Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones."

"Game of Thrones" fans should know by now not to get too attached to their favorite characters (seeing as the HBO show kills off so many), but they might want to keep an eye on the rotating cast of actors, too. 

Several cast members have been replaced over the span of six seasons. Though some of the characters are minor enough that fans probably missed the change, bigger roles were slyly replaced with similar-looking actors.

From princes to mercenary soldiers, let's take a look at which "Game of Thrones" characters have reappeared with new faces. 

Princess Myrcella, sister to Joffrey and Tommen, was originally played by Aimee Richardson on seasons one and two.

Actress Nell Tiger Free took over on season five when Myrcella was a little more grown up and ready to get married.

Tommen was also recast. Here's Callum Wharry as the youngest of Cersei's children on season one:

The INSIDER Summary:

• Netflix will introduce interactive shows on July 14 with two kids' programs "Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale" and "Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile."
• Kids will be able to play with the characters by touching, tapping, and swiping at the screen.
• They can guide their favorite characters through adventures when the option pops up.

Back in the day, we all loved choose-your-own-adventure books. These stories allowed you to pick from multiple circumstances and outcomes along the way, and were definitely popular among young readers (and they still are, with those who like adult reads that are similar to kid-lit). That’s why we were so thrilled by non-linear movies and why we’re freaking out over the fact that you can enjoy the same drama-navigating fun with Netflix’s new interactive shows.

Rolling out the feature on July 14, Netflix is starting with two kids’ shows, "Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale" and "Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile."

“The children’s programming space was a natural place for us to start since kids are eager to ‘play’ with their favorite characters and already inclined to tap, touch and swipe at screens,” Netflix said in a press release, according to Mashable.

“They also talk to their screens, as though the characters can hear them. Now, that conversation can be two-way. It’s really about finding the right stories — and storytellers — that can tell these complex narratives and bring them to life in a compelling way.”

While we’ll totally admit that we’re also apt to talk to the characters on screen every once in a while (have you NOT screamed, “Oh, girl, no!” at various drama-filled series?!), for now it’ll be the kiddos who get to guide their fave fictional friends through adventures whenever an option pops up that offers two different possibilities. Merely tapping the screen or using a remote allows your little one (or you) to pick the path they want to take. So very cool!

We can’t wait until Netflix tries this out on a "Pretty Little Liars"-esque series. Or maybe "Riverdale" or "Stranger Things." We can think of so many possibilities!

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In an effort to teach President Donald Trump about the importance of HIV/AIDS research, "The Late Late Show" host James Corden has sent 297 copies of the 1994 Oscar-winning, Tom Hanks-starring movie about a man with AIDS, "Philadelphia," to the president.

Corden said he sent the DVDs to Trump in reaction to the recent news that six members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS have resigned because, in their view, Trump "simply does not care" about the HIV epidemic.

The "Late Late Show" host admitted that until he saw the acclaimed, tragic movie from the late director Jonathan Demme, he was unaware of the impact of HIV/AIDS. 

"I was thinking, maybe that's the problem. Maybe Donald Trump doesn't care because he's never seen 'Philadelphia,'" Corden said. "In fact, I'm almost certain that's probably what it is."

After the White House rebuffed Corden's proposal to send one copy of "Philadelphia" to Trump, Corden and his staff decided to buy up every DVD of the film they could find online — 297 copies — and send them to Trump's Florida estate Mar-a-Lago.

"We hope that if Trump watches 'Philadelphia,' he'll understand two things," Corden said. "One, Tom Hanks definitely deserved that Oscar, and number two, we hope that he'll realize that HIV and AIDS is something that you or any president of the U.S. or any world leader for that matter can never afford to ignore."

Watch the segment below:

SEE ALSO: James Corden never looks at his ratings, only his YouTube numbers

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NOW WATCH: Watch Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's 2010 cameo in the teen drama 'Gossip Girl'

HBO took over the first official day of summer by releasing a new "Game of Thrones" season seven trailer, along with 12 new character posters. We're here to dive into every new tidbit spotted, from Jon Snow battling a White Walker to Bran Stark arriving in Winterfell. 

Keep reading to see the 17 details you might have overlooked.

Let's start with all the action in the north, since that's what has us the most hyped. Jon Snow will be battling the White Walkers along with a badass crew.

First, there's Beric Dondarrion with his flaming sword. We last saw him with the Hound on season six.

You can see Beric's fiery blade next to Jon in this shot. That's a lot of people — are they wights? Or Wildlings? Maybe a mix of both?

Netflix’s “Glow,” available on the streaming service Friday, is a half-hour dramedy set in the 1980s. It's inspired by Glamorous Ladies of Wresting (G.L.O.W.), a women's wrestling program that premiered in 1986, and ended in 1990. As in the Netflix original series it inspired, most of the real Glamorous Ladies of Wrestling were actresses hoping to make it in show business. 

Creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch and executive producer Jenji Kohan ("Orange Is the New Black") deliver a hilarious, dramatic, and delightful addition to female-led stories that's also one of the best Netflix originals.

"Glow" follows Ruth (Alison Brie), a struggling actress who loves acting (maybe too much) in 1980s Los Angeles. She only has $83 in her bank account, doesn't know if she can pay her gas bill, and wants meatier roles. She purposefully reads a man's part at an audition to prove a point in the opening scene of the first episode. This scene rings true for the 1980s, and still does for women working in show business today: Just ask Jessica Chastain.

But "Glow" is fully prepared to change that, by giving a diverse group of female actresses exciting and memorable roles that matter. Brie is definitely the main character, second mostly to Debbie (Betty Gilpin) but they take the backseat more often than you'd expect, like Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) on "Orange Is the New Black."

And like 2016’s “Stranger Things,”“Glow” is a love letter to the 1980s, albeit a very different part of the 1980s, from the costumes to the music to the haircuts to the personalities to the training montages. While "Glow" clearly loves the decade, it also uses the period to seriously address issues around sex and race, making a past that isn't so long ago feel much further away.

While "Glow" is dramatic and tackles important subject matter, its humor is sharp, particularly in its witty dialogue and quirky cast of characters. While some of the drama works, it's not as new or exciting as the comedic elements, so some things like Ruth and Debbie's feud don't play out as dramatically as intended. In the realm of comedies that sometimes feel like dramas, it’s way more on the comedy end, especially compared to “Orange Is the New Black” and “Transparent.”

Every episode has way more than a handful of laughs, particularly from Marc Maron as Sam Sylvia, the smug director with an endless list of clever insults on the tip of his tongue. This is a role the comedian was probably more destined to play than he was destined to make a podcast. Maron is so good that it’s hard to tell that he’s acting. Sylvia could just be Maron's personality, but either way he’s excellent here. 

Besides the comedy, what "Glow" does best is make every character thoughtfully written. No matter how loathsome, each character has some kind of charm that will make you wish there were an episode exclusively about them. We don't get character-centric episodes as on "Orange Is the New Black," but there are quick reveals that show us a great deal about the characters, even if they're only touched on briefly.

All of the characters in "Glow" are not who you think they are when you first meet them. Just as you start to really sympathize with Ruth, a big surprise about her personal life might turn you sour. The show-within-a-show's producer, Sebastian "Bash" Howard (Chris Lowell), comes across as a yuppie douche. And he is a yuppie douche who owns a robot full of drugs, but he also has some of the show's most touching moments that show us he's also a human being who cares about the women in the show he's funding.

Among the wrestlers, standout performances include Britney Youngas Carmen Wade, who's from a wrestling family, and Sydelle Noelas Cherry Bang, who takes on the seemingly impossible task of training this group of misfits to become professional wrestlers in a matter of weeks. 

With an fantastic cast of diverse women, snappy dialogue, and important things to say, Netflix's "Glow" proves that hilarious comedy can make a serious statement.

Watch the trailer for "Glow" below:

SEE ALSO: Alison Brie says she looks for acting work that 'terrifies' her

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NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed in season 3 episode 3 of 'Twin Peaks'

The INSIDER Summary:

• Jordan Gielchinsky said he supports girlfriend Corinne Olympios until he has a "legitimate reason not to give it."
• He also says that he's not paying attention to media speculation and is awaiting the findings of, presumably, an inquiry by Olympios' legal team into the incident.
• The couple met while attending the same high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, more than 10 years ago.

The boyfriend of embattled "Bachelor in Paradise" contestant Corinne Olympios has broken his silence.

Jordan Gielchinsky told E! News that he stands by Olympios as she and her legal team continue their search for answers into an alleged incident of sexual misconduct during the taping of ABC's "Bachelor" spin-off in June.

"I have known Corinne for over 10 years and as a friend or boyfriend, she will continue to receive my unwavering loyalty and support until I decide that there is a legitimate reason not to give it," he said.

Gielchinsky and Olympios, 24, met while attending high school at the University School of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Olympios graduated in 2010, while Gielchinsky graduated in 2008.

Over the past few weeks, the show was rocked by allegations that "Bachelorette" season 13's DeMario Jackson allegedly engaged in sexual acts with Olympios when she was too intoxicated to give consent while the show's cameras rolled in Mexico.

Warner Bros., the producer of the "Bachelor" summer spin-off, concluded its investigation into the allegations and found that there was no misconduct on the night in question. Olympios' attorney, Marty Singer, then released a statement that his team would continue its own investigation into the incident.

Olympios has said she was a "victim" in the alleged incident, though she claims to remember very little about the night in question.

For now, Gielchinsky said he's avoiding media speculation and waiting to hear the results of, presumably, Singer's investigation.

"Anything the public may perceive that is coming from me is pure speculation," he said. "There is an ongoing inquiry that must follow a course to its conclusion before I can fully comment."

Jordan added, "I pay very little attention to the media and try to ignore all the conjecture surrounding my relationship with Corinne.  The only two people who know the true disposition of our relationship is Corinne and I."

Gielchinsky, whose LinkedIn profile states he's the president of a tobacco company in Miami, has been the focus of much speculation since news of the scandal broke. Many wondered if Olympios indeed had a boyfriend, then why was she appearing on a reality dating show? Sources told TMZ that he agreed to allow her to go on the show as long as she didn't "hook up" with other cast members.

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The coal magnate Robert Murray has filed a lawsuit against John Oliver, HBO, Time Warner, and the writers of Oliver's show over the most recent episode of "Last Week Tonight,"The Daily Beast reports. In a segment on the show, Oliver took on Murray's business practices and the safety hazards of the coal industry at large.

Murray — who runs Murray Energy Corporation, the largest private coal company in the country — filed the suit Wednesday. It says Oliver's program "executed a meticulously planned attempt to assassinate the character of and reputation of Mr. Robert E. Murray and his companies."

In the segment, Oliver called Murray a "geriatric Dr. Evil" because of Murray Energy's weakened safety practices, which Oliver contended led to a collapse in one of Murray's Utah mines that killed nine workers in 2007.

Oliver predicted during the segment on Sunday that the lawsuit would occur. The "Last Week Tonight" host said Murray had a history of suing media outlets over unflattering coverage and that Murray previously sent a cease-and-desist letter when the show reached out to him for comment.

Murray's lawsuit argues that Oliver omitted mention of reports that an earthquake, rather than dangerous mining practices, caused the Utah mine collapse. Murray himself has cited an earthquake as the cause of the incident.

The suit mentions that Murray's bad health worsened after he saw the segment, "likely further reducing his already limited life expectancy due to his idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis."

Murray, an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, also takes issue with Oliver's political motivations in the suit, saying Oliver's program has "vigorously supported and advanced Mrs. Clinton's agenda."

According to Ken White, a First Amendment litigator in California who talked to The Daily Beast, Murray's suit is "frivolous and vexatious," and "any core of merit is buried in nonsense."

Watch the segment that prompted Murray's lawsuit:

SEE ALSO: John Oliver: Why 'Trump needs to stop lying to coal miners'

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On Wednesday night’s “Late Night,” Amy Poehler joined host Seth Meyers to make fun of President Donald Trump supporters who’ve been protesting the production of "Julius Caesar" at Shakespeare in the Park in New York City. In the production, Caesar intentionally looks like Trump.

According to Meyers, one protester said that he charged the stage “to protect the president’s life.” Then Meyers introduced the segment, “Really!?! With Seth and Amy.” Amy Poehler joined Meyers at his desk, to loud and long applause. When Poehler and Meyers cohosted "Weekend Update" on “Saturday Night Live,” “Really!?!” was one of their most popular segments.

“Really, protester?” Poehler said. “Now, let me get this right. You waited in line to get tickets to a play you already hated and then you watched it for three hours, and then you ran on stage to protest but not the president, someone who was dressed like the president from getting pretend stabbed with a fake knife. Really? I commend you. If you want to change this country, you just can’t sit around your house, yelling at the TV. You have to get out there and yell at a play. Really? You know what? You’ve made actors so upset, that Daniel Day-Lewis has quit now. You made Lincoln quit!”

Meyers added, “If this portrayal was offensive to anyone, it’s Caesar. Caesar was beloved by the Roman Empire. To put it another way, he won the popular vote. He was so popular we don’t use his name for pizza, we use it for pizza-pizza. The only thing Caesar and Trump have in common is they both have casinos named after them. And really, you could tell that Caesar wasn’t really Trump because the Senate stabbed him instead of just passing a sh--ty healthcare bill.”

You can watch the entire segment below:

SEE ALSO: The 'Wonder Woman' cinematographer explains how he pulled off its most miraculous scene

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NOW WATCH: HBO released an incredible, action-packed trailer for 'Game of Thrones' season 7

The INSIDER Summary:

• There's a new "Wet Hot American Summer" sequel.
• The Netflix series will take place 10 years later.
• Watch the trailer below.

Netflix is dedicated to the cult classic "Wet Hot American Summer" and just released the first hilarious trailer for a new season.

The streaming video platform made a prequel series for the 2001 movie — even though the cast was older — and now they're releasing a sequel. The new eight-episode "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later" will reunite most of the cast for more Camp Firewood hijinks.

The original movie ends with one character saying, "Hey, let’s all promise that in 10 years from today, we’ll meet again, and we’ll see what kind of people we blossomed into."

"Ten Years Later" makes good on that promise. Set in 1991, most of the original counselors revisit Camp Firewood for a reunion — and also try to rescue it from being sold off.

It's huge ensemble cast includes many of the stars from the original film or the prequel season, including Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd, Marguerite Moreau, Janeane Garofalo, Amy Poehler, Chris Meloni, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Molly Shannon, Michael Ian Black, Zak Orth, Michael Showalter, Kristen Wiig, Marisa Ryan, H. Jon Benjamin, Lake Bell, David Wain, A.D. Miles, Nina Hellman, John Early, Josh Charles, Sarah Burns, Beth Dover, David Hyde Pierce, Eric Nenninger, Jason Schwartzman, Rich Sommer, and Samm Levine all return from either the original film or the Netflix prequel series.

Chris Pine, who was in the prequel but not the original film, seems to have a significant role and steals a few scenes in the outlandish trailer.

Skyler Gisondo, Samm Levine, Mark Feuerstein, Marlo Thomas, Joey Bragg, Jai Courtney, Dax Shepard, Alyssa Milano,​ and Adam Scott are also added to the cast.

"Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later" premieres on Netflix on August 4.

Watch the trailer below:

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NOW WATCH: 'Melania needs to get with the program’: Ian Bremmer explains the biggest takeaways from Trump’s first foreign trip

The INSIDER Summary:

• Beric Dondarrion appeared in HBO's new "Game of Thrones" trailer.
• His flaming sword was shown near Jon Snow and fans believe the sword is tied to Lightbringer.
• Lightbringer is a fiery sword connected to the prophesied hero Azor Ahai.
• This might be further confirmation that Jon Snow is Azor Ahai.

The new trailer for "Game of Thrones" season seven features a badass shot of a dude with an eye patch wielding a flaming sword. A closer watch of the trailer reveals that this same man with a blazing weapon also appears later, standing by Jon Snow's side. This imagery isn’t just meant to look cool — it's essential to the story.

But why is the flaming sword important? It's a key ingredient to the story of Azor Ahai, a legendary hero who is supposed to be reborn to save the world from darkness. Initial season seven photos of Sam and Gilly already made it clear that this story will play a key role in season seven. They're reading about Azor Ahai at the Citadel.

Many theorize that Jon Snow fits the profile for Azor Ahai reborn. And while the show has yet to confirm or deny it, the visual language of linking him with a flaming sword is no accident. That's a big deal.

Below, Jon stands in the center next to Beric and his flaming sword:

"Game of Thrones" season seven premieres July 16 on HBO.

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CHICAGO (AP) — The confession of a Wisconsin inmate featured in the Netflix series “Making a Murderer” was improperly obtained and he should be released from prison, a three-judge federal appeals panel ruled Thursday.

Brendan Dassey was sentenced to life in prison in 2007 in photographer Teresa Halbach’s death on Halloween two years earlier. Dassey told detectives he helped his uncle, Steven Avery, rape and kill Halbach in the Avery family’s Manitowoc County salvage yard. Avery was sentenced to life in a separate trial.

A federal magistrate judge ruled in August that investigators coerced Dassey, who was 16 years old at the time and suffered from cognitive problems, into confessing and overturned his conviction. The state Justice Department appealed the ruling to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a move that kept Dassey, now 27, behind bars pending the outcome.

A three-judge panel from the Chicago-based 7th Circuit upheld the magistrate’s decision to overturn his conviction. State attorneys’ only recourse now is the U.S. Supreme Court. They could also elect to re-try Dassey.

Avery and Dassey contend they were framed by police angry with Avery for suing Manitowoc County over his wrongful conviction for sexual assault. Avery spent 18 years in prison in that case before DNA tests showed he didn’t commit the crime. He’s pursuing his own appeal in state court.

Their cases gained national attention in 2015 after Netflix aired “Making a Murderer,” a multi-part documentary looking at Halbach’s death, the ensuing investigation and trials. The series sparked widespread conjecture about the pair’s innocence and has garnered them a massive following on social media pushing for their release.

Authorities who worked on the cases insisted the documentary is biased. Ken Kratz, the prosecutor, wrote in his book “Avery” that Dassey was “a shuffling, mumbling young man with bad skin and broken-bowl haircut” who could have saved Halbach’s life but instead involved himself in her rape and murder and Avery is “by any measure of the evidence, stone guilty.”

SEE ALSO: 'Making a Murderer' subject Brendan Dassey's homicide conviction has been overturned

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NOW WATCH: 'Melania needs to get with the program’: Ian Bremmer explains the biggest takeaways from Trump’s first foreign trip

The INSIDER Summary

• Savannah Guthrie interviewed Khloe Kardashian in February 2012, when there were reports that Robert Kardashian wasn't her real father.
• Guthrie didn't want to ask about the paternity reports, so she waited until there were only seconds left in the interview and it was awkward.
• Khloe Kardashian was a good sport, but "Today" cohost Matt Lauer teased her about the moment.

"Today" cohost Savannah Guthrie said her big interview with Khloe Kardashian ended up being her most embarrassing moment on the NBC morning show.

On Thursday's episode of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen," Guthrie told a viewer that her most embarrassing moment on the show occurred in February 2012, when she interviewed Khloe Kardashian. At the time, reports spread alleging that the late Robert Kardashian, an O.J. Simpson attorney, was not her real father.

"I didn't really want to ask [about] it, because it was kind of probing, and personal, and intrusive," Guthrie said of the paternity reports. "But I felt I was new and I feel like they wanted me to. So I delayed and delayed and delayed."

Suddenly, Guthrie had waited too long and the control room gave her the signal that she only had five seconds left with Khloe.

"And I was like, 'Is Robert Kardashian really your father?" And she was like, yes," Guthrie recalled. "So I was like, we're back after your local news.' That was embarrassing."

That was pretty bad, but Khloe was a good sport. Guthrie said, 'She was lovely."

But not everyone was so cool about the awkward moment. Guthrie suggested that cohost Matt Lauer teased her for it.

"He loved it so much," she said, pointing to Lauer sitting next to her. "So I would re-do that."

Watch Guthrie tell the story on "Watch What Happens Live" below:

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Kit Harington plays Jon Snow on "Game of Thrones."
• He's told an amazing story about showing up for his audition with a black eye.
• Harington says he got into a fight at a McDonald's the night before.
• But "Game of Thrones" casting director Nina Gold told INSIDER that she doesn't recall the black eye.
• She only remembers Harington being "mind-blowingly good." 

"Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington had quite the experience auditioning for his role of Jon Snow. According to a 2016 interview with W Magazine, Harington showed up to the audition with a black eye after getting into a fight at a McDonald's the night before.

And though Harington credits the black eye with helping him land the role of a brooding Jon Snow, the casting director doesn't even remember the dramatic appearance.

"I'm afraid I don't recall his black eye," Gold told INSIDER recently. "All I remember is that he was really, really mind-blowingly good."

Gold has been behind nearly every casting choice for "Game of Thrones" and she's an award-winning member of the Casting Society of America.

Gold first spotted Harington when he was starring in a 2009 London production of "Warhorse." She brought him in for an audition, and the rest was history. 

"I remember that he was quite tired, because he'd been doing eight shows a week in 'Warhorse' for a year," Gold said. "Then he started doing the audition and playing Jon Snow and he was completely brilliant. I do recall the emotional impact of his audition and being blown away. Kit is a phenomenal actor."

The fact that Harington's lasting impression is one of emotional impact and not the black eye he was sporting says a lot about the actor. 

According to Harington's version of events, he was out with a girl the night before his audition and they stopped at a McDonald's for some food. When a man they were seated next to began verbally insulting his date, Harington stood up and effectively called him up for a fight. 

Unfortunately the man turned out to be much taller than Harington, which led to the future Jon Snow being clobbered in a McDonald's.

Watch Harington explain the tale behind the shiner in the interview with W magazine below:

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Last week, Apple finally hired a head of video programming — actually two— in a moment that Hollywood had been waiting for since Netflix and Amazon crashed into Los Angeles with billions of dollars to spend on TV shows and movies.

By hiring veteran Sony Pictures Television execs Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, who were responsible for hits like “Breaking Bad” and “The Crown,” Apple sent a signal that it’s looking to become a major player in the market. The pair of execs will be Apple’s equivalent of Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, or Amazon’s Roy Price, and oversee “all aspects of video programming,” reporting to Apple services boss Eddy Cue.

These hires help clarify a video strategy that was murky to people both inside and outside of Apple.

Up until now, Apple had been taking a bunch of meetings, and had a few TV-quality projects in development, including its “Shark Tank”-style show “Planet of the Apps,” which debuted this month on Apple Music. But in conversations with half a dozen people who worked for Apple or on Apple productions, there was a lack of clarity about who was spearheading Apple's overall video efforts.

Cue, along with music industry legend Jimmy Iovine, VP of content and media apps Robert Kondrk, and Apple Music content boss Larry Jackson, were all involved in ways that varied between projects. And Apple’s participation in the production of the shows varied as well, with the company sometimes being almost completely hands-off, while at other times taking a more active role in a show's creation.

Put plainly: Apple’s first forays into TV didn’t feel like part of a cohesive strategy to disrupt the industry. What we’ve seen over the past few months have been a handful of TV projects tied to Apple Music, some of which have been delayed or re-shot, and the first of which was walloped by critics.

Apple wasn’t trying to become Netflix, yet.

“The idea that Apple is chasing Netflix, that’s the wrong way to think about it,” a former Apple Music manager told Business Insider when describing its video efforts and the upcoming “Carpool Karaoke” in particular. “They are not. No one gives a sh-- … I think what is happening is that Jimmy [Iovine] sees a way to, not just within music, connect to the brand promise of Apple.”

Iovine, the Interscope Records cofounder who became involved in Apple when it purchased Beats for $3 billion in 2014, has been preaching the marriage of technology and pop culture for years, the former Apple manager said. Video was one piece of that.

But by hiring Sony veterans Erlicht and Van Amburg, Apple has taken a step in a more expansive direction, and looks to be marshaling for a video effort that transcends music.

The Apple way or the highway

Apple’s TV saga didn’t start with Iovine or Apple Music; it's been a hot topic in tech and entertainment for the better part of a decade.

For years, Apple has tried intermittently to get together its own TV bundle, particularly a so-called “skinny bundle" which would give customers a small number of marquee channels for a lower price. But Apple’s plans never quite came together. One reason multiple Apple insiders cited was Apple’s tendency to negotiate in a way TV execs didn’t like.

“Eddy [Cue] is extremely smart," a former Apple Music staffer said, but Cue is “very aggressive” in negotiations with people outside Apple. “In that area [video], Eddy negotiates like they need Apple. Not everybody is on board that they need Apple.” With the music industry, Apple had a lot more leverage than with TV, this person explained.

“They were trying TV stuff, but things would always fall through with networks,” another former Apple Music employee said. This person said that everyone in Apple Music had a great deal of respect for Cue, and that he was a smart guy, but that he could be overbearing in negotiations (“like a dictator” was the exact phrasing).

With the entrance of Iovine in 2014, another exec was added into the TV mix. But though Iovine has deep connections in the entertainment industry and has been the catalyst for some Apple TV-style projects, he’s not a TV producer. He comes from music. Until last week, Apple didn't have a TV big-shot to guide its programming strategy.

Still, Iovine has been a shot of energy in getting projects done.

“Jimmy is not a normal person, he is extraordinary,” one former Apple Music employee said. “A typical Silicon Valley person would underestimate him,” but Iovine moves seamlessly in the world of entertainment, something Apple has lacked.

Iovine sparked the conversations that led to “Planet of the Apps” and “Carpool Karaoke,” Apple Music’s first two big shows, he told Bloomberg in a recent interview. That spark and finesse in Los Angeles is probably something Apple is looking to get more of with Erlicht and Van Amburg.

Where is ‘Vital Signs?’

One big question mark around Apple’s TV-style efforts on Apple Music has been the whereabouts of “Vital Signs,” helmed by Dr. Dre, who, like Iovine, came into Apple’s orbit with the acquisition of Beats in 2014. “Vital Signs” was meant to be Apple’s first scripted show, in the form of a six-part semi-autobiographical series about Dre’s life.

“Vital Signs” began shooting back in February, 2016, a person who worked on the production told Business Insider. But it still hasn’t arrived, or gotten a firm release date from Apple.

“American Gods” and “Deadwood” star Ian McShane, who is in the series, talked about the show recently on "Late Night with Seth Meyers."

“Dre was great, this was an Apple project, by him,” McShane said. “It’s about his sort of story … There’s three of us … We play parts of Dre’s imagination who actually come to life at various points in this … Sam Rockwell plays ego, who’s very funny, and Michael K. Williams, the charismatic Omar the gay assassin from ‘The Wire,’ plays negativity, and I play vengeance.”

At the time “Vital Signs” was shot, there didn’t seem to be much Apple involvement on the ground, according to sources close to the production.

“From my experience, and what I saw on-set and in-office, Apple was almost completely hands-off,” a person on the “Vital Signs” production told Business Insider. “My guess would be that Apple was a bit green around the ears in terms of film production and may not have realized the importance of a studio or financial backer in their position to be invested with eyes and ears on the ground, especially when they have final approval on the product,” that person continued.

Even beyond Apple input, Dre wasn’t satisfied with the product. Multiple sources said that there were reshoots on “Vital Signs” after the initial filming. A source close to the production characterized the reshoots as part of Dre's creative process, and "Vital Signs" as his passion project.

Ian McShane said during his Seth Meyers appearance that “Vital Signs” will be out in August, but Apple hasn’t said anything, and other Apple insiders aren’t clear about a time frame. It’s also good to note that Dr. Dre fans had to wait over a decade for him to release his last album, and when it arrived it wasn’t called “Detox.”

Apple doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to get “Vital Signs” out the door until it’s happy with it, and that may continue to an even greater extent in the era of Erlicht and Van Amburg, since it’s not their project.

More delays

“Vital Signs” isn’t the only Apple Music series to have had timeline hiccups.

“Carpool Karaoke,” Apple’s spinoff of the popular sketch on the “Late Late Show with James Corden,” was delayed four months, though Apple did not specify why.

Late last month, Eddy Cue announced that the show would be airing on Apple Music starting August 8. This announcement came after a premiere party in March, and then a launch party in April, were both cancelled.

Enter the critics

The Apple Music show that has already arrived, “Planet of the Apps,” has not exactly been greeted with fanfare.

You can think of “Planet of the Apps” as a “Shark Tank” for app developers. App makers get help from celebrity mentors like Jessica Alba and Will.i.am, and then pitch venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, hoping they’ll invest some of the $10 million Lightspeed promised to the show.

Variety’s critic slammed the show’s first episode as a “bland, tepid, barely competent knock-off of ‘Shark Tank.’” My colleague Avery Hartmans followed suit.

Apple appears to have been more involved with “Planet of the Apps” than with other projects, which makes sense given the topic. Apple’s VP of content and media apps, Robert Kondrk, is not listed as an executive producer on the show, but essentially played that role. Apple also collaborated on building the set, which involves an escalator from which contestants pitch their app ideas.

But Apple was still hands-off in some ways. Gwyneth Paltrow, one of the celebrity judges, told The Hollywood Reporter that Apple wasn’t that involved in the creative process. "They were pretty hands off," Paltrow said, though she did add that Apple execs were more involved with how the show would be distributed. The 10-episode series is available on Apple Music, for subscribers only, with a new episode debuting at 9 p.m. PST every Tuesday (from June 6).

The poor critical reception for the first “Planet of the Apps” episode means that Erlicht and Van Amburg’s hiring comes at an opportune time, since they bring firm hands with proven TV programming chops to Apple.

And with that in place, along with Apple’s pile of over $250 billion in cash, Apple has the opportunity to make compelling video that might not be possible other places.

One former Apple Music staffer mentioned “808: The Movie,” which shows the impact of Roland’s TR-808 drum machine, as a special moment that’s happened already, without Erlicht and Van Amburg.

“That’s a really remarkable piece of work,” the former staffer said. “It only could be created at a place like Apple.”

If you know anything more about Apple’s original TV plans, tip the author at nmcalone@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' fans picked their favorite villains, heroes, seasons — and which deaths were most satisfying

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You may have noticed something about television recently: It's really good!

We're currently in the middle of what a lot of critics call the "Golden Age" of television. The ubiquity of screens and rise of platforms like Netflix have led to more television content than ever, and more competition for them to have the best shows.

The best shows are the ones that take advantage of the length that movies don't have and use the imagery that novels can't conjure. They can captivate big audiences and change their lives forever.

Since we're living in the "Golden Age," a lot of the best shows are recent, and many are still ongoing. Here's INSIDER's list of 23 television shows you should see in your lifetime.

"The Sopranos" (1999-2007)

David Chase's mob epic is the daddy of all "Golden Age" television. It's the sprawling story of Tony Soprano — a towering James Gandolfini — trying to stay sane while straddling his personal life as a suburban dad and his other life as a ruthless mob boss.

It's one of the first shows to introduce novel-like storytelling powers and character-building in a serialized television show, and still stands as one of the best.

"Game of Throne" (2011-present)

I'm not sure who's going to end up being the ruler of Westeros, but "Game of Thrones" is definitely the king of TV. Its backstabbing characters, knotty plot lines, and astounding visual effects (dragons!) makes it one of the most obsessed-over shows on TV — right now, and ever.

"The Wire" (2002-2008)

Former Baltimore police reporter David Simon wrote "The Wire," which looked at drug dealers and their relationships with the city's police force through their own eyes. His knowledge of the subject made the show feel gritty without being exploitative, and moving and empathetic instead of merely polemical.

Facebook Inc. is in talks with Hollywood studios about producing scripted, TV-quality shows, with an aim of launching original programming by late summer, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

In meetings with Hollywood talent agencies, the social-networking giant has indicated it is willing to commit to production budgets as high as $3 million an episode, The Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Facebook is hoping to target audiences ages 13 to 34, with a focus on the 17-to-30 range. The company has already lined up "Strangers," a relationship drama, and a game show, "Last State Standing," the report said.

Facebook could not be immediately reached for comment.

The company is expected to release episodes in a traditional manner, instead of dropping an entire season in one go like Netflix and Amazon, The Journal reported.

The company is also willing to share its viewership data with Hollywood, the report said.

Apple earlier this month hired the presidents of Sony Pictures Television, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, to lead its video-programming efforts.

Apple began its long-awaited move into original television series last week with a reality show called "Planet of the Apps," an unscripted show about developers trying to interest celebrity mentors with a 60-second pitch on an escalator.

The company's future programming plans include an adaptation of comedian James Corden's "Carpool Karaoke" segment from his CBS show that will begin airing in August.

(Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)

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Netflix isn’t known for canceling its series, but it's not afraid to.

The streaming service doesn't cancel shows often, especially when compared to networks and cable. But over the past month it’s cut ties with three series, the most recent being its new comedy series “Girlboss."

“Girlboss” debuted on Netflix in April, and received poor reviews from critics and audiences alike. It has a 32% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The series was based on the life of Sophia Amoruso, the founder and owner of the fashion brand Nasty Gal. The streaming service also recently canceled “The Get Down” and “Sense8.” 

Since Netflix doesn’t reveal viewership numbers, we’ll probably never know if “Girlboss” was canceled for performing poorly with audiences, but the backlash it received due to a problematic protagonist and a dull story are definitely both prime suspects. 

SEE ALSO: The 6 shows Netflix has canceled, including the edgy sci-fi series 'Sense8' that was cut after 2 seasons

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NOW WATCH: HBO released an incredible, action-packed trailer for 'Game of Thrones' season 7

On Sunday night's season finale of HBO's hit comedy "Silicon Valley," we bid a fond farewell to one of the show's most popular characters, Erlich Bachman. The actor behind "Bachmanity," T.J. Miller, revealed in late May that the recently ended fourth season would be his last on the show.

Following his last episode, The Hollywood Reporter ran a lengthy interview with Miller in which the comedian got more into the specifics of his departure. 

Miller said that HBO offered him a reduced role on the show going forward (three to five episodes), but instead Miller countered by saying he'd be more comfortable leaving the show entirely. 

"It felt like a breakup with HBO," Miller told THR. "The final phone call was them going like, 'Well, I don’t think this is the end of Erlich. I still want to see him on television,' and I was like, 'I know but I think this is for the best.' ... So they were very, very cool about it, and that final conversation was super friendly and sad. It was heartbreaking on my end."

In a separate interview with THR, show co-creator Mike Judge gave a little more clarity about the situation.

"It was kind of becoming clear that he didn't want to do the show anymore, but we wanted to leave it so that there would an opportunity to come back at some point, " Judge said, who added that the open-ended storyline on the season finale episode (SPOILER ALERT if you haven't seen it yet) in which Erlich is left behind in an opium den in Tibet by Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) was done on purpose. 

"When the season was done, we talked to T.J. and said, 'Do you want to come back for part of it?' And he just wanted to move on," Judge said.

Miller said in the THR interview numerous times that he's extremely busy with other projects, from stand up to the Comedy Central show "The Gorburger Show" to upcoming movies like "The Emoji Movie" and the "Deadpool" sequel, so he felt this was the best time to move on.

"I swear to god, that’s why the internet broke," Miller said, referring to when the news broke that he was leaving "Silicon Valley.""Everybody was like, 'What the f--- are you talking about? You’re on this successful show. Don’t you want three more years of solid acting work and don’t you want to be a famous television actor?' And I was like, 'No, not really.' I’d like to parasail into the Cannes Film Festival for 'The Emoji Movie' because that’s the next new funny thing that will make people laugh."

Miller said most his castmates and crew were supportive of his decision to leave the show, though he did have a few parting shots for one of the show's Executive Producers/writers Alec Berg and star Thomas Middleditch:

"I think that HBO and Alec Berg, specifically, kind of thought — and I guess apparently Thomas Middleditch — I guess they thought, 'Alright, maybe this is the end of the character. But like everything in the show, we’ll sort of solve this and then it’s back to normal.' And they just didn’t imagine that I would be in a position of being like, 'I think that’s it.' … I don’t know how smart [Alec] is. He went to Harvard, and we all know those kids are f---ing idiots. That Crimson trash. Those comedy writers in Hollywood are f---ing Harvard graduates and that’s why they’re smug as a bug. … I think that in television you usually have one element that is very challenging, very frustrating. It’s an obstacle, right? So you’re doing the best work that you can do. Alec was that for me, and I think I was that for Alec. And a very good article was written that says that Erlich in the show is just this constant annoyance to Richard. ... And I think in some ways, that is analogous to real life. I think in some ways Thomas Middleditch is … we have a contrarian relationship, like a big brother-little brother relationship. And this is also an opportunity for me to be like, 'Let me just step off, dude. Like, just do your f---ing thing. You’re amazing.' I did a two-man improv show with him for a decade. He’s amazing."

When asked if he's upset Erlich didn't have a better sendoff in the finale episode, Miller said he doesn't watch the show anymore because "I don't have the time."

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season seven, including speculation of future events.

It's that time of year again, where we  guess which "Game of Thrones" characters will get the proverbial — or possibly literal — axe. With two full-length trailers out for season seven, we finally have an inkling of what's to come on the hit HBO fantasy drama and which characters appear to be in the most danger of being killed off.

Last year we guessed five of seven correctly, so let's see if we can boost our record this year. 

First up — Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish

Even though Littlefinger technically helped Sansa and Jon defeat the Bolton and Karstark armies at the end of season six, that was nowhere near a big enough good deed to get him back into our (and hopefully their) good graces.

Littlefinger has been the mastermind behind multiple plots resulting in the deaths of Ned Stark, Jon and Lysa Arryn, and countless other innocents. He manipulated Sansa and sold her off to the Boltons in an uncharacteristically careless move that ended with her being raped and tortured. And by the season six finale, it looked like he might start weaseling his way in between Sansa and Jon in an attempt to sow discord in the North and claim the Iron Throne.

Littlefinger has overstayed his welcome in Westeros, and it's long past time for him to die.

Beric Dondarrion

If you've seen the second trailer for "Game of Thrones" season seven, there's no way you missed Beric Dondarrion's epic flaming sword. But as hyped as this moment got us, we were also immediately worried for Beric's future. We realized that he's with Jon Snow and company in what looks like an epic fight against an army of White Walkers and wights.

Beric is already dead in the book series, so we think his time is just about expired on the show too. In the books, he gives his life in order to help resurrect Catelyn Stark as the undead Lady Stoneheart. The showrunners have seemingly abandoned the Stoneheart plotline altogether, but we think they'll still kill off Beric.

Our guess is he rides north with Jon and then goes out in a fiery blaze of glory.

Thoros of Myr

Thoros — a priest of the Lord of Light and the one responsible for resurrecting Beric all those times — is probably toast this season for two main reasons. First of all, he's Beric's right hand man. If Beric is going down, it's likely that Thoros will too. 

But more importantly is the total lack of Thoros in the two season seven trailers. We at least got a glimpse at Beric and the Hound and others in the north, but where's Thoros? In the past, some characters who were relatively absent from the trailers didn't last long. We realize he's a pretty minor character, but it still has us concerned.

Ellaria Sand

Similar to Littlefinger, Ellaria Sand is a controversial character who is well past her expiration date. After a frustrating episode where Ellaria arranged the assassination of Prince Doran and took over Dorne, fans began praying for a swift end to the entire Dorne storyline.

After spotting Ellaria in chains next to Cersei and the Mountain in this promo video, we're more certain than ever that this will be her last season on the series. If Cersei gets her hands on her, we don't see Ellaria surviving.

Septa Unella

Speaking of Cersei's prisoners, Septa Unella's torture will surely end in her death. Cersei seemed happy enough leaving the setpa to the mercy of the Mountain, but at some point Septa Unella will likely die as a result of the torment. 

We wouldn't be surprised if we learn that Septa Unella has died off-camera, or if they simply never mention her again. Hopefully Qyburn doesn't zombify her like the Mountain, though we'd still technically count that as a death.

Olenna Tyrell

Similar to Thoros, we're most worried about Olenna because there hasn't been a single photo or peek of her in any trailers or promotions. After Cersei murdered Margaery, Loras, and Mace on the season six finale, Olenna is now the only surviving Tyrell. This means her entire house is rather powerless at the moment. And if her new ally Ellaria gets imprisoned, then who will she have left to help her?

As sad as it will inevitably be, Olenna has no political capital left and "Game of Thrones" is at a point where the show must eliminate competing houses. We just hope the Queen of Thornes gets a few more good insults in before her death.

Yara Greyjoy

Both Yara and Theon Greyjoy were in the latest "Game of Thrones" trailer, but based on the context it looked like their ship was in serious trouble. Then there was a worrying shot of what looked like Theon collapsing to his knees on a beach. Our guess is that Yara doesn't survive the ship attack and Theon is grieving in that short snippet. 

Euron — Yara and Theon's uncle — promised to murder them on season six, so it adds up that he follows through on at least part of that promise. We don't see Theon dying quite yet, given how much he's already survived in the show. But Yara is more expendable at this point, and therefore she's our pick for a Greyjoy death.

Honorable Mentions

Now we're going to go through characters whose futures in the show are tenuous at best, but not so certain that they're on our official prediction list.

Grey Worm

Daenerys' loyal captain seems to be taking his relationship with Missandei to the next level based on the new trailers. But instead of the warm fuzzies, this feels like the foreshadowing of heartbreak. Love ends in tragedy on "Game of Thrones," and we don't think Grey Worm is immune to this pattern. 

The Sand Snakes

If Ellaria dies, odds are at least one of the Sand Snakes will die alongside with her. Oberyn's bastard daughters — Obara, Tyene, and Nymeria — are one of the most-hated aspects of the series among the hardcore show fans. The writers already seemed to throw a bit of fan service in by having Olenna tell Obara to "hush," and it wouldn't surprise us if they write in a couple good death scenes for the Sand Snakes just to put the whole controversy to bed.

Ghost

We know, we know. Jon Snow's direwolf isn't on our official prediction list mainly because we're praying it won't happen. But the show's track record is worrying. Aside from Lady, all of the direwolves in the books are still alive, and yet they're dying left and right in the show due to budget restraints.

Ghost has already been phased out of many scenes, including the epic "Battle of the Bastards" episode last season. The episode's director, Miguel Sapochnik, told Business Insider Ghost was absent because the CGI budget was already at its limits because of Wun Wun the giant. So we're preparing for the worst — bigger and more badass dragon action scenes at the expense of seeing Ghost die.

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NOW WATCH: Ivanka Trump's Instagram put her at the center of a controversy over her lavish art collection

John Oliver ripped into President Donald Trump on Sunday's "Last Week Tonight" for misleading the American public about whether he had tapes of his meetings with James Comey, the FBI director he fired on May 9.

"James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Trump tweeted in May.

In an interview with Fox News last week, however, Trump said he "didn't tape" his talks with Comey but had instead referred to the possibility of tapes in an attempt to force Comey to change his story.

"When he found out that there may be tapes out there, whether it's governmental tapes or anything else, and who knows? I think his story may have changed," Trump said, adding that his move to tweet about the specter of tapes "wasn't very stupid."

Oliver took apart what he called Trump's "extraordinarily stupid" reasoning on the issue, raising the possibility that Trump committed "witness tampering" with his threatening tweet to Comey.

"He didn't just casually admit to misleading the American public," Oliver said. "He also implied that doing so may have swayed Comey's testimony, which, if that was his intent, could constitute witness tampering.

"And on top of all that, he then implied he made Comey tell the truth about their conversations, seemingly verifying Comey's account, which is incredibly damaging to the president," he continued. "So yeah, Trump might actually be right: It wasn't very stupid; it was extraordinarily stupid."

Watch the segment:

SEE ALSO: John Oliver: Why 'Trump needs to stop lying to coal miners'

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