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4 lessons about how millennials spend money from MTV's new reality competition show

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Stranded with a million dollars cast mtv

MTV's new show, "Stranded with a Million Dollars," serves up a twist on the reality survival show.

On the new series, which airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m., 10 millennials from diverse backgrounds accept the challenge of living on the island of Taveuni, Fiji. But they're also given a total of $1 million to spend on a variety of food, tools, and luxuries at outrageous prices. In the end, those who are able to last for 40 days will get to divide whatever's left of the million-dollar bounty.

With its million-dollar twist and the tough living conditions, viewers get an ample look at the cast members' attitudes toward money.

"I was guilty of the preconceived notion that millennials are lazy and don't understand the value of money,""Stranded" creator Kevin Lee recently told Business Insider. "And what happened during the 40 days that we were filming in the woods is that I learned that was wrong. That notion was wrong."

Reactions to the harsh environment and the financial windfall are captured by the show's use of flying drones and automatic cameras.

"On any given day, there's approximately 30 cameras in play that don't have humans holding them," Lee said. "That made all the difference in the world... I think they headed toward more extreme behavior because they didn't feel that they were being judged by the human holding the camera. When there's just a robot camera, they don't care what the robot thinks."

Here's what the creator of MTV's "Stranded with a Million Dollars" learned about millennial spending habits while shooting the show:

SEE ALSO: Why MTV's president is stepping down after only a year

DON'T MISS: MTV is undergoing a huge revamp to return to its music roots

1. The biggest strategic mistake: Contenders failed to invest their money early on, so that it could help them win later.

"I think one of the big strategic mistakes that was made on the show, at least early in the show, were the cast members who didn't understand the idea that you have to spend some money now in order to win or gain more money later on," Lee said.

"They mistakenly made the calculation that they should be frugal and not spend one penny ever," he continued. "They have to be willing to invest a small amount in their survival in order to win at the end, and they didn't realize that... And guess what? They never made it."



2. The best course correction: Some cast members did come around to realizing an early strategic purchase would really pay off.

"If you're going to spend $30,000 on a pot, you may as well do it on day one as opposed to spending $30,000 halfway through, after you've been drinking dirty water for 20 days and you're sick," Lee said. "Some cast members were smart, like, 'Hey, you know what, we're gonna get ripped off whether we buy it on day one or day 20. Let's just buy it on day one. Obviously, they didn't, but eventually they got around to that — they understood that strategic level. That was a real smart play on their part. Took them a few days, but eventually they figured that out."



3. The most "unexpected" social insight: Bonds over views around money overcame personality and cultural differences.

Lee said the cast splintered into groups that shared similar strategic plans around the money and crossed geographical or cultural divides, something the show creator called "unexpected."

"Basically, you see this cast member named Cody," he said. "He comes from a pretty conservative background and his family is very entrepreneurial. They're very willing to delay gratification for the long-term good. He ended up bonding with a girl named Makani, who couldn't have come from a more different background. She's a free spirit, alternative girl who traveled the world and is a bit of a hippie. So the conservative and the hippie girl ended up bonding over their mutual decision to not spend money and to delay gratification. And that was a huge surprise.

"In the real world they would never get along," he continued. "They would never even know each other in the real world, because they come from such different tribes. But because they both shared this notion that money's valuable and we gotta preserve it, and not spend, they bonded."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Stephen Colbert rips apart the 'Trumpcare' plan: 'We're all gonna die'

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House Republicans on Monday released legislation that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.

And after much analysis by politicians and the media on Tuesday, it looks like the new plan isn't going over any more smoothly than Obamacare did. Some conservatives have said the new plan is "Obamacare lite."

Stephen Colbert examined it all in his opening of Tuesday's "Late Show."

First, he pointed to things in the existing plan that would stay under "Trumpcare": People could stay on their parents' healthcare plan until they are 26, and insurance companies couldn't discriminate because of preexisting conditions.

But then Colbert got into the new elements, such as insurance company executives who make over $500,000 receiving a tax break — "So all of them?" Colbert said — and the fact that Republicans released the bill without cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

"So this bill is going to be like those fancy restaurants where they don't have what it costs on the menu," Colbert said.

He also said that experts had estimated the Republican healthcare plan would cover "20 million fewer Americans than Obamacare."

In short, Colbert said he thought the only person who liked this plan was the Grim Reaper, who came onstage and danced with Colbert.

"We're all gonna die," Colbert said jokingly as the Grim Reaper walked off the stage.

Then Colbert addressed press secretary Sean Spicer's visual prop at his press briefing on Tuesday, in which he stacked the new 123-page healthcare bill next to Obamacare's 974 pages, that was meant to show how much better the new bill was.

"When it comes to writing anything down, shorter is always better," Colbert said. "Look, if shorter is better, why not just a one-page plan that says 'Walk it off'?"

Watch Colbert's complete opening:

SEE ALSO: 33 documentaries on Netflix right now that will make you smarter

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 11 real-life places 'Game of Thrones' uses to create Westeros

Alec Baldwin on Trump after win: 'He still looks incredibly constipated. He looks terrible.'

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alec baldwin donald trump late late show james corden cbs

Alec Baldwin recalled his past run-ins with President Donald Trump on Tuesday's "The Late Late Show with James Corden" and said he's surprised that the real-estate mogul hasn't relaxed since winning the election.

Host James Corden showed a photo of a young Baldwin with Trump at a charity event, which prompted Baldwin to describe his impressions of Trump then and now.

“He was a different person," Baldwin said. "He was very gregarious and kind of back-slapping and social. I didn’t know him well. I would run into him. He’s not at all like he is now where he won the election, he’s President of the United States, and he still looks incredibly constipated. He looks terrible.”

Baldwin, who has been celebrated for his impression of the president on "Saturday Night Live," said that he had expected Trump to settle into his office after winning the election.

"He used to be very playful and funny," the actor said. "I don't know what's with him now. I thought when he won, he'd relax and be more generous. It seems like he won, but he acts like he lost. He's very bitter... It's inexplicable. I thought he would change his complete tone when he won, but he hasn't."

Fellow "Late Late Show" guest Kerry Washington ("Scandal") then suggested, "Maybe he's looking at the popular-vote numbers?"

She's referring to the fact that Trump won in the Electoral College, but trailed Hillary Clinton in the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes, a number Trump challenges.

Watch the video below:

SEE ALSO: Alec Baldwin says he'll end his Trump impression: 'I'm not going to do it much longer'

DON'T MISS: David Letterman weighs in on Jimmy Fallon's infamous Trump interview: 'I would have gone to work on Trump'

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NOW WATCH: Here's why the former head of the CIA says Obama never tapped Trump's phones

Arnold Schwarzenegger comments on Trump feud: 'I think he's in love with me'

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Arnold Schwarzenegger has a theory about why he's getting under President Donald Trump's skin.

In a recent interview on SiriusXM's "The Michael Smerconish Program," the former California governor and NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" host — who is leaving the show after one season, citting the "baggage" of his gig replacing Trump as host — was asked why he thinks Trump keeps tweeting about him.

"I think he's in love with me," Schwarzenegger told the show's host.

"Is that what it is?" Smerconish asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Schwarzenegger said.

And while Smerconish tried to get Schwarzenegger to elaborate on Trump, that was all the action star wanted to say on the matter.

Trump and the "Terminator" star have had a regular back-and-forth Twitter feud. After Schwarzenegger announced he was leaving "Celebrity Apprentice," the president claimed over the weekend that Schwarzenegger was fired from the show for poor ratings. The president has gloated publicly about the show's sinking viewership under Schwarzenegger.

Listen to Schwarzenegger's comment on his feud with Trump on "The Michael Smerconish Program" below at about 7:40 in:

SEE ALSO: Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'Celebrity Apprentice' finale ratings are nowhere near Trump's numbers

DON'T MISS: Stephen Colbert burns Trump for his feud with Arnold Schwarzenegger

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Trump ripped Schwarzenegger's 'Apprentice' ratings during the National Prayer Breakfast — and Arnold had a great response

THEN & NOW: What happened to the stars of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 20 years later

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For 20 years, a petite, beautiful blonde girl has subverted the norm.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" premiered on March 10, 1997, and ever since, we've been able to watch (and re-watch) Joss Whedon's fast-talking, atypical heroine save the world a hundred times over from vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness.

"Buffy" spawned a fanatic cult following, created its own language, inspired hundreds of scholarly books and articles (often dubbed Buffy Studies), and truly was "golden" even before the almighty Golden Age of Television started.

Beyond the show's large cultural footprint, "Buffy" also launched careers for many of its main stars. And some have had some surprising paths.

See what the main "Buffy" cast has been up to since the show premiered 20 years ago:

SEE ALSO: The 50 best TV show seasons of all time, according to critics

DON'T MISS: RANKED: The 20 best new TV shows right now, according to critics

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers)

After retiring Mr. Pointy, Gellar was at the peak of her "it girl" status — which was especially so after she married fellow early-2000s royalty Freddie Prinze Jr. But she never did anything that topped "Buffy." She had memorable turns in the “Grudge” films, and in 2011 and 2013, she did single-season stints on the CW (“Ringer”) and CBS (“The Crazy Ones,” with the late Robin Williams).

Since, Gellar has laid relatively low. She continued her voice acting on “Star Wars Rebels” and filmed the now-shelved TV reboot of one of her hit movies “Cruel Intentions.”

But nothing is stopping Gellar from her latest passion: baking. Gellar cofounded Foodstirs, which is aimed at helping families bond in the kitchen (Gellar has two kids) by baking with consciously sourced ingredients. She actively promotes the culinary-lifestyle brand on InstagramGellar also wrote a cookbook called “Stirring Up Fun with Food,” which will be released April 4. (Freddie Prinze Jr. has his own cookbook, too.) It’s about as far as you can go from slaying vampires.



Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg)

Hannigan married "Buffy" costar Alexis Denisof in 2003, a few months before the show ended, but she didn’t have to wait too long to find her next hit TV series. Starting in 2005, Hannigan starred in the beloved sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” as Lily Aldrin for nine years. Since the show's end in 2014, Hannigan has taken a step back. For one season in 2016, she hosted “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” a competition series in which aspiring magicians show their best tricks to the famous duo. She was also tapped to star in the TV remake of “The First Wives Club,” but the project has been shelved for now.

Like Gellar, Hannigan has also focused on a hobby that involves her two children: crafting. She’s such a crafter that she converted her Los Angeles home’s guesthouse into a hyper-organized crafting room.

You can tell she’s really into it:

 



Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris)

Over the course of seven years, Brendon appeared in 21 episodes of “Criminal Minds” as Kevin Lynch, but beyond that, he's unfortunately led a tumultuous life after “Buffy.”

Since 2010, he has been arrested several times. In September 2015, he was arrested after an alleged domestic dispute with his girlfriend and was charged with third-degree robbery along with two counts of criminal mischief and one count of obstruction of breathing. He's also been arrested on a charge of public intoxication.

In August 2015, he walked off the set of “Dr. Phil,” writing later in a Facebook post that he felt Dr. Phil “went for the jugular, talking about some of my recent mistakes, with no build up. I felt that he wanted me to lay the darkest parts of myself on national TV right from the start, and I’m not willing to do that.”

Brendon has spent time in rehab and admitted to a relapse in mid-2016.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Why Netflix's 'Iron Fist' is a disappointing failure

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Arguably, Netflix's fourth Marvel series, "Iron Fist," was the streaming company's most highly anticipated of the franchise. Under great scrutiny from critics and fans, the series definitely falls short of great promises made by both Netflix and Marvel.

"Iron Fist" follows Danny Rand (Finn Jones), who returns to New York City after having gone missing for 15 years. Believed dead after a plane accident that claimed his wealthy parents' lives, Danny actually survived and was rescued by a mystical sect of monks. Schooled in kung fu and entrusted with the power of the invincible iron fist, Danny is back to reclaim his family company. But he has to choose between his familial obligations and his duties as the Iron Fist when a dangerous threat arrives.

Not only is it the last series in the Netflix-Marvel deal leading up to the superhero mash-up series, "The Defenders," but the martial-arts focus of "Iron Fist" has drawn attention among some who believe the title character should have been played by an Asian actor. The show's star, Finn Jones, even temporarily left Twitter after a conflict with one such critic who accused the actor of hypocrisy after he tweeted his support of Riz Ahmed's comments about the importance of diverse representation in entertainment.

To be clear, the source material for "Iron Fist" has always portrayed the character as a white male — one who was adopted by a secret order of Asian monks, but white all the same.

It's one thing (and pretty egregious, in my opinion) to cast a white actor in a role meant for a person of color, but it's another thing to blame a production for simply sticking to the script. Yes, it's progressive to cast people of color in roles originally written for white actors, but I don't think Marvel and Netflix should be held on charges of whitewashing for casting Jones and following the comic book that debuted in the 1970s. Even if appropriation of Asian culture was involved in the original work, Marvel and Netflix shouldn't be held primarily responsible for righting that wrong now.

But there are other crimes that Netflix and Marvel should be tried for in the execution of "Iron Fist," for which I believe they're directly responsible.

First, it doesn't live up to the quality of storytelling found in "Daredevil,""Jessica Jones," and "Luke Cage." Plainly stated, "Iron Fist" is boring.

marvel netflix daredevil tom Pelphrey Finn Jones Jessica StroupFor the first six episodes shown to critics, the show takes up a lot of time with Danny trying to legally prove his identity and claim his 51% of his family's company against pretty outrageous challenges from the children of his father's business partner, Harold and Joy Meachum (played by David Wenham and Jessica Stroup, respectively). There's a twist that supposedly ups the villain ante but it really falls limp compared to Jessica Jones' (Krysten Ritter) frightening bouts with Kilgrave (David Tennant) or Daredevil's (Charlie Cox) bloody and complicated feud with Punisher (Jon Bernthal).

Second, Marvel's greatest crime arrived when its TV head Jeph Loeb dubbed "Iron Fist" its first real martial-arts action show.

"Don’t make any mistake about it, this is Marvel’s foray into martial-arts films,"Loeb told Collider last year of "Iron Fist,""and when he opens up a can of whoop-ass, people are going to be super-super excited by what’s happening.”

The fight scenes in "Iron Fist" are really tired. And that's just in comparison to the other three Netflix-Marvel shows. "Iron Fist" comes nowhere close to the thrilling fighting on AMC's "Into the Badlands," which really sets the standard for TV series featuring martial arts.

But let's keep "Iron Fist's" fight scenes in the context of the Marvel TV universe: Compare the franchise's hallway fight scenes, executed best on both seasons of "Daredevil," to a similar scene in "Iron Fist," which features Danny fighting off hired goons attacking Joy Meachum and culminates in the tight constraints of an elevator. You'll understand what I'm talking about it.

Finally, when a show and a character are named after a great weapon, you'd expect to be blown away when it's finally unleashed. Not only is the special-effects golden glow around Danny's hand when he powers up subpar, but the fist is primarily used best for creating doors where ones don't exist and has very little impact on Danny's fight scenes. It does have some sort of specific purpose against its intended enemy, so maybe that's the moment when the weapon gets to really shine.

iron fist jessica hanwick finn jones rosario dawson netflixThere are aspects of the show that do glow in a good way. Jones' physical presence and unkempt, bohemian style are perfect for non-fighting Danny, who was also trained in meditation and harnessing his chi. He's set apart from his slick former friends-turned-capitalist foes. Also, Jessica Henwick as Colleen, the principled and badass master of a struggling karate dojo, community leader, and potential love interest for Danny is a standout new character. I'm told she's in production on "The Defenders" right now, which is a smart move. And finally, Carrie-Ann Moss and Rosario Dawson reprise their roles as corporate attorney Jeryn Hogarth and tough-as-nails nurse Claire Temple, respectively, both finding a way to pop in their scenes, despite the show's flat writing.

Marvel and Netflix may feel like "Iron Fist" is under attack right now, but wait until the fans get to see it for themselves on Friday, March 17.

Watch the trailer for "Iron Fist" below:

SEE ALSO: 'Daredevil' star Charlie Cox breaks down the season-2 fight scene everyone's talking about

DON'T MISS: How 'Into the Badlands' pulls off its incredible martial arts fighting scenes

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Watch the trailer for Netflix's new $90 million fantasy-thriller starring Will Smith

7 fan theories that completely change the way you’ll see your favorite shows

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The INSIDER Summary

• "Breaking Bad" and "The Walking Dead" take place in the same universe. 
• Mac, Dee, and Dennis from "It's Always Sunny," don't look like the actors who play them. 
• "Friends" and "Parks and Recreation" also allegedly take place in the same universe. 


For die-hard fans of pop culture, TV shows aren't just about consuming content. They're also about analyzing and coming up with theories about beloved fictional universes. That's half the fun of watching a TV show in the first place. This is an age-old concept among people who love television, and fan theories have become a common occurrence all over the internet. If you happen to be the type of person who has an affinity for wearing tin foil hats, then fan theories should be right up your alley.

While certain fan theories seem downright bonkers, others have a tendency to add up if you look at the evidence. On that note, we have compiled a list of seven insanely compelling fan theories that completely change some of our favorite TV shows. Check out our list and let us know which ones you agree with in the comments section below. Now let's get started with a dark take on a classic kids show!

"Rugrats" - Angelica imagines the rest of the babies.

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One running theme within fan theories (particularly ones centered on kids shows) is the fact that they tend to get pretty dark. However, this 'Rugrats' one takes the cake. The theory suggests the idea that Angelica Pickles is the only member of the central cast of babies that actually exists. Within this theory, Tommy died as a result of a miscarriage (which is why Stu obsessively continues to make children's toys), Chuckie died in the same car accident that killed his mother, and Phil and Lil were aborted before the DeVilles could learn the sex of their baby. It's a terrifyingly grim theory about a beloved Nickelodeon program, but it also paints Angelica in a much different light compared to what we know about her. Try watching 'Rugrats' with a smile on your face now.

"Breaking Bad"& "The Walking Dead" - They take place in the same universe. 

breaking bad

Although nothing that ever occurs in 'Breaking Bad' suggests the possibility that zombies will eventually take over the planet, 'The Walking Dead' makes quite a few references to the world of Walter White. In particular, a 'Walking Dead' episode in Season 2 specifically showed that Merle Dixon had a stash of blue meth in his bike's saddlebag, and Daryl Dixon at one point apparently came across a Jesse Pinkman-esque drug dealer with an affinity for the word "b—h" before the apocalypse. While it seems unlikely that anything will ever come of this theory, it's incredibly cool to imagine how someone such as Saul Goodman might currently be surviving in a world populated by the undead. Can you imagine how well Mike would be doing if he had survived Walter's reign of terror?

"It's Always Sunny" - Mac, Dee, and Dennis don't look like the actors who play them.  

its always sunny in philadelphia cast

FXX's 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia' already feels like it takes place in a warped version of reality, and this fan theory takes that idea one step further. It suggests that, while Charlie and Frank look exactly like Charlie Day and Danny DeVito, Dennis, Mac, and Dee look nothing like the characters we see in the series. This is because their respective egos are so inflated that we see them how they see themselves. In reality, Mac is a scrawny man, Dennis is incredibly ugly, and Dee is confined to a back brace due to her terrible scoliosis. It's a widely held belief that this theory will receive confirmation during the last episode of the series, but we will have to wait and see if it holds any water.

"Seinfeld" - Episodes of Seinfeld take place weeks apart from each other. 

george jerry pitch nbc seinfeld

This fan theory admittedly doesn't change much about 'Seinfeld' regarding the theme, tone, or characterization of the legendary sitcom, but it goes a long way towards rationalizing why the characters are always hanging out in Jerry's apartment and almost never at work. This hypothesis proposes the idea that 'Seinfeld' doesn't actually take place week to week because Jerry is a successful comedian who spends the bulk of his time traveling the country to perform gigs and make TV show appearances. All we see during the sitcom is the time in between these extended periods of travel, which means that weeks (or even months) have taken place between each episode of the series. With 180 episodes taking place over nine years, the math is a bit complicated, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.

"The Walking Dead" - Rick and his group are partially deaf from gunfire. 

 the walking dead

Have you ever noticed how the walkers always manage to sneak up on our heroes in 'The Walking Dead?' This fan theory suggests the distinct possibility that prolonged exposure to gunfire has caused severe deafness among Rick Grimes and his group of survivors, thus making them more susceptible to walker attacks. There's precedent for this, as Rick's decision to fire his gun in the enclosed space of a tank in Season 1 of the series undoubtedly caused some major ear damage. This theory also goes a long way towards explaining why characters like Daryl and Michonne are better at fending off zombies and spotting an attack -- they stick to a crossbow and sword, respectively, so they're around loud gunfire less frequently than their friends.

"Friends"& "Parks and Recreation" - They take place in the same universe. 

chrissie hynde friends

This fan theory blows the NBC comedy landscape wide open, but it's the result of an incredibly minor moment on 'Friends.' During the 'Friends' episode, "The One With All The Candy," it's revealed by Monica that Rachel dated a guy named Ben Wyatt at one point in her long relationship history. If that name sounds familiar, that's because Ben Wyatt is the name of Adam Scott's character on 'Parks and Recreation.' What makes this theory so great is that it creates a connective tissue between two iconic NBC properties that could easily be expanded upon in the future. If 'Friends' and 'Parks and Recreation' exist in the same universe, then there's no reason why other single and multi-camera sitcoms can't also find themselves incorporated at some point -- thus creating an NBC Cinematic Universe.

"Breaking Bad" - Skyler's smoking gave Walt cancer. 

skyler walt breaking bad

Few television characters have ever received as much universal hatred as Anna Gunn's Skyler White, and this fan theory probably won't do her any favors in the long run. Throughout the run of 'Breaking Bad,' Skyler's smoking is depicted as a nasty habit, but it ultimately doesn't have much influence on the overall plot. This idea suggests the distinct possibility that her tobacco use in the years leading up to the series caused Walter White's lung cancer -- which in turn makes her knee-jerk reaction to blame Gray Matter Labs for his diagnosis all the more ironic. While none of this justifies Walter's actions throughout the course of the series, it does feel somewhat poetic that it all could've been avoided if Skyler simply hadn't smoked. That would've saved a lot of people a lot of trouble.

Of course there are far wilder fan theories out there, but these are some of the ones that are most compelling. Are there any you totally wish would come true?

SEE ALSO: THEN & NOW: What happened to the stars of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 20 years later

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 'It's a lie': Jake Tapper calls out Trump during a fiery interview with Kellyanne Conway

Every HBO show ranked from worst to best, according to critics

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Although HBO has made attempts to separate itself from that thing we call television ("it's not TV, it's HBO"), the premium cable network has brought us some of the greatest TV of all time throughout its history of original programming, which started in the early '80s — from "The Sopranos" to "Game of Thrones."

Since HBO's list of original programming is so good, we decided to rank its shows according to their ratings on Metacritic, which aggregates critics' reviews and assigns each season of a show a score. (For shows with multiple seasons, we averaged their scores.)

The list is competitive. But like any other television network, HBO has released some stinkers in its lifetime. 

(Note: We left off animated, children's, documentary/reality, and foreign programming as well as miniseries, with a few notable exceptions.)

Here's how HBO's shows rank from worst to best, according to critics on Metacritic:

SEE ALSO: 50 movies that critics really hate but normal people love

71. “Ja'mie: Private School Girl” (2013), one season

Metacritic Score: 40

“It's a painfully obvious shtick, so camp and arch it's impossible to enjoy the joke.” —TV Guide

 



70. "Real Time with Bill Maher" (2003-), 15 seasons

Average Metacritic Score: 43

"Why would HBO, cable's most innovative network ... think it's a good idea to let Bill Maher bring the skeleton of his canceled ABC show, 'Politically Incorrect,' and stuff it into the tattered corpse of 'Dennis Miller Live'?"—Entertainment Weekly



69. "Lucky Louie" (2006), one season

Metacritic Score: 47

"A show so vile, it makes you think the company's arrogant It's Not TV — It's HBO slogan isn't a brag — it's a threat."—USA Today



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Samantha Bee: Trump 'shot himself in the d---' with his wire-tapping accusations

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After a short break, "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" made its return Wednesday night, just in time for International Women's Day. A lot has happened since the host has been gone, and she didn't skip her thoughts on Trump's recent speech to Congress that was widely praised as "presidential."

“Last week, America’s one-man white supremacist employment program managed to talk about his dystopian agenda using an indoor voice without mentioning his Electoral College win or deporting anyone from Congress. Hooray!” Bee said. “For this astonishing feat, the pundits rained golden compliments down on him in the warmest shower he’s ever had outside of Moscow.”

To the people who called the speech "presidential," Bee said, "What the f--- is wrong with you? Question mark, exclamation point, rage emoji!

"Look, I know it’s extraordinary that he learned to read something, finally. I didn’t think he could do it either!" Bee said. But you don’t have to gush like he’s a toddler who just made a boom-boom on big-boy potty.”

Bee also sped things along to address Trump's wire-tapping accusations against former President Barack Obama, which came amid investigations into Russia's potential interference in the presidential election and questions about the Trump team's ties to Russia.

“That’s new. A white guy shoots himself in the d---, tries to pin it on a black guy. When has that ever happened? To be fair, there’s a good chance Trump fell asleep watching news, rolled over on the remote, and woke up during 'The Wire.' Mr. President, that’s not Barack Obama.”

Watch Samantha Bee's segment below:

 

SEE ALSO: Every HBO show ranked from worst to best, according to critics

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NOW WATCH: Oscar nominees receive a $100,000+ swag bag — here's what's inside

Trevor Noah: 'When I see Trump, I see a stand-up comedian'

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On Wednesday, “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah sat down for CNN’s latest “The Messy Truth,” hosted by Van Jones, and touched on a major reason he believes President Donald Trump was able to become leader of the free world.

“During the debates there were moments when Trump would connect with people... When I see Trump, I see a stand-up comedian,” Noah said. “He connects with audiences in the same way, he knows how to make you laugh in a moment where you didn’t think you would, he knows how to broach a topic in a way that no one normally can.”

Noah points to Trump’s first address to Congress when he recognized the wife of fallen Navy SEAL Ryan Owens, and how he played off of the thunderous applause, as a perfect example.

“That moment, Ryan’s wife, Trump even told a joke, and people laughed. People connected. And I was like, that is scary, that is good,” Noah said.

Though many in the media praised that Trump speech, including Van Jones, Noah sees a danger there.

“When you watch Trump and what you said [about him being presidential], my first instinct was, come again, Van?” Noah said. “But when I watched it, I realized what you were saying. The honest truth is that he became presidential in that moment. What’s not scary is that he became presidential in that moment. I think what’s scary is that it is that easy to become presidential.”

Watch the entire clip below:

 

SEE ALSO: 33 documentaries on Netflix right now that will make you smarter

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NOW WATCH: Oscar nominees receive a $100,000+ swag bag — here's what's inside

Stephen Colbert: The 'bloodbath' battle over Trump's healthcare plan is like 'Game of Thrones'

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stephen colbert donald trump healthcare plan late show cbs

Stephen Colbert compared President Donald Trump's battle to get his healthcare plan passed to HBO's "Game of Thrones."

"It took the GOP forever to release this thing. They're like the George R.R. Martins of health care," Colbert said, referring to the author of the novels "Thrones" is based on, during his monologue on Wednesday's "Late Show"

"And just like in 'Game of Thrones,' a lot of your favorite characters are going to die without warning," he continued.

Since the healthcare plan, which repeals and replaces President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, came to light earlier this week, many of its opponents have spoken out, including many Republicans, such as Senator Rand Paul, who called the plan "dead on arrival."

"And Rand Paul knows 'dead on arrival,' because I believe that was his presidential campaign slogan," Colbert joked of Paul's presidential election run.

Trump has even threatened a "bloodbath" if Republican House members don't push his plan through to getting passed.

"Which would be terrible," Colbert said, "because their healthcare plan does not cover bloodbath. Again, 'Game of Thrones.'"

Watch Colbert mock Trump's battle to pass his healthcare plan below:

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Brie Larson said not clapping for Casey Affleck when he won an Oscar 'spoke for itself'

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brie larson casey affleck oscars

The INSIDER Summary: 

  • Brie Larson didn't clap for Casey Affleck after handing him his Oscar.
  • Larson said that her action "spoke for itself."
  • Affleck has been accused of sexual harassment.


Brie Larson does not seem like she's happy with Casey Affleck.

At this year's Academy Awards, Larson — who won the best actress Oscar in 2016 for playing the survivor of a brutal sexual assault in "Room"— introduced the award for best actor.

She gave it to Casey Affleck, who won for his performance in "Manchester by the Sea." Most of the Dolby Theater burst into applause for Affleck's win, but Larson held back and just stood there.

Viewers speculated that Larson didn't want to support Affleck because he has been accused of sexual harassment. Two women accused Affleck for the harassment on the set of his 2010 movie "I'm Still Here." Affleck settled out of court and said he and his accusers are prohibited from discussing the case as part of the settlement terms.

Larson told Vanity Fair on Wednesday that she didn't clap on purpose.

"I think that whatever it was that I did onstage kind of spoke for itself,"she said. "I've said all that I need to say about that topic."

brie larson red dress kong skull island premiere red carpet

Larson has a record of using her celebrity to support women who have been sexually abused and to support other female-centric causes. She also picks roles that deal with feminist themes. In "Kong: Skull Island," her newest movie, she's one of the only female characters — a Vietnam war photographer and dissident. And "Room" opened a discussion about how woman can be abused by men, sight unseen.

The actress told Vanity Fair that she wants her movie to play a role in social change.

"There is a sense of joy and exhaustion that comes with every film, but the hope is that all the exhaustion pays off and you end up getting to share it with the world,"Larson said. "You hope that it reverberates outward and that it changes people's opinions and hopefully for the better."

SEE ALSO: Hollywood stars who rejected their Oscars

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The favorite 'Breaking Bad' villain is coming back on 'Better Call Saul,' but almost didn't

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gus fring breaking bad giancarlo esposito

"Better Call Saul" fans are really pleased that the "Breaking Bad" spin-off is bringing back Gus Fring, but the actor who played the role originally turned down offers to reprise the beloved villainous character.

"My reaction was no," Giancarlo Esposito, who played Gus for two seasons on "Breaking Bad,"told Vulture of his initial response to being asked to come back.

Esposito said that he didn't feel confident about his ability to bring that character back to life. After turning down the show's producers, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the actor said he even turned down the head of Sony Pictures, which produces "Better Call Saul'."

"It’s like when you make a really good soufflé," Esposito said. "You know what I mean? It’s very, very difficult to have it rise without falling and also have it be remarkable. So for me to try to recreate that soufflé without it falling was almost impossible... Yeah, I was pretty cooked!"

Esposito is referring to the explosive way the drug kingpin died at the end of the fourth season of "Breaking Bad."

"And for me, that was it. I was done," Esposito said. "I don’t like to repeat myself. I try to always be original in my work. So to come back and create a character I’d already created was... difficult."

It took "a lot of time" and a phone call with Gilligan to finally convince Esposito to return for the upcoming third season of "Better Call Saul."

During the Television Critics Association press tour in January, Esposito said fans will meet a more immature Gus on "Better Call Saul" that hasn't quite yet developed the thirst for revenge he had on "Breaking Bad," yet Gus will still retain his "mysterious" quality.

“I’m excited to be back," the actor said at TCA. "Vince described a situation — as he put it to me — Gus is a very cagey character. Again, I go back to the original stage direction Vince wrote, which was ‘hiding in plain sight.’”

SEE ALSO: Bryan Cranston reprises 'Breaking Bad' character to mock Trump's cabinet choices on 'SNL'

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Here's when 'Game of Thrones' season 7 will finally premiere

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game of thrones season seven hbo

HBO created an event out of the premiere-date announcement for season seven of "Game of Thrones."

Though plagued with technical difficulties, more than 100,000 fans waited for a painfully long amount of time before HBO revealed via Facebook Live that "Game of Thrones" will be back on July 16, 2017.

In the lead-up to the announcement, HBO released two pieces of artwork teasing the potential "Fire and Ice" battles to come. Accompanying the premiere-date announcement was a photo of a block of ice on a platform surrounded by fire.

In the Facebook Live video, sudden bursts of fire melted that block of ice to reveal the premiere date. It took a while, but the date finally showed up.

game of thrones ice melting date

HBO also released the first teaser for season-seven, titled "Sigils Tease":

And earlier on Thursday, HBO released a poster ahead of the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. It shows the elements of cold and heat intermingling, once again a reference to the "Fire and Ice" theme.

Here it is below:

sxsw_game_of_thrones_s07_poster_key_art

While the announcement of season seven's premiere date will thrill fans, that doesn't erase the facts that the wait for a new season will be longer than usual and the number of episodes will be fewer than in other seasons. Due to the fabled winter finally arriving in Westeros for next season, the show delayed production to wait for the appropriate cold weather for filming. The later premiere date also means that the show will miss the entry date for the 2018 Emmy Awards.

Additionally, there will only be seven episodes on the show's penultimate season as opposed to the typical 10. Presumably the shows eighth and final season will also be a shorter one.

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' star reveals how the 'brilliant' 'hold the door' scene was shot

DON'T MISS: 7 TV shows you need to watch if you love 'Game of Thrones'

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HBO made 'Game of Thrones' fans watch ice melt for a painfully long time, and they went nuts

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hbo ice melt season 7 announcement facebook

HBO created an event out of the premiere-date announcement for season seven of "Game of Thrones," but its major flaws truly tested fan dedication.

On Thursday, HBO used Facebook Live to announce the date. More than 100,000 fans tuned in to watch the event, but it was plagued with stops and starts and apparent technical problems.

In the Facebook Live video, fans were told to type "fire" in order to help melt a block of ice with sudden bursts of fire to reveal the premiere date.

Unfortunately, not a lot of melting happened.

After about 11 minutes, the video went down. It took nearly 20 minutes longer to bring the video feed back, only for viewers to find the block hadn't melted much in the meantime. The video went down another time and new video appeared again.

Then some seemingly stronger blasts of fire revealed the premiere date of July 16, 2017.

Fans and critics took the opportunity to make swipes at the marketing failure from HBO, which is normally so precise about how it rolls out "Game of Thrones" materials.

A user on one of the Facebook Live video posts commented, bluntly, "Ya had 400k+ people typing 'fire' fast as their fingers and devices and that block is still frozen solid and we're still in the dark. Y'all might want to resolve that before the fans storm HBO hq like wights and walkers are going to storm the wall." 

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' star reveals how the 'brilliant' 'hold the door' scene was shot

DON'T MISS: 7 TV shows you need to watch if you love 'Game of Thrones'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Google got a 'Game of Thrones' star to trek around Greenland to take Google Street View images


HBO is making a show about the chaotic 2016 presidential election

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donald melania trump election day

HBO has announced it's making a miniseries about the 2016 presidential election that saw Donald Trump win in a historic upset.

The upcoming show, which has no premiere date at this point, will be based on a book to be published by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, the third installment in the authors' successful "Game Change" series of books chronicling the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

HBO previously made the TV movie "Game Change," based on Halperin and Heilemann's book about the election between John McCain and Barack Obama.

Once again, Jay Roach will direct and executive produce the upcoming series, and Playtone’s Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman will also be executive producers.

In a statement, HBO Films President Len Amato said the series about Trump's stunning rise to victory "promises to vividly capture the most unique and impactful event in modern American politics."

SEE ALSO: Every HBO show ranked from worst to best, according to critics

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NOW WATCH: 11 real-life places 'Game of Thrones' uses to create Westeros

15 actors who have played Queen Elizabeth on screen — and how they compare to the real-life royal

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helen mirren queen

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Queen Elizabeth II should feel pretty flattered: The queen of 65 years has been portrayed as a character in roughly 100 films and TV shows, IMDb records show

Here are 15 talented performers who have brought the monarch to life on screen, and how they compare to the real thing:

In Netflix's new series "The Crown," Claire Foy plays Elizabeth in the early days of her reign. She became queen at age 25 when her father died.

Here's how the rest of the cast compares to the real-life royals they portray.

Source: IMDb



"SNL" actor Fred Armisen played a bawdy, foul-mouthed version of the queen in several sketches.

In this 2011 sketch, the Queen and her husband angrily confront newly-married Will and Kate.

Source: NBC



Helen Mirren won an Oscar for her portrayal of Elizabeth in 2006's "The Queen."

Here are 15 reasons why Dame Mirren an absolute boss

Source: IMDb



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

How 'Jeopardy!' writers come up with the clues

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We recently had the opportunity to visit the set of "Jeopardy!" on a taping day and got to talk to the iconic host of the show, Alex Trebek. 

We also spent some time with the show's team of writers and researchers, who talked to us about their process for coming up with clues for every episode.

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A professor's kids burst into the middle of his live TV interview — and he played it off perfectly

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interrupted bbc interview kid

The INSIDER Summary: 

  • The BBC interviewed professor Robert Kelly about the North and South Korea relationship.
  • His two children burst into the interview and stole the show.
  • The moment became a viral meme.


It was meant to be a serious interview about the impeachment of South Korea's president, Park Geun-hye, and the future of the country's relationship with North Korea.

But it soon descended into chaos when Robert E. Kelly, a professor of political science who Skyped in from the South Korean city of Busan, was interrupted by children in uproarious fashion.

Kelly's daughter waltzed into the room, arms akimbo, while Kelly carried on with the interview. As he apologized to the BBC anchor and tried to signal to his daughter to leave, another one of his children, on a mobile high chair, hopped his or her way into the room.

A few seconds later, a woman rushed into the room and collected them while Kelly carried on with the interview.

The incident happened live on BBC World News on Friday morning — and the memorable moment was originally tweeted by the channel's producer Julia Macfarlane.

"When the kids interrupt you in the middle of live TV... A lovely moment and masterfully handled by our guest this morning on South Korea," she said in a message which has since been deleted.

It was a moment that immedialy became viral. The self-confidence of his daughter entering the room, the impressive skill of his infant child somehow getting into the room despite not being able to walk, and Kelly's mastery of the situation as a whole make for gripping television.

Kelly, though, didn't seem to notice that he had a viral moment on his hands. He seemed confused when a BBC employee asked if he could re-broadcast the clip.

The moment immediately became a meme.

Hopefully, Kelly will feature his kids in interviews more often. They definitely have a future in television.

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It's surprisingly difficult to find a swarm of one billion locusts

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planet earth 2 locusts

The INSIDER Summary:

• BBC America's "Planet Earth II" just premiered in the US. 
• The "Deserts" episode features jaw-dropping footage of a locust superswarm in Madagascar.
• Producer Ed Charles told INSIDER that finding the swam was one of the team's biggest challenges.



While filming the "Jungles" episode of BBC America's brand-new "Planet Earth II," producers and camera operators were always running into venomous spiders and snakes on accident. It's hard to avoid them, actually: Jungles are jam-packed with more than half the world's species. 

The crew of the "Deserts" episode had the opposite problem. 

"The biggest challenge we faced in the field was, bizarrely, finding animals," producer Ed Charles told INSIDER. "Deserts are generally quite empty places, and other than at a few special spots, such as waterholes, the animals are often few and far between."

This held true for all the animals featured in the episode — even a swarm of one billion locusts.

The crew had major difficulty tracking locust swarms in Madagascar.

locust

In 2012, Madagascar was hit by a severe locust plague. The bugs were devastating crop fields — a major problem since 80% of Madagascar's population relies on agriculture for a living. (Thanks to three-year campaign led by the United Nations, the plague was quelled by June of last year.)

But the locusts move more than 60 miles a day, and the crew — often held back by flooded roads — couldn't seem to catch the bugs before they'd moved on to their next location.

Finally, with help from a local expert and a helicopter loaned from the UN, the team ditched their ground search and found a one-billion locust swarm from the air.

"My most memorable achievement has to be the locust sequence," Charles said. "It was such a huge logistical challenge to get, and is one of the biggest swarms ever recorded on film — plus we were able to film it from the air, which is no mean feat!"

The crew also got footage from inside the swarm itself.

locust swarm in madagascar

Just the thought is enough to make entomophobes shiver. But Charles found the experience awe-inspiring. 

"Certainly before I went on the shoot, I had lots of friends and family freaking out on my behalf, wondering how on earth I could be in a swarm of locusts, but it was never something that bothered me," Charles said. "However I wasn't prepared for how amazing it was to be inside a swarm. The locusts don't hit you or fly into you — instead they part like a stream around a rock, flying within a few inches of you. Also, the sound made by so many billions of wings all beating in unison was incredible, like a deep roar of a waterfall, but almost on the edge of hearing."

The locust swarm isn't the only heart-pounding sequence in the "Deserts" episode.

planet earth 2

Charles's team also captured footage of lions teaming up to hunt a massive giraffe, bats hunting venomous scorpions in the dead of night, and birds called sand grouse who fly 125 miles every day to gather water for their thirsty chicks, to name just a few.  

"Deserts" airs at March 11 at 9 p.m. onBBC America. You can also learn more about the locust chase in the "Making of Planet Earth" episode — it airs March 25 at 10:10 p.m.

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