GECs
Pak offended by negative portrayal in ‘Homeland’
NEW DELHI: Pakistani officials are offended by the country’s depiction in the latest season of the American television series Homeland insisting the drama series shows it as a “grimy hellhole” where diplomats aide terrorists.
The fourth season of the Emmy-winning show featured Claire Danes’ CIA agent character Carrie Mathison on assignment in Islamabad attempting to capture a terrorist leader who was being helped by Pakistani intelligence operatives.
“Maligning a country that has been a close partner and ally of the United States…. is a disservice not only to the security interests of the US but also to the people of the US,” Pak Embassy Press Attacje Nadeem Hotiana told the New York Post in Washington.
The series, which was mainly filmed in Cape Town for the fourth season, has also upset leaders in Israel, after a character compared former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the show’s fictional terrorist villain.
Herzl Makov, the director of Israel’s Menachem Begin Center, told an Israeli news service he was unhappy with the reference.
“It is surprising specifically because Homeland is based on the Israeli (television series) format Prisoners of War.
The show was adapted from the Israeli series Hatufim, Prisoners of War, which debuted in 2010.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
