town radio DJ, Simon Itani (Academy Award winner Rami Malek of Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody and The Little Things) fights for his family and community when the power grid is shut down nationwide bringing on a devolving modern civilization.

In season 2 which started a few weeks ago, it picks up after Simon's family escapes. As they wait out what took place, their paths cross with an old family friend Wren (played by Aja Naomi King of How to Get Away with Murder, The Upside and Sylvie's Love). In the safehouse that she found them at, she tells Simon and his family what she experienced in Boston when the power grid went down and how she got out of Boston. As she talks about her life prior to the chaos and after, we are left wondering if she can be trusted and what can they find out about the origins of this blackout and who profits from the wide sweeping chain of events that took place.

EDITH!

QCode + Crooked Media

iHeart Radio

Edith! is a scripted political satire podcast by QCode and Crooked Media reimagines history starring Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, I Care a Lot and Jack Reacher) as Edith Wilson, the second wife to President Woodrow Wilson explores the untold true-ish story of America's secret First Female President.

We get introduced to Edith's life prior to her husband suffering a massive, paralyzing stroke in the White House. Telling no one, she does the unthinkable. For nearly a year, after the end of World War I, she acts as the de facto unelected President. She signed issue orders as her husband, fired people as him and caused international incidents in his name. A number of historians believe she took on this role near the end of his presidency.

While all of these activities are going on, enemies that are external and internal get closer to finding out her most guarded secret. In this limited series, we learn about how the events took place, the role that she played and her thoughts of doing so.

MARY J BLIGE'S MY LIFE

Amazon Original Documentary

Amazon Prime Video

With 13 albums, Mary J Blige notes that her second album, My Life, is her most important one. This documentary talks about the importance of this album which allowed her to speak to her fans as well as to survive what was happening around her. This 17 track album was a lyrical therapy for her and was mainly produced by P. Diddy and Chucky Thompson.

The documentary, Mary J Blige’s My Life, explores the making of the album and allows her to get candid with members of her family, collaborators, record execs (Andre Harrell, Jimmy Iovine) actors (Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson) and fellow artists (Method Man, Nas, Alicia Keys) as they talk about her transition from the projects to the upper echelon of the music industry. Mary also talks frankly about her struggles on camera.

Viewers are left thinking about how she was able to be involved in the shift of R&B as well as to buck the notion of what an artist of the genre was perceived to be. We also get an insider view on the obstacles that took place between her first album, What's the 411 and how that affected her as she was in the process of creating My Life.

Read the JUN ISSUE #67 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

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HALSTON

Netflix Limited Series

Netflix

When it comes to American Fashion Icons, Halston exemplifies his ability to understand a woman's body, being a trailblazer in including Black models within his show to reflect diversity, and pushing licensing as it pertained to categories in fashion and outside of it. In Netflix's Limited Series, they talk about the rise and fall of Halston delving into his early beginnings as a boy growing up in Indiana, becoming a fashion darling who was known as a hatmaker with a studio in Bergdorf Goodman with a clientele that included Jackie Kennedy and ultimately, taking on the apparel world.

This is illustrated as we see him in the 60's to the days of Studio54 as well as the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. We meet his muses, go behind the scenes of the iconic and historic The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show and we learn about the positive and negative experiences of business decisions that Halston made as he took on investors to support his brand and how he lost control due to this involvement.

HERE COMES THE BREAK

Double Elvis Productions x Def Jam Recordings

iHeart Radio

Fans of Double Elvis Productions (Disgraceland, 27 Club, Blood on the Tracks: The Phil Spector Story) know that he delves into the history of some of the biggest names in music from entertainers and producers. In this network's latest podcast, Here Comes the Break, this audio drama follows Ruben who is navigating school and is dealing with anxiety and mental health; however, a new passion emerges when he creates a podcast that shares up and coming artists. We hear him navigate creating his podcast, working with a team and balancing his life. As he goes to shows and interviews them, his persona becomes larger than life.

Although this is a scripted show, you get real interviews from up-and-coming artists on Def Jam as well as hearing their latest songs.

P!NK ALL I KNOW SO FAR

Amazon Original Movie

Amazon Prime Video

This month, P!NK All I Know So Far an Amazon Original Movie drops. Since her debut in 2000, Pink has released 8 studio albums and sold over 60 million albums. In this music documentary follows pop superstar P!nk on her Beautiful Trauma Tour as she balances her hectic schedule as a performer, being a boss, as well as being a mom and a wife. We get an all-access pass to a mix of footage that takes us with her on the road, behind-the-scenes interviews and personal material. This tour included 156 shows across 18 countries. The tour sold 3 million tickets worldwide and is the 10th highest-grossing tour in Billboard's Boxscore's history - the biggest tour for a women in over a decade.

In many respects, this film, which is directed by "The Greatest Showman's" Michael Gracey, is endearing and revealing and can be seen as a love letter to her family and her fans.

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SCAM GODDESS

Earwolf + Team Coco

Spotify

We've followed Scam Goddess for quite a while, but it was seeing the podcast's host Laci Mosley sharing her insight on scams on a recent episode of ABC's The Con which looks at scams that are known and unknown that intrigued us even more. After hearing her commentary of The Varsity Blues Con, we began listening to her show which breaks down a variety of cons in this true crime genre with her comedian guests that appear on the show.

Each week, she talks about the scam of the moment, digging deeply into the scam of the week and then looks at the historical ones and how they have manifested. They even share anecdotes of scams and rackets that they engaged in and the lessons that they learned and why they no longer doing them.

GHOST TAPE

QCode

Apple Podcast

As we have navigated quarantine, we got to know about the immersive audio-focused podcast network, QCode and have shared a few of their shows on previous Bingely Streaming inclusions. This month, their latest Ghost Tape dropped and we're hooked with-out a doubt.

If you enjoy military conspiracies with a sci-fi component, this show is something that you will enjoy. We are introduced to a cast that is in the throws of grief as well as being confused about the circumstances of how Tessa Dixon'sgrandfather died. Her desire to know more about his unexpected death sends her to signing up for the military to be able to under-stand more. Along the way, she comes across a tape that creates havoc on the lives of anyone that listens to it.

This tape takes over aspects of her life and puts her in a scenario of being accused of killing a fellow soldier. In addition, her psychiatrist in an attempt to help her listen to the tape and begins his own journey with it. He also realizes that not everything he is being told by military staff is in fact true. As we navigate the death of Tessa's grandfather and her charges - we get closer to what this podcast is all about.

DEAD EYES

Headgum

iHeart Radio

We've all been in an interview scenario where we thought we had the job, had to go back and maybe it didn't go as well as planned. In Dead Eyes, actor Connor Ratliff tells us about auditioning for HBO's Band of Brothers and his excitement for getting one of the minor roles. Although they had seen his tape, his agent calls him suddenly and asks him to come back into read in front of the director, TomHanks as there is a concern that he has "dead eyes." Although this audtion happened 2 decades ago, this podcast explores those who were connected to this show, Tom Hanks or, Connor. We get to hear his conversations with the actor who ended up playing his part - Adam Sims (Lost in Space), the actors he would have worked with Ron Livingston (Office Space and Sex in the City TV series) and Stephen McCole (Rushmore and Outlander) and friends Seth Rogen (Steve Jobs and Neighbors) and Bobby Moynihan (The Secret Life of Pets and Saturday Night Live). In the second season, we continue to delve into this story and to see if we ever get to hear Tom weigh in on what happened.

Read the Nov Issue #59 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.