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Here Is Seth MacFarlane's 1995 Short Film That Inspired 'Family Guy'

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For his student thesis at RISD, Seth MacFarlane created a cartoon short film featuring a schlubby guy, his sarcastic dog best friend, sweet wife named Lois and their fat son. Naturally, MacFarlane did almost all of the voices. The cartoon was called The Life of Larry, and its status as clear precursor to Family Guy goes far beyond the synopsis.

The gags, the patter, the obsession with Star Trek and bizarre political commentary. It’s all here like an unvarnished artifact buried in hand-drawn ground.

In a way, it’s like watching old stand-up routines from Jim Carrey in his too-big sport coat, where the jokes and rhythms are still raw, but the DNA for future success is clearly at work. It’s also fascinating to see a creator stick so directly to a project (not to mention a student film) that he’d massage it into a network show 5 years later. There’s a sense that he basically got it right on the first try, inventing what would become a ridiculously popular show the first year he could legally drink.

SEE ALSO: Why Seth MacFarlane Killed Brian Griffin

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The Highest Rated Cancelled Shows This Season

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robin williams sarah michelle gellar the crazy ones

Here's some bittersweet news for Robin Williams: His CBS sitcom “Crazy Ones” got better ratings than any other canceled show in the 2013-14 season.

“Crazy Ones” averaged a 2.7 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, based on the most recent available numbers. It tied Fox's “Almost Human,” another canceled show that may also have been a victim of high expectations.

Despite considerable hype and a two-night premiere, it wasn't the big-event show Fox wanted it to be. (Fox chief Kevin Reilly announced his resignation Thursday, but said it wasn't about ratings.)

Also read: 75 Shows of Summer: TheWrap's Ultimate TV Viewing Guide (Photos)

It's not much comfort to be the best of the worst. But the cancellations show just how complicated the decision to end a show can be. Despite cracking broadcast television's top 30 shows last year, “Crazy Ones” didn't live up to CBS's hopes for Williams’ return to television. And the show lost much of its lead-in from “The Millers,” which had a massive lead-in from “The Big Bang Theory.”

Among the other highest-rated canceled shows were ABC's”Super Fun Night” (which averaged a 2.3), NBC's “Revolution,” Fox's “X Factor” and CBS's “Intelligence” and “We Are Men” (which all averaged a 2.2),  CBS's “Friends With Better Lives” (2.1), and CBS's “Hostages and ABC's “Back in the Game (which each had a 2.0).

Also read: 23 Summer TV Shows We Can't Wait to Watch

CBS has stringent standards for its shows, which may explain why it was responsible for so many of the cancellations. It slipped in 2013-14 to No. 3 in the key 18-49 demographic, down from first-place the season before. So the network was ruthless in getting rid of what wasn't working.

NBC also made tough decisions, perhaps for the opposite reason: It finished the season in first, and didn't want to give any ground.

The producers of “Crazy Ones,” which aired on Thursdays, can look with envy on shows like “Mom” (2.4) and “The Mentalist” (2.0) which survived despite lower ratings. But the situations for those shows weren't the same: “Mom” earns its 2.4 on a weaker night, Monday. And “The Mentalist” is a drama, not a comedy, and has been an enduring hit for CBS.

J.J. Abrams and his fellow “Almost Human” producers may also wonder why “Bones” (2.4) got another chance when their higher-rated show didn't. But again, it's an enduring show that has proven its value to the network. And it aired on Fridays, one of television's toughest nights.

Some networks have higher standards than others, based on how well they're doing overall. The CW, less established than its broadcast rivals, doesn't have a single show that cracked a 1.3 average last season. But it also makes decisions that aren't entirely by the numbers: “The Tomorrow People” was canceled with a 0.7, but “Reign,” which had the same rating, survived. So did “Who's Line Is It, Anyway?” and “Hart of Dixie,” which averaged a 0.6.

Here's an expanded chart of broadcast's highest-rated canceled shows, based on the most recent available numbers:

highest rated canceled broadcast shows

SEE ALSO: Here Are The 24 New Shows Coming To TV This Fall

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'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' Was Made Into A Horrible 1990 TV Show

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Ferris Bueller TV show

We’re still a few years away from being able to hop a quick flight into space (after our self-driving car parks itself in the terminal), but if you want to feel like you’re standing on another planet, you should watch the Ferris Bueller TV show.

Created for NBC’s lineup in 1990, it’s an odd pop cultural artifact that plays like a window into an alternative universe that somehow exists in our own without melting all physical laws into shoe-ruining mud. In it, Charlie Schlatter is Ferris Bueller, Jennifer Aniston is his pissy sister Jeannie, and Richard Riehle (before he became rich inventing the Jump To Conclusions Mat) is the stuffy Principal Ed Rooney.

The natural response is that these are impostors, that you’re somehow being tricked, and that instinctive mindset colors everything that the show does. It would probably be even stranger if the characters felt right while not looking right, but fortunately for everyone’s sanity, the show gets everything about continuing the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off story hilariously wrong.

It’s easy to imagine that this was a pure money grab on raw name recognition. After all, if a Ferris Bueller TV show were announced today, the entire internet would scream while pulling its eye-rolling muscles until embracing a fun program or deriding a bad/expected result. But we wouldn’t be surprised. We’d be resigned to it. That craven level of absent creativity is what we’ve come to anticipate, but this was 1990! A simpler time. Thus, it’s more likely that NBC wanted another Saved By the Bell and had an ace in the hole with name recognition on top (for, you know, a movie that was popular four years prior).

But if Zack Morris was the giant portable phone-wielding version of Ferris, 1990 also saw the launch of two other versions. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Parker Lewis Can’t Lose also hit television with a teenage swagger, featuring Ferris-style characters who could talk themselves in or out of any situation. All in all it was an amazing little moment for devil may care high schoolers.

That was unfortunate for the real fake Ferris, and since the show was both lame and unpopular, it died after a single season while Parker and Will lived on to different degrees of success. Both were updates on the 80s character, and they both turned out to be better Ferrises than the new Ferris. Oddly enough, Parker Lewis’ girlfriend is even named Sloan, and in a bit of pre-Community/Cougar Town crossover love, there’s an episode of Ferris called “Ferris Bueller Can’t Win.”

So what makes Ferris Bueller such a jarring experience? The bizarro world element is the biggest sin. Without a single returning actor from the movie, the show feels like a store clerk trying to sell you a dead parrot while absolutely refusing to acknowledge that it’s dead. Like how Tom Cruise must have felt in Vanilla Sky when Cameron Diaz kept insisting that she was Penelope Cruz. You keep watching, waiting for everyone to admit they’re lying about who they are, and compounding it further is Schlatter’s spot-on vocal impression of Ferris down to his rhythm and inflection. Meanwhile, Aniston (a few years from proving her chops with Friends) is a weak replacement for Jennifer Grey, reducing the role down with a single acting trick: huffing after every sentence.

Of course it also didn’t help the show’s goodwill that it opens with Schlatter’s Ferris attempting to erase Matthew Broderick’s Ferris from our minds by cutting his head off.

As ill-advised as it is, it’s not difficult to imagine that Executive Producer John Masius and the writers saw it as an earnest answer to the dilemma of creating an In Name Only show focused on a character made famous by the guy who won’t be playing him for you. If this were a book character, it would simply be another incarnation, but Broderick is Bueller, the only Bueller we know, so Masius and company had to choose between never mentioning the absence or inventing a clever way around it.

Their solution was definitely clever, but it was also headslappingly dumb and took the show into the next parallel universe over. We’re told up front that this is the real Ferris while the movie was actually made about the TV Ferris we’re just now being introduced to (the parrot just moved a little! See?). The TV Ferris is such a righteous dude that they made a movie about him starring a guy he thinks stunk up the joint.

Tone deafness is one thing, but badmouthing a character that is so beloved that you based a TV show on him yet couldn’t afford the original actor is next-level moronic. On the other hand, they did capitalize some on the movie’s existence in a few other ways — like using a genuine speech from Barbara Bush where she quotes Ferris about how fast life moves. It’s the kind of thing that would exist as a fantasy sequence in any other show, ADRed or CGIed to life, but here it’s a deft touch that goes at least an inch in mythologizing New Ferris.

That may have shot them in the foot, though, because we’re told this high school kid is cool enough to get a movie made after him, but all we get to see is stock sitcom silliness.

Even with the off-center feelings, the show still could have built an audience if it were funny and entertaining, or if it merely held true to the character. As you can guess, it doesn’t. Schlatter’s Ferris is less of a zen master in sunglasses and more of an outright asshole. The movie Ferris was always ahead of the curve, gliding through life with a portable escape hatch. The TV Ferris is frantic by comparison. In the second episode, Mr. Rooney proclaims at the last minute that Bueller won’t be eligible to run for student body president, and the baldfaced antagonism of a principal toward a student plays gratingly, like if Mr. Belding punched Zack in front of Kelly. Still, where the movie Ferris might use the moment to reveal (or lie through his teeth) that he’d secretly planned all along for the slight, the TV Ferris scrambles into the crowd, desperately begging for people to run in his stead. Very un-Bueller.

Ferris Bueller TV show openingThe entire show is a misappropriation of what made the movie so charming. To be fair, the line between incorrigible scamp and annoying jerk is paper thin, but the TV show lands on the wrong side of the cut. This Ferris is flappable.

And, yes, he wants to run for student body president for some reason.

Speaking of which, it’s more than a little strange to see Ferris in school. Call it a minor quibble, but after celebrating his ability to ditch class with impunity, watching a show that places him firmly inside the system that he didn’t care about is another cringe-producing element born from either not understanding the character, not being able to replicate him or not figuring out a way to keep a character famous for not being in school out of school.

This permeates the series. We get a glimpse of Ferris’ humanity near the end of the movie, but in the TV show, he’s constantly doing things for other people. In the fifth episode, he spends a ton of energy trying to create the “best birthday party” for Cameron; in the ninth episode he yells at his grandmother while trying to get new uniforms for the marching band; and in the seventh episode, Rooney essentially gets the best of Ferris the entire episode (and Jeannie makes out with Cameron).

Ferris Bueller is online thanks to some bizarre soul and a lack of copyright enforcement. As you could probably guess, John Hughes never signed off on the show or endorsed it in any way, but it’s still moderately cool that it exists (mostly because I was too young at the time to care). It’s a televisual platypus, and there’s even an overarching explanation for why this Ferris Bueller is so unlike Ferris Bueller: the TV version lives in California.

SEE ALSO: Here Are Some Of The Worst TV Show Titles In Recent History

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This 'Game Of Thrones' Actor Got The Role By Lifting Someone During The Audition

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The Mountain, Game of Thrones

Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!

If you just watched Sunday night's episode of "Game of Thrones," you're reeling about one character: Ser Gregor Clegane, also known as "The Mountain."

He was involved in a major jaw-droppingly gruesome fight scene Sunday night with Prince Oberyn Martell. 

You may not recognize the Mountain, but he's been featured on the show before causing a lot of damage off screen.

He's responsible not only for burning the face of his brother, The Hound, but also murdering women and children. Another reason he remains slightly mysterious is because the character has been played by three different actors.

Conan Stevens played him in season one.

The Mountain, Game of Thrones, Season 1

Then in season two, the role was recast with Ian Whyte.

The Mountain, Game of Thrones, Season 2

"Game of Thrones" does occasionally replace minor characters, so recasting The Mountain wasn't too out of the ordinary.

On Sunday's episode (aptly titled "The Mountain and the Viper"), he was played by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, the world's second strongest man

The Mountain, Game of Thrones, Season 4

During a recent Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything), the 6'9, 419-pound weightlifter discussed how he got the part as Westeros' most intimidating force.

"They (HBO) contacted me and called me in for an audition," Björnsson said in the AMA. "During the audition I lifted the guy up (well he asked me to) and they were really impressed."

The massive Icelandic powerlifter-turned-actor added he consumes about 10,000 calories a day and was even recruited to play for NFL's Indianapolis Colts, but ultimately had to decline.

"I had to choose between being a strong man competitor as well as an actor  and the NFL," said Björnsson. "Right now my head and my goal is becoming the Worlds Strongest Man!"

SEE ALSO: How Peter Dinklage became the beloved "Game of Thrones" bad boy

AND: 'Game Of Thrones' Actor Peter Dinklage: 'If You See Me On The Street And Want A Photo, Ask!'

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How Sunday Night's Awesome 'Game Of Thrones' Battle Came Together

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game of thrones viper vs mountain

Warning: There are spoilers ahead if you haven't seen Sunday's episode.

Sunday night's episode of "Game of Thrones" included a battle many fans of the books have been waiting for: The Mountain Vs. The Viper, aka the epic throwdown between Prince Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) and Ser Gregor Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson).

The fight's outcome sealed the fate of Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) who was accused of murdering his nephew King Joffrey earlier this season.

If you're wondering how the gruesome fight was filmed, HBO released a video breaking down how the fight went down.

Björnsson's Mountain character wields a 64-inch sword against Oberyn’s single spear. Since Björnsson is the second-strongest man in the world, Pascal underwent a lot of training beforehand to get in peak physical condition.

“It’s very difficult for the Red Viper to learn the moves because it’s not just a sword, the whole thing’s a bit alien,” said stunt coordinator, Paul Herbert. “We had him do Wushu classes before he came to us. Then, we had a Wushu expert fight with him and learn him about spears to look sharp.”Prince Oberyn game of thrones fight

Wushu is a contact sport based on Chinese martial arts.

"Pedro was very, very good," added Herbert. "He probably had about 40 to 50 moves he would have to learn. So he had three times the amount, four times the amount to learn [than the Mountain.]"

Oberyn's spear consisted of a viper wrapped around the blade with the skin of a python serving as its tassel.

viper sword game of thrones

Here are a few GIFs of the two practicing the big fight scene. game of thrones fight oberyn

game of thrones fight viper

game of thrones mountain vs viper fightprince oberyn fight game of thrones

 

Watch the full video below: 

SEE ALSO: How the actor who plays the Mountain landed his role on the show

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The Only 10 Shows You Should Watch This Summer

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taylor schilling oitnbNow that most of your favorite shows have come to an end, you're probably looking for something new to watch.

We've gone through the more than 70 new and returning reality shows and series coming to TV this summer.

From network television to the streaming services, here's what you should be checking out from now until August.

"Crossbones" (NBC)

Premiere date: Friday, May 30 at 10 p.m. ET

What it's about: A one-hour drama that follows the adventures of Blackbeard (John Malkovich) as he attempts to use a device — the world's first longitude chronometer — to dominate sea trade.

Why you should watch: The premise sounds a bit silly, but it's John Malkovich as a ruthless pirate so it's worth at least one watch.

We've been waiting for this show to air forever. Originally, set to debut midseason, the series comes from "Luther" creator Neil Cross.

Watch the trailer.



"Extant" (CBS)

Premiere date: Wednesday, July 9 at 9 p.m. ET

What it's about: A female astronaut (Halle Berry) comes home from space after a 13-month solo mission to find out she's pregnant.

Why to watch: Berry pregnant with an alien child conjures images of Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece, "Alien."

The 13-episode series stars Berry in her return to TV — she appeared on "Knots Landing" in the '90s. Steven Spielberg serves as an executive producer on the show.

Watch the trailer.



"Orange is the New Black" (Netflix)

Return date: Friday, June 6

What it's about: Now in season two, the series follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) as she tries to survive a 15-month jail sentence in a women's correctional facility for aiding in the transportation of drug money. 

Why to watch: Based on the The New York Times bestseller by Piper Kerman, the series takes a look at how prison can change a person. We watch as jail begins to take a toll on Piper emotionally while placing a strain on her relationships inside and outside the prison.

The Netflix original show has been nominated for one Golden GlobeAlso, the streaming service releases all of the episodes at once so you can watch them whenever you want.

Watch the trailer.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The Most Important TV Premiere Dates This Summer And Fall

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Orange Is The New BlackBetween the 24 new shows coming to TV this fall, favorites like "Orange Is The New Black"returning Friday on Netflix, and all of your summer standbys, there's a lot of TV to keep track of in the coming months.

Here's a handy calendar to help you remember what to watch. (via Vulture and E! Online):

Tuesday, May 27
"The Next Step," series premiere, Hulu
"The Wil Wheaton Project" ("Tosh 2.0"–style clips show), series premiere, 10 p.m., Syfy

Wednesday, May 28 
"Rogue," season two premiere, 8 p.m., Audience Network

Friday, May 30
"Derek," season two premiere, 12:01 a.m., Netflix

Sunday, June 1
"Halt and Catch Fire" (tech drama set in the 1980s), series premiere, 10 p.m., AMC

Monday, June 2
"Longmire," season three premiere, 10 p.m., A&E

Wednesday, June 4
"Through the Wormhole With Morgan Freeman," season five premiere, 10 p.m., Science Channel

Friday, June 6
"Orange Is the New Black," season two premiere, 12:01 a.m., Netflix

Saturday, June 7
"Power" (hip-hop drama produced by 50 Cent), series premiere, 9 p.m., Starz

Sunday, June 8
The Tony Awards, 8 p.m., CBS

Monday, June 9
"Major Crimes," season three premiere, 9 p.m., TNT
"Brazil With Michael Palin," 9 p.m., PBS
"Murder in the First," series premiere, 10 p.m., TNT

Wednesday, June 11
"Duck Dynasty," season six premiere, 10 p.m., A&E
"Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce," season two premiere, 11 p.m., Fuse

Thursday, June 12
"Tom Green Live," season three premiere, 9 p.m., AXS TV

Sunday, June 15
"Masterpiece Mystery!: The Escape Artist," premiere, 9 p.m., PBS

Tuesday, June 17
"Rizzoli & Isles," season five premiere, 9 p.m., TNT
"Perception," season three premiere, 10 p.m., TNT

Thursday, June 19
"Defiance," season two premiere, 8 p.m., Syfy
"Dominion," series premiere, 9 p.m., Syfy
"Rectify," season two premiere, 9 p.m., SundanceTV
"Rookie Blue, season 5 premiere, 9 p.m., ABC

Friday, June 20
"Cold Justice," season two mid-season premiere, 8 p.m., TNT

Saturday, June 21
"Almost Royal," series premiere, 10 p.m., BBC America

Sunday, June 22
"The Last Ship," series premiere, 9 p.m., TNT
"True Blood," final season premiere, 9 p.m., HBO
"Falling Skies," season four premiere, 10 p.m., TNT
"The Musketeers," series premiere, 10 p.m., BBC America

Monday, June 23
"Teen Wolf," season four premiere, 10 p.m., MTV

Tuesday, June 24
"Tyrant," series premiere, 10 p.m., FX
"Jason Nash Is Married" (film), CC.com

Wednesday, June 25
"Big Brother," season 16 premiere, 8 p.m., CBS

Sunday, June 29
"Last Tango in Halifax," season two premiere, 8 p.m., PBS
"Reckless," series premiere, 9 p.m., CBS
"The Leftovers" (drama from Damon Lindelof), series premiere, 10 p.m., HBO
"Vicious," series premiere, 10:30 p.m., PBS

Monday, June 30
"Under the Dome," season two premiere, 9 p.m., CBS

Sunday, July 2
"Witches of East End," season two premiere, 9 p.m., Lifetime
"Man Finds Food," series premiere, 9 p.m., Travel Channel

Tuesday, July 8
"Finding Carter," series premiere, 10 p.m., MTV

Wednesday, July 9
"Extant" (Steven Spielberg–produced sci-fi drama starring Halle Berry), series premiere, 9 p.m., CBS
"The Bridge," season two premiere, 10 p.m., FX

Friday, July 11
"Hemlock Grove," season two premiere, 12:01 a.m., Netflix

Sunday, July 13
"Ray Donovan," season two premiere, 9 p.m., Showtime
"Masters of Sex," season two premiere, 10 p.m., Showtime
"The Strain" (Guillermo del Toro–produced vampire series), series premiere, 10 p.m., FX

Thursday, July 17
"Married" (comedy starring Judy Greer and Nat Faxon), series premiere, 10 p.m., FX
"You're the Worst," series premiere, 10:30 p.m., FX

Sunday, July 20
"The Lottery" (dystopian thriller), series premiere, 10 p.m., Lifetime

Monday, July 21
"Hotel Hell," season two premiere, 9 p.m., Fox

Saturday, July 26
"Sharknado Week" (stunt programming), 9 p.m., Syfy

Sunday, July 27
"Manhattan" (Manhattan Project–era period drama), series premiere, 10 p.m., WGN America

Wednesday, July 30
"Sharknado 2: The Second One," 9 p.m., Syfy

Saturday, August 2
"Hell on Wheels," season four premiere, 9 p.m., AMC

Thursday, August 7
"7 Deadly Sins," documentary series premiere, 11 p.m., Showtime

Friday, August 8
"The Knick," series premiere, 10 p.m., Cinemax

Saturday, August 9
"Outlander" (Ronald D. Moore–adapted time-travel bodice-ripper), series premiere, 9 p.m., Starz

Monday, August 18
"Dallas," season three midseason premiere, 9 p.m., TNT

Wednesday, August 20
"Legends," series premiere, 9 p.m., TNT
"Franklin & Bash," season four premiere, 10 p.m., TNT

Thursday, September 11
"The Biggest Loser" premiere, 8-10 p.m., NBC

Monday, Sept. 22
"The Voice" premiere, 8-10 p.m., NBC
"The Blacklist" premiere, 10 p.m., NBC

Tuesday, September 23
"Chicago Fire" premiere, 10 p.m., NBC

Wednesday, September 24
"The Mysteries of Laura" (Debra Messing) premiere, 8 p.m., NBC
"Law & Order: SVU" premiere, 9 p.m., NBC
"Chicago P.D." premiere, 10 p.m., NBC

Thursday, September 25
"Parenthood" premiere, 10 p.m., NBC

Friday, Sept. 26
"Dateline" premiere, 9 p.m., NBC

Thursday, Oct. 2
"Bad Judge "(Kate Walsh) premiere, 9-9:30 p.m., NBC
"A to Z" premiere, 9:30-10 p.m., NBC

Tuesday, October 14
"Marry Me" premiere, 9-9:30 p.m., NBC
"About a Boy," 9:30-10 p.m., NBC

Friday, October 24
"Grimm" premiere, 9 p.m., NBC
"Constantine" premiere10 p.m., NBC

Monday, November 17
"State of Affairs" premiere, 10 p.m., NBC

November TBD
"Better Call Saul" ("Breaking Bad" spinoff), AMC

SEE ALSO: The Only 10 Shows You Should Watch This Summer

MORE: The 24 New Shows Coming To TV This Fall

Join the conversation about this story »

A 'Game Of Thrones' Actress May Be Giving Away Huge Spoilers On Her Instagram

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game of thrones cerseiWARNING: There are major spoilers if you haven't seen Sunday's episode

"Game of Thrones" is one TV's hottest shows right now, so fans are doing whatever they can to avoid spoilers.

If that's the case, fans may want to stay away from actress Lena Headey's Instagram account.

Headey, who plays Queen Cersei Lannister on the series, has been posting photos that many fans see as potential spoilers.

For example, Sunday night's episode involved a brutal battle between Oberyn "The Red Viper" Martell (Pedro Pascal) and Ser Gregor Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson).

It culminated in Oberyn getting his eyes gouged out. 

Red Viper, eyes, Mountain game of thronesMany fans think one of Headey's previous Instagrams looks awfully similar to the way Pascal's character met his demise.

Before the episode aired, Headey posted this photo jokingly gouging out fellow cast member Pedro Pascal's eyes two months ago.

 

The image is from a feature in Hunger Magazine; however, fans noted the similarity was uncanny.

Fans have also been speculating the meaning of another one of Headey's photo posted a month ago. The photo found below is of stones making up a heart shape with the caption "my stone heart."

Warning: MAJOR potential spoiler ahead.

Many fans suspect this as a spoiler for the return of Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) who becomes known as "Lady Stoneheart" in the books after she's brought back to life.

game of thrones catherine stark red weddingHowever, not every cast member's Instagram spoils the show.

Here's a fun off set photo from Pedro Pascal's account showing the very different sizes of Pascal and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who plays The Mountain on the series.

SEE ALSO: This 'Game Of Thrones' Actor Got The Role By Lifting Someone During The Audition

AND: How Sunday night's awesome "Game of Thrones" battle came together

Join the conversation about this story »


The 3 Things 'Silicon Valley' Copied From Google For Its Office Set

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silicon valley hooli

Sunday marked the season finale of HBO's new hit comedy, "Silicon Valley."

One reason the show was successful and renewed for a second season is that it portrayed what life in Silicon Valley is really like.

Production designer Richard Toyon worked hard to make everything feel realistic — from the "hacker hostel" house the main characters share to the Google-like campus (Hooli, as it's called in the show) they frequent throughout the season.

But at the advertising agency where the show often filmedit wasn't easy making an entire office interior look like Google.hooli office silicon valley

Toyon says he followed Google's rule of the three "H's" when constructing the Hooli office set: "Health, hygiene, and hunger."

"Supposedly they work hard to keep you satisfied in those three areas,"Toyon tells Business Insider. "It’s all about productivity so you can come in at 10 a.m. and leave at midnight, or you can work 24 hours a day and still be able to take a nap, take a shower, exercise, and be fed."

Toyon explains, "For the health part, Hooli had a sports court and a mountain-climbing wall. The quad area always had people bicycling around the campus."Google Campus bikes

"The hygiene we never really showed in the shower rooms or anything like that. It was implied."

As for "hunger," Toyon says the series showed "micro-kitchens" that were "not more than 150 feet from where the characters were working."hooli kitchen silicon valley

Production had a say in everything, down to the drinks characters consumed on camera.

"We did a lot of ground work where we found out from a local beverage distributor how much they’re selling, or what particular products they’re selling to Google, and we tried to use those."

Toyon adds: "We found that a lot of people seem to like Dos Equis, so we used a lot of Dos Equis, but also tried to use craft and local beers as much as possible. And then there’s the overabundance of energy drinks."

One thing Toyon and show creator Mike Judge found particularly interesting about Google when they visited the campus were the "multiple heights of desks and the multiple things people sit on, stand on, or work on."silicon valley

"Google has a great department of ergonomics so when you’re a new employee they will come over and measure you and figure out what your posture is and your height and will work with you in terms of being comfortable as possible at your work space," says Toyon.

"So when you look at any Hooli environment there is a variety of those things," adds Toyon. "They’ll be multiple monitors, the monitor systems will be up some, will be down some, some will be regular chairs, some will be standing, some will be a high chair. So that was really signature, so we wanted to make sure we captured that."silicon valley HBO show

Toyon says that "one of the things you see at Google are the Energy Pods, which are one of those sleeping couches that have the bubble around them and inside they have some very subdued lighting and subdued music and sounds and you can put in."

"They’re around Google and Mike Judge really liked that," adds Toyon. "We really worked to put one of those into our set."energy pod

SEE ALSO: How 'Silicon Valley' Turned A College Campus Into A Google-Like Exterior

MORE: Here's How 'Silicon Valley' Chose Which Tech Gadgets To Use On The Show

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George R.R. Martin Could Write Up To 8 'Game Of Thrones' Books

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george rr martin

While all good things must come to an end, Game of Thrones is still going strong as Season 4 winds to a close, with HBO renewing the show for Season 5 and Season 6 back in April.

Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss revealed in March that they want to end the show in either Season 7 or Season 8, since author George R.R. Martin has revealed that his book series entitled "A Song of Fire and Ice" will be told over seven books, the last two of which have not been published yet.

During a Q&A session on SuvuduGeorge R.R. Martin's book editor Anne Groell revealed that the author may be planning an eighth book.

When asked by a fan if George R.R. Martin will need more than seven books to wrap up A Song of Fire and IceAnne Groell revealed that the series was originally planned as a trilogy, before it grew into a seven or possibly eight-book series.

"I begin to wonder-though 7 is what we currently have under contract. I remember when he called me, years and years back, to confess that his little trilogy was...well...no longer a trilogy. He predicted four books. I said Seven Books for Seven Kingdoms. Then he said five books. I said Seven Books for Seven Kingdoms. Then he went to six. I said... Well, you get it. Finally, we were on the same page. Seven Books for Seven Kingdoms. Good. Only, as I recently learned while editing The World of Ice and Fire (another awesome thing you must buy when it comes out!), there are really technically eight kingdoms, all having to do with who has annexed what when Aegon the Conqueror landed in Westeros. So, maybe eight books for Seven Kingdoms would be okay. Also, he has promised me that, when he finally wraps this great beast up, I can publish the five page letter outlining the bare bones of the trilogy."

While it isn't known when the sixth and seventh books, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring will be published, our report from March revealed that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss met with George R.R. Martin to discuss the ending of his books, since the show is starting to catch up with the novels he has already written.

Would you like to see an eighth and final Game of Thrones book from George R.R. Martin? How do you think this will affect the HBO series? Chime in with your thoughts below. The second-to-last Season 4 episode, "The Watchers on the Wall", airs Sunday, June 8 at 9 PM ET, with the season finale, "The Children" airing on Sunday, June 15 at 9 PM ET on HBO.

SEE ALSO: How Sunday Night's Awesome 'Game Of Thrones' Battle Came Together

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'HALT AND CATCH FIRE': Here's The Techie Meaning Behind The Title Of AMC's New Show

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halt and catch fire

AMC's new "Halt and Catch Fire" has received some flack over its odd title, but the show's name is actually a reference to tech history.

The show, starring actor Lee Pace, takes place during the early wild days of the 1980's computer boom — and while the title may seem strange, it's one of the most mythical command codes in the tech world.

The show explained in its first episode that "halt and catch fire" (or HCF for short) was an early computer command that forced the machine to go as fast as possible, causing it to stop functioning.

Halt And Catch Fire titleThe "catch fire" aspect of the name relates to the computer supposedly catching fire and basically self-destructing.

The Wrap points out that having the show open with an explanation of its title is very similar to how "Mad Men," another great AMC show, opened its series.

The show premiered last weekend to somewhat lackluster ratings.

"Halt and Catch Fire" airs Sundays at 10 on AMC.

SEE ALSO: AMC's New Drama Is About The Advent Of Personal Computing, And It's Excellent

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'Game Of Thrones' Is Officially The Most Popular Show In HBO History

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arya hound game of thrones season 4

With two episodes remaining in the fourth season of Game of Thrones, the show has now become the most popular series in HBO's history.

Episodes of the show, which debut Sunday nights (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), have an average gross audience of 18.4 million viewers, surpassing the previous record set by the 2002 season of The Sopranos, which had an average gross audience of 18.2 million viewers per episode. Season 3 of Game of Thrones had an average gross audience of 14.4 million viewers per episode.

The next episode of Game of Thrones debuts Sunday, June 8, followed by the season finale Sunday, June 15.

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. MartinGame of Thrones is an epic story of treachery and nobility set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years, and only the lust for power is eternal. The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning series was recently renewed for a fifth and sixth season.

Season 4 credits: The executive producers of Game of Thrones are David BenioffD.B. WeissCarolyn StraussFrank Doelger and Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers, Guymon CasadyVince Gerardis and George R.R. Martin; producers, Chris Newman and Greg Spence.

SEE ALSO: For Just $20,000, You Could Get Violently Killed In An Upcoming 'Game Of Thrones' Book

NOW WATCH: That Fear You Feel On Sundays Is Real — Here's How To Overcome It

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Jon Stewart and Sarah Jessica Parker Ride With Seinfeld In Season 4 Trailer Of 'Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee'

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Jerry Seinfeld is back with the fourth season of his popular web show, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee."

The new trailer features many A-list cameos, from Sarah Jessica Parker ...Comedians in cars getting coffee jerry seinfeld sarah jessica parker

... to Jon Stewart.Comedians in cars getting coffee jerry seinfeld jon stewart

Aziz Ansari has breakfast with Seinfeld ...

Comedians in cars getting coffee jerry seinfeld aziz ansariWhile comedian George Wallace takes him for a late night ride.Comedians in cars getting coffee jerry seinfeld george wallaceThe new season of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” premieres on June 19.

Comedians in cars getting coffee jerry seinfeld

Watch the trailer below: 

SEE ALSO: Truck Driver Charged Over Tracy Morgan Crash As Comedian Heals Slowly

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Matthew McConaughey Is Open To A 'True Detective' Return

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Matthew McConaughey True Detective

Even though HBO hasn't officially renewed True Detective yet, there is still plenty we know about the seemingly-inevitable Season 2. 

Season 1 stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson will not be returning as Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, with the season to focus on a completely different case with a new cast of characters.

While we wait for any official news from HBO, Matthew McConaughey revealed in a new interview that he signed on to do the show because it was only a one-season commitment, but now he is open to coming back.

When asked if he was always just set to star in one, eight-episode season, Matthew McConaughey revealed he would not have signed on if HBO wanted to lock him in for two or three years.

"That was always how I saw it. One season, eight episodes, a finite beginning, middle and end, goodbye, look forward to watching it. If HBO had wanted an option on me for a season 2 or 3, I wouldn't have done it. I wouldn't have walked into something where they could say, 'We've got you for the next three years.'"

However, after working with series creator Nic Pizzolatto and director Cary Fukunaga, both of whom wrote and directed all eight Season 1 episodes, the actor revealed he would be open to returning.

"I liked True Detective the whole series and the experience of making it, so much that I'd be open to doing another one now. At the time, I was looking at six months and not beyond that. I don't know of a feature film I'd sign for where I'm going to say, 'If this works, you've got me whenever you want me for the next three years.'"

The actor also spoke about how the first two scripts drew him to sign on.

"I read those first two episodes, and the quality was so apparent, and had such an identity to it that even without reading the final six episodes, I felt this was going to be hard to screw up. The voices were so clear, if the writer just stays on this path, it was going to be hard to wreck this train. Maybe twice did I take a film project where I wasn't happy with the entire script when I signed on. When you hear, 'Here are some great ideas, here is what I want to do,' I'm always like, 'Show me on paper.' With this guy, I read two scripts and could feel he knew exactly what this show was."

However, he was initially sought out to play the Marty Hart character, although he was more drawn to Rust Cohle, while discussing how the series felt like one, very long movie. 

"The only thing was, they wanted me for the Marty Hart part, and I liked the Rust Cohle part. The director, Cary Fukunaga, well I was a big fan of Sin Nombre. The fact that it was going to be those two, Nic and Cary, through all eight episodes? I would have been more scared if I was going to do something on TV with different directors and writers coming in. One director, one showrunner for a finite series made it feel like I was making a 450-page movie. As for TV, you don't feel you are walking the plank anymore. The quality of drama on the small screen often surpasses the quality on the big screen now. I wasn't approaching this thinking, 'What is my image going to be and how might it change?' It was, 'Let me find quality, and then go and do quality.'"

While no cast members have been confirmed for Season 2, it has been rumored that Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain are being sought for roles. We also reported last month that Season 2 will feature three lead actors, and will be set in "lesser-known" areas of California. Nic Pizzolatto revealed in that report that casting will begin this month.

Would you like to see Matthew McConaughey come back as Rust Cohle in True Detective? Chime in with your thoughts below.

SEE ALSO: A Lot Of New Shows Are Trying To Copy The Success Of 'True Detective'

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The Epic Reason Why 'Game Of Thrones' May Have Set Its Finale On Father's Day

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tywin lannister game of thrones season 4

This post contains big-time spoilers from next week’s Game of Thrones finale. Kindly leave if you want to protect yourself.

For the past two seasons, Game of Thrones has started on April 1 and March 31, respectively.

This year it premiered just one week later, on April 6. That could be for any number of reasons. But True Detective, HBO’s big winter Sunday drama, ended on March 9, so it’s not as if there was a clear schedule conflict.

Could there be something a little more fun behind the decision? Could it be that HBO and the Game of Thrones powers that be wanted the events of next Sunday’s finale to air on June 15, a.k.a. Father’s Day? What better day to watch Tyrion Lannister murder his dear old dad?

It may seem like a long way to go to pull off such a prank, but it wouldn’t be the first time Game of Thrones and HBO have paid attention to air dates. Or are you telling me it’s a coincidence that the promos for Season 3 looked like this?

Game of Thrones promo

Coincidence or not, the holiday is going to make Sunday’s finale that much more fun. The episode is titled “The Children” and another Westerosi parent is slated to make her return, so the theme of family should be a pretty strong one. To be clear, we don’t know for certain Tywin is going out next Sunday; this season has certainly deviated plenty from the books.

But it would be pretty astonishing for them to save this big moment until next year. So if we do have to say goodbye to Tywin Lannister, one of the greatest characters on Game of Thrones, at least we can take comfort in knowing that he’ll be exiting on an appropriate day.

SEE ALSO: 'Game Of Thrones' Is Officially The Most Popular Show In HBO History

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How Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly Balances A Nightly Show And Raising 3 Kids Under Age 5

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Megyn Kelly

Fox News anchor and "The Kelly File" host Megyn Kelly is dominating her competition, even beating the almost-unbeatable Bill O’Reilly in the ratings last week.

But when Kelly heads home after her high-stress job, there's no rest for the weary. The 43-year-old has three children  ages 4, 3, and 10 months — with her husband, author Douglas Brunt.

"It's tough now because I work nights, basically, and I have three kids who don't really understand that," Kelly told us last month at a gala honoring Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Kelly was the only woman in media to make Time's exclusive list, and it's no fluke. After working for 10 years as a lawyer, Kelly transitioned to a career in TV and has become one of the most powerful women in broadcast journalism — despite December's "White Santa" snafu.

So how does Kelly balance her nightly show with raising three children under 10?

Megyn Kelly husband doug

"I'm not going to say I'm an expert at balancing, but I will say that having a very supportive husband helps a lot," Kelly tells us. "And having a supportive boss helps a lot. Nobody at Fox is looking at the clock like. 'Why isn't she here?' Face time isn't required. As long as you're doing your job and you're doing it well, nobody bothers you."

Another key to keeping her sanity? A nanny.

"At home, I have my dear husband who helps with our children, and I have a nanny," Kelly says. "I couldn't do it without a nanny, and that's the truth."

Kelly breaks down her daily routine for us:

"The kids wake us up by around 6:30 and the day gets going within the hour. Two of the kids go to school and I spend the mornings with my little baby. I have most of the days with my kids, and then I go into the office later in the afternoon. So it's actually been a nice balance between home life and work life with my new schedule, although I'm tired a lot."

Here's what she eats to fuel her busy days:

"I usually have a Siggi's yogurt with fiber sprinkles in it. It fills you up and keeps you full for longer. If I don't have that, I'll have a piece of peanut-butter toast. For lunch, I'll have a salad with chicken in it, and for dinner a lean protein with some vegetables."

As for when she finds time to sleep, Kelly says: "Not that much, I miss it. I hear it comes back when kids are like 20, so I'm really looking forward to that ... but I have a lot of coffee."

SEE ALSO: Seth Rogen's Secret To Success: Make It Cheap, Dirty, And Ignore The Studio

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The Secret Weapon Behind Those TV Clip Montages On Shows Like ‘Colbert Report' And 'Daily Show'

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Jon Stewart Stephen Colbert

Ever wondered how your favorite late-night comedy show sifts through all of those ridiculous cable news clips to bring you the most ridiculous?

Much of the credit goes to editing bays full of caffeinated employees. But a service called SnapStream makes their work easier.

Despite being being a mere 14 years old, SnapStream is a must-have for hosts from Jon Stewart to Joel McHale. The Houston, Texas company's client list includes “The Daily Show,” “The Soup,” “The Colbert Report” and “Last Week Tonight,” as well as broadcast networks.

SnapStream not only records hours of television, but searches for key words and phrases through closed captioning. Because the service for hearing-impaired viewers is federally mandated, companies like SnapStream can use it to track whatever shows need.

If Stewart and his writers needs material on open-carry activists bringing firearms into restaurants, they can use SnapStream to find cable news reports with words and phrases like “guns,” and “Chipotle.”

The service has become so helpful to staying on top of the national dialogue that every recent presidential campaign has subscribed, SnapStream President Aaron Thomspon told TheWrap.

TheDailyShow

Here's how it works: A TV show, network, or campaign buys SnapStream servers and connects them to a TV feed. Clients can record whatever they want, strip out the closed captions and program guide information, and organize their finds into a library.

“The Colbert Report” has been using the service since 2011. Before that it had to cross-reference transcripts with recordings of archived shows. Now there's a smoother collaboration between the post-production department and writer's room.

“The ability to quickly create montages with a wealth of video options has proven exponentially helpful in our mission to provide an accurate, comedic look at the news events of the day,” Scott Lawrie, the show's footage producer told TheWrap.

“The Daily Show” has used the service since 2010.

“It has absolutely changed the way the produce,” senior producer Pat King told TheWrap. “There's not a day that goes by that we don't use it. … It's cut our production time down by about 60 or 70 percent.”

It used to take 10 or 12 minutes to get a clip into an Avid editor. Now it's much faster, which makes for a smoother process from writing to rewrites to rehearsal and air.

King's favorite recent example of SnapStream enhancing a show was during the Cliven Bundy scandal. King and the staff had just returned from a break, and SnapStream allowed them to catch up fast.

Also read: Top 50 TV Shows of the Season: ‘The Voice’ (No. 5), ‘Scandal’ (10), ‘New Girl’ (37), ‘Mom’ (47)

But SnapStream is just as useful for competitive reasons as commercial ones. For example, a news show may monitor rivals for the words “Breaking News” so it can immediately jump on any stories it doesn't have.

The service started out as a consumer product, but has priced consumers out: It now starts at a one-time $10,000 hardware and software cost. A 15 percent annual support fee is not included. That's for a low-end service allowing users to record four shows a once.

SnapStream has its competitors. Companies such as Volicon and Digital Nirvana log and monitor TV signals primarily for the quality control purposes of broadcast engineers. Finally, services such as TV Eyes and Critical Mention grab clips online.

Also read: 10 Biggest Shows and Specials Revealed From Nielsen's First Twitter TV Season

But for comedy shows, which have notoriously tight turnaround schedules for their topical material — it's SnapStream that gets the job done.

So, tonight, while laughing along to a late-night TV montage of ridiculous politicians, appreciate the humor, yes, but also take a moment to value the technology — the producers of the program certainly do.

SEE ALSO: MEET LARRY WILMORE: The Daily Show's 'Black Correspondent' Replacing Stephen Colbert

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'Game Of Thrones' Author Wishes Each Season Had More Episodes

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george rr martin

Like many "Game of Thrones" fans, the author of the book series George R.R. Martin wishes season four wasn't coming to an end Sunday. 

Each season of the popular HBO series has lasted 10 episodes, but Martin wishes the seasons could be extended with three more, the New York Times reported

"I'd love to have 13 episodes," Martin told the NYT. "With 13 episodes, we could include smaller scenes that we had to cut, scenes that make the story deeper and richer."

Some of those missed details are minor but nonetheless important for character development, Martin said. He mentioned a scene from the first book where Stark sisters Arya and Sansa argued because the former preferred to play with a poor butcher's boy instead of taking tea with Queen Cersei.

Although viewers never saw that early scene in the TV series, they can watch the actresses acting it out in early auditions.

But if viewers want to see epic battles like the huge one at Castle Black that lasted practically all of last week's episode, some lesser details in the books may have to go by the wayside, Martin acknowledged. The New York Times says each "Game of Thrones" season costs $60-$70 million with every battle being especially expensive.

The Battle of the Blackwater episode from season 2 cost $8 million alone.

It pays off as the HBO series has now surpassed "The Sopranos" to become the network's most popular show.

The "Game of Thrones" season 4 finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. 

SEE ALSO: 'Game Of Thrones' Author George R.R. Martin Explains How A 'Spontaneous Vision' Led To The Series

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'Game Of Thrones' Finale Leaves Out A Huge Storyline From The Books

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arya the hound game of thrones

Warning: There are spoilers ahead.

Sunday night's "Game of Thrones" finale was probably one of the most jam-packed episodes we've seen in a while focusing on multiple story arcs to tie up a lot of loose ends from season 4.

However, there's one very big loose end the series has yet to address.

Final warning before huge spoilers.

While the ending shots of season 4 showed Arya Stark sailing away on a ship, many diehard fans of the book thought they may see the return of a favorite character teased.

In season 3, Catelyn Stark was murdered alongside her son Robb and his pregnant wife.catelyn stark game of thrones

Her body then gets tossed into a river after she's killed.

Readers of the book know that three days later Lady Stark gets resurrected and is brought back as Lady Stoneheart.

She can't speak (her throat is visibly damaged from getting slashed), she's covered in scratches, and a lot of her hair is gone. She's pretty grotesque.

But as much of a Frankenstein character Stoneheart may appear, she's a completely different character out to seek revenge on everyone who betrayed both her and her son. 

For anyone who may have been disappointed, actress Michelle Fairley, who plays Catelyn, was not signed on for season 4 of "Game of Thrones."

Fairley has actually been appearing on the new "24: Live Another Day" mini-series.

Some fans may have expected a hint at Lady Stoneheart after "Game of Thrones" actress Lena Headey recently posted a photo of a series of rocks on Instagram in the shape of a heart with the caption, "My stone heart."

lena headey instagram

Headey previously gave another hint on Instagram about an upcoming plot point.

When Sunday's episode aired, it even looked as if fans might get the scene. 

In the books, Brienne of Tarth comes across the resurrected Lady Stark after fighting a man posing as The Hound. 

"Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss threw us a curveball by having Brienne fight the actual Hound.

So where's Lady Stoneheart? 

Don't worry fans. We're sure it's coming. And, we're sure that when it does happen (not if) that it will be awesome and worth the wait.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know so far about season 5 of "Game of Thrones"

AND: Why "Game of Thrones" probably set its finale on Father's Day

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WWE Wrestling Legend Comes Out As Gay

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Pat Patterson WWE

Wrestling legend Pat Patterson, 73, came out during an emotional scene on the finale of the reality show "Legends' House" after hiding his sexuality for over 50 years.

While seated at a table with fellow WWE stars "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, and Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart, Patterson revealed:

"From where I come from, I had nothing, no family, no money, and I ended up [working] with Vince [McMahon] ... to me, that was the biggest achievement of my life. But there's more to that. Sitting here tonight, I'm going to say something I would never want to say. For once in my life I'm going to be me. I survived all this being gay."

An emotional Patterson then said he has had a secret partner for 40 years, who recently died after a heart attack.

"I survived the business. I did, I'm so proud of me. It's tough guys, it was tough," he said. "I gave my life to the business and I don't regret nothing. For the rest of my life I want to be happy."

Patterson was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996 and was the first Intercontinental Champion, according to E! Online. He went on to help create the Royal Rumble event and currently serves as a WWE executive.

Watch the emotional clip below:

SEE ALSO: There's A Secret Coming Out Scene In 'How To Train Your Dragon 2'

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