Showtime just released the first teaser trailer for season four.
When we last left Carrie (Claire Danes), she was pregnant with Brody's child and appointed station chief of the CIA in Istanbul.
Showrunner Alex Gansa has said there will be some big changes next season. The show will start out six months after the season three finale and will welcome a new cast of characters.
The new season will closely follow Carrie as an officer overseas.
HBO's hit series "True Detective" will be going head-to-head with AMC's "Breaking Bad" at the Emmys this year.
Among its 12 nominations, the series received nods for both Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series.
While that sounds fair, both shows were incredibly talked about in the past year receiving high praise from critics and fans alike, some say it makes little sense for the HBO series to be sitting alongside "Breaking Bad" during its final season.
A miniseries is based on a single theme or story line, which is resolved within the piece. In a single awards year all of the parts must be presented under the same title and have continuity of production supervision.
A miniseries consists of two or more episodes with a total running time of at least four broadcast hours (at least 150 program minutes).
It also fits the definition of a drama series:
Comedy and drama series are defined as programs with multiple episodes (minimum of six), where the majority of the running time of at least six of the total eligible episodes are primarily comedic for comedy series entries, or primarily dramatic for dramatic series entries, in which the ongoing theme, storyline and main characters are presented under the same title and have continuity of production supervision.
It's an unusual television format that FX's "American Horror Story" adopted when it first aired in 2011. It's also one that the network's new show "Fargo," nominated for 18 Emmys, also shares.
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However, both of those shows are dueling it out in the TV movie/miniseries category.
What gives? Is HBO's drama getting special treatment?
Not exactly.
Vulture pointed out a closer read of the Emmy's rules shows exactly why "True Detective" never would have been put into the miniseries category unless producers went out of their way to receive permission to run in either category.
A limited-run series with a "created by" credit CANNOT enter as a miniseries unless the producer for the limited run series applies for and receives entitlement to dual qualification, i.e. qualification in more than one category, because of an affirmative determination by the Awards Committee that the limited run series has elements of both drama series and miniseries categories.
The jarring line there is the fact that any miniseries that conveniently has a "created by" credit can't be labeled a miniseries unless a petition is submitted.
The move was met with a lot of backlash from critics who claimed the show thought it had a better chance of winning in the Outstanding TV movie or miniseries category. But honestly it seems kind of weird for a show with a revolving cast and storyline to receive the same treatment as longer dramas.
Vulture reports the only reason "Fargo" didn't have the same issue this year is because the FX series cleverly made the decision to phrase its credit as "created for television by" instead of "created by."Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
It's a very unclear and murky way for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to deal with the nomination categories for shows.
It's not just "True Detective" that was placed into a category that may not correctly define it. "Orange is the New Black" is being labeled as a comedy so it doesn't go up against fellow Netflix series "House of Cards." Showtime's "Shameless" is also in the category after being considered a drama for three years now that award-winning "30 Rock" is over.
What's worse is that we could very likely see "True Detective" in the miniseries category next year if there isn't as much buzz about season 2 and it doesn't want to go toe to toe with AMC's "Mad Men."
The "created by" loophole, if you will call it this, allows HBO to take advantage of a brilliant opportunity to try and take down TV favorite "Breaking Bad" during its final Emmy run.
Think of the headlines if "True Detective" shut out "Breaking Bad" from the biggest awards of the night.
Yes, "True Detective" certainly has the legs to possibly upset the AMC show, but the bigger win for HBO may be knowing it beat out a show it passed on so many years ago all because an exec thought the series' premise was too boring during a pitch meeting.
More news about "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" came out over the weekend after creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould spoke at the Television Critics' Association (TCA) Press Tour.
We now know exactly when the show will take place and who will star in the series alongside Bob Odenkirk.
AMC also revealed two new images for the show.
Here's everything we know about "Better Call Saul."
1. What will it be about:Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
According to AMC, the show will be a prequel that watches Saul's transformation from Jimmy McGill to the lawyer we know. Here's the official synopsis:
"The series is set six years before Saul Goodman (Odenkirk) meets Walter White. When we meet him, the man who will become Saul Goodman is known as Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer searching for his destiny, and, more immediately, hustling to make ends meet. Working alongside, and often against, Jimmy is “fixer” Mike Erhmantraut (Banks), a beloved character introduced in Breaking Bad. The series will track Jimmy’s transformation into Saul Goodman, the man who puts “criminal” in “criminal lawyer.” The series’ tone is dramatic, woven through with dark humor."
2. When will it take place:Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
The series will take place around 2002. Since AMC's strict definition of the series as a prequel goes against what Gould recently said about "Better Call Saul."
Twenty-five years ago this month, the pilot episode of the classic sitcom "Seinfeld" premiered on NBC.
While "Seinfeld" went on to become one of television's most popular shows of all time — the comedy has generated a reported $3.1 billion since entering syndication in 1995 — it wasn't seen as a success after its first episode.
According to TV Guide, an NBC research memo rated the show's pilot (then titled "The Seinfeld Chronicles") as "weak" and almost ended it before anyone got to know Jerry, George, Elaine, or Kramer.
"No segment of the audience was eager to watch the show again," the research memo read.
The memo also went on to say that none of the characters supporting Jerry were "particularly liked" and that the test audience found the everyday things the characters were doing (which would later go on to be the show's trademark) pretty unlikable and boring.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.As one viewer put it, "You can't get too excited about going to the Laundromat."
While the show's format included Jerry's stand-up comedy acts, viewers were still confused by what he did for a living.
"Viewers were unclear whether Jerry worked as a comedian or if his routines took place outside of the show as commentaries," the memo stated. "The movement back and fourth was also considered abrupt and somewhat disorienting, particularly to older viewers."
Viewers weren't the only ones skeptical about the show when it debuted.
The head of NBC's entertainment division, Brandon Tartikoff, found the show to be "too New York, too Jewish"— even though, as TV Guide points out, Tartikoff was both from New York and Jewish.
The mixture of the negative reception from both executives and the test screening caused NBC to dump the show in the middle of summer.
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"The pilot aired in its original form on July 5th, 1989 which usually means that it's a burned off pilot, that it's a busted pilot, it's never going to go any further," said NBC executive Rick Ludwin in the series' making-of featurette, "How It Began.""We sometimes refer to some of those sorts of dumpings as garbage dump theater."
However, some executives like Ludwin and Warren Littlefield thought the show was funny and helped the network hold on to it.
By taking development money for other projects and diverting it to "Seinfeld," the network was eventually able to put the show into their primetime lineup.
"[Littlefield] told me he got an order for four episodes," creator Jerry Seinfeld said in the featurette. "And from that point, I pretty much felt that the show was going to work. I never thought it was going to be a big hit, but I thought people will like this."
The show, along with "Friends" and "ER," would go on to be huge hits and would help to create NBC's popular "Must See TV" Thursday night lineup during the mid-nineties. "Seinfeld" went on to win 10 Emmys and coin phrases that would forever stay in the pop-culture lexicon.
As for the famed memo itself, Jerry Seinfeld and cocreator Larry David (who would go on to create HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm") found a proper place to put it.
"Larry and I both hung it up near our toilets," Seinfeld told TV Guide. "We thought if someone goes in to use this bathroom, this is something they should see."
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Seinfeld's pilot episode aired 25 years ago, on July 5th, 1989, yet it continues to be the most influential sitcom in TV history — not only for changing how we watched television and rewriting the playbook for every comedy that followed it, but also how this "show about nothing" expanded our vocabulary.
Nearly every episode of Seinfeld contains one word or phrase that we still weave into our day-to-day interactions. These are 15 of the best instances of how the show left a lasting mark on our lexicon.
"Low-Talker"
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"The Puffy Shirt": Season 5, Episode 2
It's a situation every Seinfeld viewer has encountered: A person who talks so quietly that you can't understand them, yet you don't want to embarrass them or ask them to repeat themselves.
In most cases, a conversation with a low-talker leaves us wondering "Wait, what?" In Jerry's case, his chat with a low-talker ended with him wearing that embarrassing puffy shirt on The Today Show. "But I don't want to be a pirate!"
A close-talker is the annoying cousin of a low-talker, and as portrayed by Judge Reinhold, Seinfeld's close talker gets uncomfortably right in the face of the person they're conversing with.
Forget about personal space; you can feel their hot breath as they're speaking to you. Luckily for Jerry and Elaine, they dump Aaron the close-talker on Seinfeld's parents, who don't seem to mind someone infringing on their individual proximity.
"Spongeworthy"
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"The Sponge": Season 7, Episode 9
The contraceptive might have been pulled from the market, but the term Elaine coined continues to define men that just aren’t worth sleeping with.
After Elaine's beloved sponge is removed from pharmacies, she hoards up Manhattan's remaining supply while deliberating whether that episode's love interest is deserving of one of those last few sponges. If a dude isn't "spongeworthy," the long-term prospects aren't great. (Parody Twitter account @Seinfeld2000 would perhaps rebrand the word "Tinderworthy.")
The NBC drama starring Mads Mikkelsen as a twistedly delightful serial killer makes AMC's "The Walking Dead" look like a jovial zombie sitcom. (Spoiler: A man was shown feeding parts of his face to dogs this season.)
There's just one problem. No one is watching it — at least when it airs — and the network heads don't seem to understand why.
"Hannibal" ratings are pretty abysmal. The show pulled in its highest viewership during its 2013 season premiere with about 4.3 million viewers. About 2.4 million tuned in for the recent season two finale.
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This is in complete opposition with viewer response to the episodes. Fans have increasingly rated the episodes better and better on IMDB.
Via Graph TV:Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.During the TCAs (Television Critics’ Association) press tour NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said he doesn't understand why the show isn't pulling in better numbers suggesting it would probably fare better on cable or a paid network.
"It's one of the best reviewed shows that this network has had since I've been here. And we still struggle to find an audience for it. It's great, we're keeping it going, we keep trying to build an audience for it. But, if this were on a cable network the small audience would not matter. It would be deemed more successful than it is on our network. I don't know why five million people or eight million people won't watch Hannibal on a broadcast network. Three million might watch it on Showtime or another cable network and that's okay. The minute you try and do something that is dark, and subversive, and frightening, and gets into that territory, you start to peel away the mass audience. It's just the way it is. Because the quality of that show is undeniable."
There's a simple reason the series isn't bringing in 5 to 8 million people: NBC gave it the death time slot for season two. This isn’t a secret. Basically everyone has said this.
When Hannibal premiered on NBC, it aired on Thursday nights at 10 with a lead-in from now-cancelled Matthew Perry show "Go On." The dark thriller was an outlier in NBC's Thursday evening comedy block. When it returned the following year as a midseason show its ratings continued to stumble after it was placed after the network's fantasy crime drama "Grimm."
Here's an example of TV ratings on a typical Friday night now:
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Now, here are ratings for the rest of a sample week to compare from Nielsen via TVbythenumbers. I've highlighted the 10 p.m. slots for comparison. (Zoom in and out below. If you're on mobile, head here.)
The last time I can ever think of something extremely successful airing on Friday nights was when ABC had its excellent TGIF (Thank God Its Friday) run in the '90s with shows like "Family Matters,""Dinosaurs," and "Boy Meets World."
Perhaps the most successful shows to have ever aired on Friday evenings in the 10 o'clock slot were soap operas "Dallas" and then "Falcon's Crest" in the '80s on CBS. Since then, the majority of networks have pulled away from airing serious network contenders on Friday evenings since its thought most people aren't home to watch TV.
Below is an extensive list of shows that aired on Friday nights at 10 o'clock from 1990 to 2013.
CBS has probably been the most successful since 1990 with a string of hits including "Nash Bridges," Numb3rs," and, now, "Blue Bloods." ABC has defaulted to mostly running "20/20" while Fox always runs local programming. NBC was the most inconsistent network over the past two decades when it came to late Friday-night programming. Of the shows above, nine of them were cancelled after appearing in the 10 p.m. time slot.
Friday nights became known as a place where shows went to die. A few series that were moved to Friday nights (no specific time) and later received the ax during their last seasons include "Boston Public,""Prison Break,""Raising Hope," and "Las Vegas."
When "Hannibal" was brought back for season two, it looked as if NBC was ready to give a quiet goodbye to its killer thriller, but it appears an overwhelming amount of positive criticism helped keep it on the air.
If NBC says they're serious about finding an audience for the Bryan Fuller series then it needs to be given a better time slot. It won't get 5 to 8 million viewers overnight, and it may not get there overall, but airing it any day but Friday may be a start.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.*This post discusses a popular "Game of Thrones" fan theory that may or may not be true, so be aware that this post is dark and full of spoilers.*
There are many "Game of Thrones"fan theories out there, but arguably the most popular is the one behind the true parents of Jon Snow.
In "Game of Thrones," Jon Snow (who is played by Kit Harington on the HBO series) is known as the bastard child of the Lord of Winterfell, Ned Stark.
However, since the story constantly points out Jon's conflict with his illegitimacy and Ned's strict code of honor, many fans have come up with a theory that actually explains who they think Jon's parents really are.
Fans know the theory as "R+L=J." "R+L=J" would refer to Jon Snow ("J") being the child of Rhaegar Targaryen ("R") and Ned Stark's sister, Lyanna Stark ("L") rather than Jon being the illegitimate child of Ned.
Considering this is one of the best kept secrets in the entire series (so much so that the creators of the HBO show were quizzed on it by author George R.R. Martin himself), YouTube user "Alt Shift X" put together a video explaining the theory and pulling out facts that help prove it.
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The theory explains that Ned's sister Lyanna was set to marry Robert Baratheon when she "stolen" by Rhaegar Targaryen who brought her to the Tower of Joy in Dorne. This act begins the war that later sets "Game of Thrones" into action.
However, the theory makes the argument Lyanna was actually in love with Rhaegar and ran away with him.
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After Robert kills Rhaegar thus ending the war, Ned Stark heads to the tower and finds his sister in a "bed of blood."
With her dying breath, Lyanna forces Ned to make her a promise.
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No one knows what this promise was, but many theorize that Lyanna died during child birth (hence the "bed of blood") and asked Ned to pretend her child Jon was his.
This was done in order to protect Jon from Robert and the Lannisters, who were killing all of the Targaryen children via Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane.
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Now, there's plenty of evidence hidden throughout the story that shows that Jon isn't Ned's son out of wedlock.
For example, a quote in the first book shows how Ned is an incredibly honorable man who keeps his vows including those to his wife, Catelyn.
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Another piece of evidence is that when Daenerys (who would be Jon's aunt in this theory) was in the House of the Undying she saw a blue flower growing out of a wall of ice.
Blue flowers are used throughout the series to represent Lyanna while Jon is a member of the Night's Watch stationed on the giant ice block that is The Wall.
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Now, no one really knows if the theory is true or not, but if it is then this would possibly mean that Jon has a better claim to the Iron Throne that anyone else in the story, including Daenerys.
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It would also mean that Jon Snow would represent both ice (Stark) and fire (Targaryen) which the entire book series was named after ("The Song of Ice and Fire").
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To get the entire break down of the theory, check out the full video below:
If you dropped out of the Showtime series because the show was starting to become more of a soap opera between Brody (Damian Lewis) and Carrie (Claire Danes) than a CIA operative, it looks like producers have finally hit the reset button.
At the TCAs (Television Critics Association), producers announced the show will primarily focus on Carrie Mathison in Pakistan with Brody's daughter and family not returning.
“Saturday Night Live” will celebrate its 40th season this fall, capping the long-running show's midseason with a February special. But before the NBC sketch comedy power player makes it to the milestone, it must sweat through a summer of high turnover and higher speculation.
Glancing back at “SNL's” Season 39, did the show make the best of a bad situation or suffer a disastrous year? Based on the recent firings of first-year players, some industry insiders and viewers alike are saying it's the latter.
TheWrap decided to take a look at the highs and lows of the year, beginning with the most recent cast news. ”Saturday Night Live” declined TheWrap's request for participation in this story.
Other freshmen players Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney seem likely to return, while the future of former writer and freshman cast member Mike O'Brien feels a little more gray. Those casting calls are expected by August, if not sooner.
Sasheer Zamata, who was added midseason following a media storm over a lack of black women in the cast, shined in her debut and is a no-brainer to come back. Colin Jost, who took over as head writer, and behind the “Weekend Update” desk following Seth Meyers’ exit, is also a shoe-in to stay.
Even with Zamata's successful rush-hiring and Jost quickly endearing himself to most fans, this week's turnover has led to some in the media tagging the 39th season of “SNL” a “disaster.” But is it really that bad, in retrospect? The meaningful turnover actually began years ago, and a confluence of many big talents leaving around the same time had Lorne Michaels and company scrambling for (talented) bodies.
Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and Bill Hader departed at the end of Season 38. Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg left together a year earlier. No one can deny that those five were among the show's best talents and biggest draws — but it took a while for each to establish themselves on the show, which is the norm due to the competitive format and crazy schedule of “SNL.”
Despite the turmoil, head writer and “Update” anchor Meyers weathered the stormy season as his Jimmy Fallon “Late Night” succession loomed.
Meyers was with the show for 13 years, Armisen for 11, Sudeikis for 9, and Bill Hader for 8. Samberg had almost single-handedly revived taped segments for “SNL” and Wiig was a breakout star by the time she left for Hollywood films. Those losses alone would kill a less-established show.
Also, this certainly isn't the first time that a new cast member didn't see his or her one-year contract renewed. Just last year, Tim Robinson was one and done. Jenny Slate and Michaela Watkins had the same short-term stays in recent years. Rob Riggle and Jerry Minor had the same fate before that.
That said, three “one and dones” — with the possibility for more – in a single season is glaring. While “SNL” was forced to plug gaping holes on such short notice, its batting average has been considerably higher since the mid-1980's when Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Michael Hall, Joan Cusack, Randy Quaid, Terry Sweeney and Danitra Vance were in-and-out after one run.
Short stints were a little more common between the show's “not ready for primetime” humble beginning and the mid-'80s. By the late 1990s “SNL,” though, cast stability had become the norm.
2. Low: White is the new black Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Zamata was brought on following bi-coastal auditions targeting African-American women, a glaring omission in the cast that played out in the press. Prior to her hiring, regular players Jay Pharoah and Kenan Thompson — both black men — offered differing opinions publicly about why their show was without a black female cast member.
Pharoah criticized the show for its lack of diversity, while Thompson suggested that at the time, the right woman of color had not yet made her presence felt in the competitive improv, sketch and stand-up comedy world. Zamata did exactly that, but not before the controversy consumed the media over the course of several weeks, becoming an obvious distraction to the show at best, and at its worst, a black eye for the program.
Prior to Zamata, “SNL” hadn't had an African-American woman in its cast since Maya Rudolph‘s exit as a full-timer in 2007.
3. Low: Not quite Season 38Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. According to Nielsen's Live + 7 metric, “SNL” averaged a 3.3 rating last season in the key 18-49 demographic. That number — while not bad at all for the time period — is down one-tenth of a point from Season 38's 3.4 rating. Accordingly, viewers dipped slightly as well year-to-year.
Going back a little further for context, the 2010-2011 season averaged a 3.4. The 2011-2012 season averaged a 3.3, showing slight fluctuations across the past four years in the advertisers’ coveted demo.
Conversely, total viewers have seen a steady decline over the past four seasons.
4. High: Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake bring sexy backImage may be NSFW. Clik here to view. In December, host Jimmy Fallon and musical guest Justin Timberlake powered “Saturday Night Live” to its best household ratings since January 2012. In doing so, Fallon also scored an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, joining Louis C.K.'s “SNL” hosting performance in that category.
But it wasn't just the boys who received that nod from the Academy: Melissa McCarthy and Tina Fey also received nominations for their hosting stints.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Charlize Theron hosted the show's penultimate episode on May 10, plugging “A Million Ways to Die in the West” and suffering the worst Nielsen numbers of the season. The episode, which included the Black Keys as musical guest, pulled just a 2.4 in L+7 ratings.
Second-to-worst on the sheet for the season was Seth Rogen‘s episode on April 12, which got a 2.7. Ed Sheeran was his musical guest.
6. High: The role formerly played by Kristen Wiig is now being played by Kate McKinnon Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Kate McKinnon is the lone cast member currently nominated for a supporting Emmy — though the show pulled 14 overall — and with good reason. When “SNL” needed a star, McKinnon stepped it up the most, offering fan favorite impressions such as Ellen DeGeneres and Justin Bieber. McKinnon was such a stud that it seemed like she showed up in every memorable sketch of the season.
Also earning a nod from the TV Academy was pre-recorded music video “Home for the Holidays (Twin Bed),” by the ladies of “Saturday Night Live,” McKinnon among them. Fallon was involved in that one, too.
7. High and Low: That's “Cold”Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. In the midst of the diversity controversy, Kerry Washington was scheduled to host “SNL.” The show knew that it had to address its own racial issue, and they did so right up front in the cold opening, which airs live before the host's monologue.
Some people loved the self-deprecating sketch, where Kerry Washington – as the show's only woman-of-color option – played Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and nearly Beyonce in one live scene. Still others thought it was tone deaf and a bit of a middle finger to a serious issue. Zamata popped up soon thereafter, as did two African-American female writers. The controversy went away soon after.
8. Low: “I'm a Slave for You” Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.And then another controversy on the same topic arose. Another product of the show's search for a black woman is Leslie Jones, who along with LaKendra Tookes was hired as a writer from the auditions.
Shortly after coming aboard, Jones performed as herself on “Weekend Update,” as writers occasionally do — but the result brought more racially based criticism to the show. The comedian was ribbing Lupita Nyong'o being named People magazine's most beautiful person, saying she herself would've been the most sought after woman during the slave days.
“See, I'm single right now, but back in the slave days, I would have never been single!” Jones exclaimed. “I'm six feet tall and I'm strong, Colin. Strong! I mean, look at me, I'm a mandingo … I'm just saying that back in the slave days, my love life would have been way better. Massah would have hooked me up with the best brotha on the plantation … I would be the No. 1 slave draft pick!”
Many weren't laughing, including Ebony's editor-in-chief.
In the digital clip, host Andrew Garfield was forced to go on the run — a la “24” and Jack Bauer — from mysterious forces after he had the nerve to tell his friends that the pop diva “is so good — but I'm not a huge fan of that one ‘Drunk in Love’ song, though.” When Garfield was chased down by the murky “Beygency,” his identity was erased.
Some called it the best sketch in the show's history. It was not that, but it was good.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.In 2006, comedian Louis C.K. had an ill-fated HBO sitcom titled "Lucky Louie."
It was the network's first (and last) show to be filmed before a live studio audience with a multiple-camera setup.
So it wasn't exactly surprising when, a few years later, Louis C.K. shot a half-hour sketch comedy pilot for HBO, but the network decided not to pick up.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Shortly after, FX — the Fox-owned network that is home to "Sons of Anarchy" and "American Horror Story" — green-lighted "Louie," a dark half-hour comedy about a divorced comedian with two kids living in New York. The show is written, directed, edited, and produced by the show's creator, Louis C.K.
After premiering in 2010, "Louie" slowly picked up steam, won over fans and critics, and will soon be headed into a fifth season.
"Louie" casting director Gayle Keller, who has collaborated with Louis C.K. on the majority of his projects since 2001, tells Business Insider that working on an FX show (which is basic cable) has been so different from their short-lived life at premium cable network, HBO.
"HBO is a little bit more involved, just like any other network I’ve worked for — ABC, CBS, NBC — and everyone’s just more involved in the scripts and the casting. But in 'Louie,' it’s really just Louis C.K..
At FX, Louis has such a special relationship with John Langraf [FX president]. They just worked out this really nice deal for him that Louis can kind of have anonymity, write the scripts, direct them, and edit them without really any involvement from the network."
Having no involvement from a network is "unusual," adds Keller. "Because Louis produces the show with his production company, Pig Newton, we’re our own entity. We kind of just do our thing, and then just hand it over to FX."
Keller thinks the network's hands-off approach is a good one.
"Creatively, it’s very productive and it’s proven successful for this show. It allows for a creative connection with the director and the writers and executive producer because we’re such a small group of people working together. Now that we’ve been doing it for four years together, we just know the flow and we know what Louis wants, what he likes, and it’s so much more productive.
Louis is just so clear of his vision. He knows exactly what he wants 95% of the time, so we all manage to find people who work well together and can make that happen."
Less than three months later, she signed a deal with Netflix to air a stand-up comedy performance in October, film four "docu-comedy" specials for the streaming service for 2015, and launch a talk show the following year.
Unlike Netflix's other original series, Handler's new talk show will be the first program to be released during a specific time block. Other than that, no one really knows much about how the late-night host's new show will work online.
During Tuesday's Q2 earnings call for the company, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos gave a better idea of what a Chelsea Handler talk show on Netflix will be like. Specifically, he noted the series will take into account the way people watch late-night TV today which is often after the show airs in the evening.
"People are not watching scripted programming the way they used to. They're also not watching these late-night talk shows the way they used to, meaning they're not watching them at 11:30. They're watching them days, weeks, sometimes months later online or on stacked episodes on DVR. So what we are hoping to do with Chelsea and her team is create a show that’s built closer to the way people are going to watch it, the way we had done with serialized dramas where we to took out the commercial breaks and the cliffhangers and really produce it for the way people watch. And we've got a lot of time between now and then to work through all the format details. Chelsea is incredibly excited and we're really excited about her brand and we think it’s going to be great for us."
There was a racist incident that occurred on this season of ABC's dating reality show, "The Bachelorette."
One contestant, Andrew Poole, allegedly leaned over to another during the show's first rose ceremony and whispered "She picked the two blackies," after two African American men were picked to continue vying for Andi Dorfman's heart.
ABC doesn't have audio of the incident, but it does have video of Poole leaning over and whispering something after Ron, one of the African American men, received a rose.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.When Marquel Martin, one of the contestants who was allegedly called "blackie," learned about the comment, he approached Poole about the sensitive topic in an inspiring way.
On a group date, Martin addressed the issue head on: "Andrew, I’d like to discuss something with you," he said calmly. "What I heard — and I don’t need anyone to chime in — I heard during the first rose ceremony that you made a statement that was very offensive to me. I heard that you said, 'She picked the two blackies.”Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Poole looked shocked and awkwardly laughed. Then he denied the statement.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view."Before you start laughing," Martin continued, "That term is very derogatory."Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view."I've never said anything like that in my life," Poole interjected.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Martin pressed on. "I hope you can understand as a man that, when there's something as sensitive and serious as the topic of race, it directly effects me. I find it hard to be around you, I find it hard to respect you."Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view."Being that I am a man of respect and I believe in talking to a man face to face, I want you to understand and respect where I’m coming from — that I will never stand for any type of talk like that," Martin said. He then ended the conversation and walked away.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Later, the producers asked him about the incident. "I’ll let everyone else judge how he responded," Martin said. "Maybe he did say it, maybe he didn’t say it. I’m not going to sit up all night and say, ‘Who is really telling the truth?’ I spoke my truth."Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
A few weeks later, Martin and Poole were asked about the incident again by ABC. Martin — who is religious — explained to Poole, "I’m not attacking you, Andrew, because my faith calls me to forgive you anyway. But at the same time I will never forgive the ignorance that is racism."
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Here's the clip of Martin confronting Poole about the racist statement he allegedly made. Poole says the incident put his job in jeopardy, and he still claims he never made a derogatory comment.
When Netflix announced it was reviving the cult hit FOX comedy “Arrested Development” back in 2011, the company changed the industry forever.
After an extensive marketing campaign and years of anticipation, season four of the comedy debuted in its entirety on May 26, 2013, and followers of the show eagerly binge-watched. While hardcore fans may still bicker over the quality of the fourth season, the experiment worked and the “Arrested Development” revival is considered a rousing success — as Netflix no doubt expected considering how much people were already streaming the first three seasons.
Netflix doesn’t get specific in regards to ratings and numbers, but according to Variety36% of all devices connected to Netflix were watching at least part of one episode of “Arrested Development” during the weekend of its return, which is staggering when you factor in that Netflix accounts for about one-third of total Internet traffic.
Since the return of “Arrested Development,” Netflix and its competitors have scrambled to replicate its success.
Take “The Killing,” a show AMC dumped after its second season only to pick it back up again following uproar from fans. When AMC scrapped the show again following season three, Netflix wasted no time and picked it up for a fourth season, which is set to debut next month.
Hulu attempted reviving two of ABC's beloved soap operas, "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" after they received the ax; however, a lawsuit between the network and the series' new owner Prospect Park turned ugly resulting in the two shows getting canceled again after one season.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Recently, news broke that Yahoo! Screen, Yahoo!’s on-demand streaming service intended to rival Netflix, made a huge leap from obscurity by picking up “Community,” which was finally dumped by NBC after five seasons and multiple time slots.
“Community” is another example of a TV show with a dedicated and loyal fan base (much like “Arrested Development”) that couldn’t scrounge up the ratings to remain on air.
Last week, it was announced that Yahoo! Screen is “in talks” to revive FOX’s “Enlisted,” another low-rated fan favorite that was recently canceled after only one season.
What makes these canceled shows so attractive is that they have built-in fan bases. Why take a gamble on new, original content when material with an established audience already exists and is readily available?
In its current incarnation, Yahoo! Screen is nothing more than an aggregate for already accessible online content. Adding exclusive content like “Community” and “Enlisted” to the roster will bring millions of people to the website that likely would not have visited otherwise.
Netflix’s subscription-based, binge-watch encouraged model has given viewers flexibility that was previously unheard of, and Yahoo! Screen seeks to echo their success when they release the show this fall though it will most likely roll out episodes one at a time instead of all at once.
On Tuesday's "Daily Show," Jon Stewart announced the humorous launch of a fictional, $10 billion Kickstarter campaign to buy CNN.
Stewart explained that if Rupert Murdoch was successful in purchasing CNN parent company Time Warner, the news network would have to be sold off in order to avoid regulatory problems because of the conflict that Murdoch also owns Fox News.
So Stewart proposed that he and his viewers attempt to buy CNN.
"It wouldn't come cheap though, with analysts saying the network would be worth about $10 billion on the open market," Stewart explained. "It's a lot of money for anyone — but not a lot of money for everyone, which is why tonight we are starting our Kickstarter campaign to buy CNN!"
Stewart elaborated, "You make a pledge for whatever you're comfortable with ... just keep in mind we need to raise $10 billion."
He then urged viewers to check out Letsbuycnn.comto contribute to the campaign — which is not actually a functioning Kickstarter page, but a funny new site that doesn't really allow people to donate.
When you visit the site, here's what you see:
A homepage featuring Stewart's face that explains, "CNN, America’s first 24-hour cable news network, has been terrible for many, many years. Does it have to be that way? Who knows, maybe it does. So let’s find out for ourselves!"
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The best part is the rewards offered in exchange for donations.
"We've got some very attractive rewards at every level!" Stewart revealed on the show. "For instance, $10,000 lands you in a signature mass-shooting, CNN six-box."
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"Hopefully this campaign will be more successful than my 'Wolf Blitzer KickStopper,'" Stewart concluded. "As far as I know, he has not yet been stopped."Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Watch Stewart talk Wolf Blitzer, the CNN campaign, and Rupert Murdoch below:
Earlier this month, AMC revealed new details about their Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, most notably that Bob Odenkirk's character is not known a Saul Goodman, but James M. McGill, a small-time lawyer "hustling to make ends meet."
Production is currently under way in Albequerque, New Mexico, the same city where Breaking Bad was filmed, where an Instagram user named Varago01 spotted a billboard that gives fans the first look at James M. McGill.
"Albuquerque's favorite lawyer is back in town. New Better Call Saul billboard on the south side of the AHS campus, near Mountain and I-25."
In case you were wondering, the number on the billboard (505-842-5662) is real, featuring a recorded message with Bob Odenkirk showing off a fake British accent. Take a look at the message below, or call 505-842-5662 and listen to it for yourself.
"Hello! You've reached the law office of James M McGill esquire, a lawyer you can trust. Kindly leave your information at the tone and Mr McGill will phone you promptly."
Louis C.K. may have honed his comedy chops in stand up, but there is no ad-libbing in his FX show, "Louie."
Despite regularly featuring famous comedians having casual conversations with each other, "Louie" sticks to a tight script written by C.K. himself.
"The show isn't ad-libbed at all. Everything is scripted so that’s a misconception that a lot of people have,""Louie" casting director, Gayle Keller, tells Business Insider. "They think we’re an improv like 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' but that’s not it at all."
Keller explains that "everything is written and everybody follows the script. The story stays pretty true to form from when we first get a script to the finished product — the dialogue is all pretty much intact."
Even though "Louie"guest stars frequently include off-the-cuff comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, and Ricky Gervais, Keller says they, too, have to stick with the lines written for them.
Keller adds that it "hasn't been hard" for the comedians to stay true to the script because it is often written with people in mind to play certain roles.
"For example, if you know Todd Barry’s work, you know he’s a very specific comedian and I think Louis writes towards his voice because Louis is so familiar with him and other comedians," Keller explains. "So that’s a credit to him as a writer."
But Louis does get a little help in the writers' room.
"We have some new writers this season that we didn’t have last season, one of them is Steven Wright, who’s a stand-up comedian, and Pamela Adlon [comedian and Louis' on-screen girlfriend]," adds Keller. "So I think these people contribute to making the script true to whatever comedian they want."
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Jerry Seinfeld held a fun Reddit Ask Me Anything Thursday that came with a potentially big announcement.
During the AMA, the comedian was asked if there is any word on "Seinfeld" potentially coming to Netflix.
"Can you please convince [co-creator] Larry [David] to let it happen?" wrote Redditor Polestar X. "There are so many people who still have not experienced Seinfeld first hand and having it available through Netflix will surely be the easiest way."
Seinfeld's response — while a bit coy — gave the answer that many fans were hoping for.
"You are a very smart and progressive person," Seinfeld said in the AMA. "These conversations are presently taking place."
Since "Seinfeld" went off the air in 1998 it has become a syndication powerhouse raking in an estimated $2.7 billion.
Here are a few other highlights from Seinfeld's AMA.
The worst advice he hears being given to aspiring comedians:
"Oh. The worst advice is, you know, you have to do more to promote yourself. That's the worst advice. The best advice is to do your work, and you won't have to worry about anything else."
"That was really one of the great moments in the history of the show for us when we heard that. We really felt like we were doing something worthwhile."
What 2014 social faux pas he would want "Seinfeld" to cover if it was still on the air:
"I kind of like it when a little misspelling in a text causes a big problem, like when someone types "homo" instead of "home" and I like little problems like that."
"When Frank Costanza, George's father, said to Elaine "Do you want a piece of me?" when he thought that she wanted to have a fistfight. That one, we had to do over and over because nobody could stop laughing. Every time Jerry Stiller would say "Do you want a piece of me?" we had to stop."
You can watch the blooper reel of that scene below:
The trailer opens where season 4 left off — with Rick and his entire crew reunited but trapped in the confines of a train car at a new mysterious location called Terminus.
"The Walking Dead" returns to TV October 12 at 9 p.m.
The big takeaways:
Beth is alive! Ever since she was kidnapped last season, we were left to assume the worst. It looks like she's with some other group that's completely separate from Terminus.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Rick reunites with his daughter Judith at some point. Both he and Carl have assumed she perished earlier in season 4. Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
"The Walking Dead" loves actors from "The Wire." Last season they added both Chad Coleman and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Tyreese and Bob.
During the San Diego Comic-Con panel, it was revealed Seth Gilliam from the hit HBO series will join the cast as priest Father Gabriel from the comics. Here's your first look at him on the show:Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
While HBO's "Game of Thrones" is one of the most serious shows on television, the season 4 gag reel shows that the cast and crew still know how to have a good time.
The gag reel — which was revealed at Comic Con over the weekend — has everything from a swearing Daenerys to Peter Dinklage dancing his way down the aisle as a chained Tyrion Lannister.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The series' panel at Comic Con also announced a bunch of new castings for the upcoming fifth season.
