Sometimes, you find people who appear to be so talented that it makes us mere mortals look awful in comparison. Often, you’ll find sportspeople who are great writers or actors with successful music careers. Either way, it’s a true testament to their talent and perseverance.
However, we often find musicians who are eager to turn their attention to the world of television, either creating, hosting, or starring in their own television shows to varying results of success.
With The Umbrella Academy recently premiering, we’ve decided to take a look back at a handful of programmes that our multi-talented mates have masterminded as they managed to mix music with the moving image in a magnificent way.
Gerard Way – The Umbrella Academy
Before Gerard Way was known as the frontman of emo icons My Chemical Romance, he was serving as an intern at Cartoon Network in New York City, pitching animated shows for TV while aspiring to be a comic book writer.
While he managed to publish a few stories throughout the years, 2007 saw the release of The Umbrella Academy, a multi-issue comic book series about a “dysfunctional family of superheroes”. Fast-forward 12 years, and the show has managed to see Gerard Way’s other most famous project adapted for the small screen thanks to Netlflix.
While The Umbrella Academy has been scoring rave reviews at every turn, some of us do sort of hope that a My Chemical Romance reunion is still on the table.
Check out The Umbrella Academy’s trailer
“Weird Al” Yankovic – The Weird Al Show
While “Weird Al” Yankovic rose to fame as the King of Parody in the ’80s and ’90s, the hilarious musician also found his way onto the big screen with UHF, a comedy film he wrote and starred in. Although he went back to music soon after, it seemed that acting was still at the forefront of Yankovic’s mind.
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In 1997 Weird Al found himself with a network TV deal, writing and starring in the all-too-short-lived The Weird Al Show. Technically a Saturday morning show aimed at kids, Yankovic tried his best to mix in his adult humour with an educational lean for the young ones.
Although an educational television show wasn’t really what he had in mind, Weird Al and his team stuck it out for a full season, mixing in his trademark off-the-wall humour with a vibe similar to Pee-wee’s Playhouse. It’s a wild ride to watch, but it’s still classic “Weird Al” Yankovic at heart.
Check out The Weird Al Show’s intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEOwTeI9geI
Tenacious D – Tenacious D
While many people were exposed to Tenacious D thanks to their 2002 debut single ‘Tribute’, many were unaware that the group had started life many years earlier as a comedy duo in Los Angeles. Fast-forward a few years, and Jack Black and Kyle Gass found themselves involved in the world of TV, appearing on programs such as Mr. Show, and eventually scoring a role as the support act for Tool.
By the late ’90s, the pair had scored their own TV show, a short-lived series that depicted a fictionalised version of their band. While the show ended in 2000, the group continued to record music, eventually starring in their own film, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, in 2006.
Having released their latest album back in 2018, Tenacious D have promised another movie is on the way. Will it be as good as their TV show? Well, we’ll have to wait and see.
Check out an episode of Tenacious D:
Lily Allen – Lily Allen And Friends
The mid-’00s were a strange time. With Lily Allen having risen to fame thanks to sites like MySpace, the BBC decided to cash in on her fame by giving Allen her own TV show. Featuring an audience of Lily’s online friends, and featuring real-life and internet celebrities, and questions sent in over the web, it was the peak of internet-fuelled TV.
Sadly, the concept never really took off, and critics lambasted Lily Allen’s first foray into the world of television, eventually seeing the show cancelled after just eight episodes. Notably though, the show featured one of the first televised performances from Adele, who appeared on the second episode to perform her recently-released single, ‘Chasing Pavements’.
Check out Lily Allen And Friends:
New Kids On The Block – New Kids On The Block
Throughout the history of popular music, pop groups have often resulted in fads so large and vast that these artists have ended up with more than just their career. While the likes of The Beatles, The Spice Girls, and One Direction have had movies, artists such as New Kids On The Block even had their own animated series.
Premiering back in late 1990, just months after the release of their fourth album, Step By Step, this animated series didn’t last too long at all. Featuring live action clips of the group at times, the voices of the animated bandmembers were tackled by soundalikes due to contractual reasons, meaning that audiences weren’t really getting what they signed up for.
Lasting just one season, and focusing on fictionalised adventures of the group New Kids On The Block wasn’t exactly a smash hit, and remains a prime example of a fad that flew too close to the sun
Check out New Kids On The Block:
50 Cent – Power
Out of all of the shows listed here, Power might actually be one of the most highly-regarded. Premiering back in 2014, this gritty series tells the story of the illegal drug trade in New York City, and has been receiving constant praise since it first aired.
Executive produced by, and starring, 50 Cent, this amazingly isn’t even close to being 50’s first foray into the world of film and TV, having starred in the semi-autobiographical Get Rich or Die Tryin’ back in 2005.
Check out a trailer for Power:
Major Lazer – Major Lazer
Prior to the release of their highly successful 2015 album, Music Is The Mission, Major Lazer made their way to the small screen, producing an animated TV show based upon a futuristic superhero that shares their name.
While Diplo, Jillionaire, and Walshy Fire didn’t make any appearances, the show did however feature an all-star cast, with the likes of John Boyega, J.K. Simmons, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, The Streets’ Mike Skinner, and Charli XCX all turning up throughout the show’s 11-episode run.
Check out the intro for Major Lazer:
Snoop Dogg – Doggy Fizzle Televizzle
Sure, Snoop Dogg might have been hitting the silver screen since his rap career took off, and you might remember his reality show Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood, but there’s a good chance you don’t recall Doggy Fizzle Televizzle.
A sketch comedy show, the program featured guests that ranged from actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Carmen Electra, to musicians like 50 Cent and Killer Mike. While it had promise, Doggy Fizzle Televizzle didn’t last for more than eight episodes, and by the time MTV were gearing up to do a second season, they refused to pay Snoop’s $1 million price tag, canning the show in the process.
Check out Doggy Fizzle Televizzle:
Kevin Jonas – Married To Jonas
Sure, the Jonas Brothers might have gotten their start on The Disney Channel back in the day, but while the group was mainly about their family-friendly teen-pop image, it was the decidedly more adult Married To Jonas that we’re focusing on here.
Lasting for two seasons between 2012 and 2013, this reality show delved into the married life of Kevin Jonas and his wife Dani Jonas, while also focusing on the Jonas Brothers’ comeback in 2012. For many, it was trashy reality TV, but for some us who felt too lazy to change the channel, it wasn’t the worst way to spend half-an-hour.
Check out a promo for Married To Jonas:
