The biggest complaint fans have had with "Game of Thrones" is having to wait for George R.R. Martin to release the highly anticipated next chapter and sixth book in the series, "The Winds of Winter."

But fans may not have to wait much longer.

Martin, who has written an episode every season of the series (including the pricey "Blackwater" episode), told Entertainment Weekly at Comic Con that he will not be writing one for the upcoming fifth season.

The reason behind Martin taking a year off is to focus on the upcoming novel.

"I'm not actually writing an episode for season five," Martin told EW. "I have this book I have to finish ... I figured I better write the book rather than the episode."

This should make fans happy, considering that some have gone so far as to worry that Martin may even die before he finishes writing the book — a complaint the author responded to by saying, "F-you."

Whether he finishes the book or not, Martin has already told show creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff how the story comes to an end.

In the meantime, Martin is just trying to navigate the crowds at Comic-Con.

"I did walk the floor on Wednesday, the first day that it opened," Martin added. "I have to do the shark philosophy, constantly keep moving, don't stop at any time or you'll be surrounded."

SEE ALSO: Read The Awesome Fan Letter 'Game of Thrones' Author George R.R. Martin Sent Marvel When He Was 15

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From his early days as a script doctor to his writing and directing of "Marvel's The Avengers," Joss Whedon was known for witty dialogue. But in 1999, during the fourth season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," he went out of his way to show he could do something more — with extraordinary success.

"Joss resolved to write a 'Buffy' episode that would require him to up his directorial game," writes Amy Pascale in Joss Whedon: The Biography, which comes out on August 1. "His script for 'Hush' would forgo the snappy and innovative dialogue for which he and the show had always been heralded."

Instead, the now-legendary 44-minute episode would be mostly silent.

"Hush" started out like any other "Buffy" episode with the vampire-slaying gang squabbling over college life, dating, and being unable to express their feelings for one another despite talking ceaselessly.

That all changed when some of the pop-horror series' most frightening bad guys, the Gentleman, showed up ad stole the voices of residents of Sunnydale, California, with plans to carve out their hearts, too.

"I wanted something scary and kind of dream like," Whedon said in a behind the scenes featurette on the episode. "The idea that something like that is floating at me and I can't scream is a creepy child story dream."

The silent ghouls were unforgettably portrayed by professional mines. In particularly creepy moments, they glided across the screen while pulled by hidden wires.

For most of the episode, Buffy and friends do their best to protect the town without being able to speak.

"For Joss, this was one of the scariest things he could write," Pascale writes. "To strip away a form of communication we often misuse and take for granted and explore how easy it is to slip into isolation without it."

Despite their difficulties, the gang find it in some ways easier to communicate than they could when they were speaking without listening at the beginning of the episode. Notably, Buffy and romantic interest Riley find the wherewithal to share their first kiss.

The episode's lack of verbal communication doesn't stop Whedon's wit from shining through.

"What isn’t obvious from the shivery recollection by fans, critics, and colleagues is just how very funny the episode is," writes Pascal. "Each character has a particularly amusing reaction to the realization that they have lost their voices."

Not to mention, the many funny misunderstandings that take place throughout the episode. 

Though "Hush" didn't have much dialogue, it was far from silent. The episode includes one of the series' most sinister soundtracks. Whedon and composer Christopher Beck used the episode's score (which can be heard below) to pay homage to the music of silent films and add another layer of dread.

"Hush" was loved by both fans and critics when it first aired.

"In addition to being one of the scariest episodes of TV ever produced, 'Hush' showcases everything that makes 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' one of the best shows of all time," wrote Screen Crush's Jacob Hall, who ranked it in the top ten episodes of the series.

The episode also garnered the series' only Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series — a fact that speaks volumes to Whedon's brilliance considering that the forty-four-minute episode only had seventeen minutes of actual dialogue.

SEE ALSO: Why People Love Working With 'Avengers' Director Joss Whedon

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The TMZ office in Los Angeles is unique in the way that the celebrity gossip website's work space also functions as a TV studio for the show.

TMZ on TV, which airs mainly on Fox-owned stations, features "in-studio" segments that are taped during a morning staff pitch meeting — led by the site's founder and show's executive producer, Harvey Levin — at TMZ's headquarters.

TMZ is an insider term ("thirty-mile zone" or studio zone), referring to the movie studio area of downtown Hollywood.

San Fransisco-based Rapt Studio recently refurbished TMZ's very public workspace — see what it's like to work in the fast lane.

If you've ever watched TMZ on TV, you're already familiar with the show's pitch meeting format.

San Fransisco-based Rapt Studio designed the real life work place/TV studio in Los Angeles. The celebrity-inspired workspace is built around a 9,000-square-foot newsroom, connecting brand and culture to its environment.

Rapt Studio 

TMZ's trademark red and black color scheme is apparent upon arrival.

This Sunday, E!'s hit reality show "#RichKids of Beverly Hills" will return for a second season.

The hour-long, "Rich Kids Of Instagram" Tumblr-inspired show features six friends from 90210 who drop thousands of dollars on clothes, shoes, cars, and partying like it's their job — because that's exactly what it is for some of these "funemployed" 20-somethings. 

Get to know the cast and catch up on season one here before this weekend's season two premiere, which takes the "Rich Kids" to China.

Season two of "#RichKids of Beverly Hills" premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on E!

Meet 25-year-old Dorothy Wang, who was born and raised in Beverly Hills — "The best city in the world."

Dorothy says "Growing up, my parents never talked about money. It wasn't until it was printed in Forbes that I knew how much money we had."

Dorothy is currently "funemployed and fabuluxe," but "when I grow up I want to be the Asian sensation of the world."

This Sunday, E!'s hit reality show "#RichKids of Beverly Hills" will return for a second season.

The hour-long, "Rich Kids Of Instagram" Tumblr-inspired show features six friends from 90210 who drop thousands of dollars on clothes, shoes, cars, and partying like it's their job — because that's exactly what it is for some of these "funemployed" 20-somethings. 

Get to know the cast and catch up on season one here before this weekend's season two premiere, which takes the "Rich Kids" to China.

Season two of "#RichKids of Beverly Hills" premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on E!

Meet 25-year-old Dorothy Wang, who was born and raised in Beverly Hills — "The best city in the world."

Dorothy says "Growing up, my parents never talked about money. It wasn't until it was printed in Forbes that I knew how much money we had."

Dorothy is currently "funemployed and fabuluxe," but "when I grow up I want to be the Asian sensation of the world."

The TMZ office in Los Angeles is unique in the way that the celebrity gossip website's work space also functions as a TV studio for the show.

TMZ on TV, which airs mainly on Fox-owned stations, features "in-studio" segments that are taped during a morning staff pitch meeting — led by the site's founder and show's executive producer, Harvey Levin — at TMZ's headquarters.

TMZ is an insider term ("thirty-mile zone" or studio zone), referring to the movie studio area of downtown Hollywood.

San Fransisco-based Rapt Studio recently refurbished TMZ's very public workspace — see what it's like to work in the fast lane.

If you've ever watched TMZ on TV, you're already familiar with the show's pitch meeting format.

San Fransisco-based Rapt Studio designed the real life work place/TV studio in Los Angeles. The celebrity-inspired workspace is built around a 9,000-square-foot newsroom, connecting brand and culture to its environment.

Rapt Studio 

TMZ's trademark red and black color scheme is apparent upon arrival.

"The Big Bang Theory" stars Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, and Jim Parsons had a pretty good weekend.

After months of negotiations, the trio finally banged out new, three-year deals on Sunday that will triple their current $350,000 an episode salary.

Now, the CBS stars will be raking in $1 million paychecks per episodefor 72 episodes in the upcoming seasons 8-10.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, who first broke the news, also reports the cast will benefit in other ways:

"I also hear that the complex deals go well beyond per-episode fees and also include larger pieces of the show, signing bonuses, production deals and advances towards the back-end — perks associated with talent deals on shows as big as Big Bang. In addition to tripling their most recent salaries of $350,000 an episode, I hear Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco also quadrupled their previous ownership on the show, which has gone up from .25 point to more than a point...

All in, I hear Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco are poised to make at least $90 million dollars each over the lives of the deals ... WBTV still is expected to clear $1 billion in profits, with some projecting that Big Bang could contribute to Time Warner’s bottom line twice that over its lifespan."

The Hollywood Reporter also notes that the show, which is the No.1 comedy on television among total viewers, "is a massive hit in syndication, with TBS' repeats regularly topping the weekly syndication ratings."

Last fall, co-stars Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik signed on for Season 8 with "in the neighborhood of $60,000" per episode paychecks, a bump from their previous $20,000-$30,000 range per episode. 

Original cast members Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar, who currently make more than $100,000 an episode, are the only two who have yet to hammer out deals before Wednesday's table read.

"The Big Bang Theory" is slated to premiere on CBS on Sept. 22.

SEE ALSO: The Most-Watched Show On TV Is Currently Without A Cast

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We learned earlier today that Vince Vaughn is in talks to star in True Detective season 2.  A new report from The Wrap surfaced tonight and suggests creator Nic Pizzolatto is close to firming up the rest of the cast.  Vaughn is in talks to play the central antagonist.  Colin Farrell is reportedly nearing a deal for the older male lead, while Taylor Kitsch is the frontrunner for the younger male lead.  Elizabeth Moss is under consideration for the female lead and Michelle Forbes is in contention for a key role.

The report also expanded on the previously reported True Detective season 2 plot details, provided character descriptions for the above roles, and mentioned a candidate to direct some episodes.  Hit the jump for more.

The Wrap offered this season 2 synopsis:

“The second season of True Detective will follow the death of Ben Caspar, the corrupt City Manager of a fictional California city who’s found brutally murdered amidst a potentially groundbreaking transportation deal that would forever change the freeway gridlock in California.  Three law enforcement officers from different cities and branches of the government are tasked with finding out who did it.  They soon discover their investigation has much broader and darker implications than they initially thought.

Caspar’s 52-year-old corpse is found on a lonely stretch of the PCH near Big Sur—his eye burned out, genitals cut off and satanic symbols etched on his chest.  It turns out he had a penchant for rough sex and may have been involved in the Occult.”

Although the casting isn’t official yet, here is the The Wrap’s rundown on the characters these five actors would play:

• Vince Vaughn – “Frank Semyon, a former thug turned businessman who’s working with a local Mayor and his political cohorts to spearhead the construction of a high-speed railway system that links southern California to northern California in order to reap financial gains from federal grants and land purchases.”
• Elizabeth Moss – “Ani Bezzerides, a tough, no-nonsense Monterrey sheriff whose troubled upbringing has driven her to gambling and alcohol.  She reports to Sheriff James O’Neil and Deputy Sheriff Marla Simenon, and her partner, Elvis Ilinca, may have a crush on her.  Ani also has both a hippie-type father who was absent when she was growing up, as well as a younger sister who isn’t afraid to show off her body.  She’s also looking into the disappearance of former classmate’s sister.”
• Colin Farrell – “Ray Velcoro, who has been damaged by years of turmoil in both his personal and professional lives.  A barely functioning coke-head with anger issues, he’s on Frank’s payroll and is battling his ex-wife for custody of their only son, Chad.”
• Taylor Kitsch - “Paul Woodrugh, a handsome, 28-year-old military veteran who has seen his own share of violence and destruction.  He’s a motorcycle California Highway Patrol officer who’s put on leave after soliciting oral sex from a beautiful girl he pulls over for drunk driving.  He reports to Commander Floyd Heschmeyer and has a Latino girlfriend he breaks up with when he’s assigned to the Caspar investigation.”
• Michelle Forbes - “It’s possible she could play either Farrell’s ex-wife (a survivor of sexual assault) or Vaughn’s charming but mercurial wife.”

Amid the season 1 acclaim, True Detective was criticized for weak female characters.  Moss is the perfect antidote, demonstrating in Mad Men and Top of the Lake her chops as a strong female lead in a boy’s club setting.  Forbes, too, would be a wonderful addition.  If this ends up being the cast, the men may have more star power, but the women are more talented.

The Wrap also mentions a rumor that HBO approached Andrew Dominik to direct some of True Detective season 2, but Dominik may be too busy preparing his Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde to join the fun.  In case Dominik does sign on, get to know the director through Evan’s in-depth look at his filmography.

For me, True Detective is much more about execution than plotting, but I invite you to dissect the new plot details to your heart’s content in the comments.

SEE ALSO: Vince Vaughn Reportedly In Talks For 'True Detective' Season 2

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Sorry, beach bums: Summer is halfway over. But for fanatical TV viewers, that generally signals good news as the fall season is just around the corner.

But actually, it's not like summer fare is all reruns and filler these days — just ask the 12.5 million people that NBC's “America's Got Talent” averages on Tuesdays. Or the 10.3 million the competition series reels in Wednesdays. Those two time slots top the 62 series airing originals so far this summer across CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC and The CW — at least in total viewers.

Below are the rankings based on the total number of people who watched and the ratings in the 18-49 demographic most important to advertisers. The two don't always align — right, “Unforgettable?”

Technically summer TV starts the day after May sweeps concludes — but of course, not all shows begin at the same time.

Using the “most current” viewership data from Nielsen — which includes a live plus seven-day window — episodes from the past two weeks will not have the delayed viewing lifts that older ones will. This won't affect reality shows much, but it will affect shows such as the most recent episodes of CBS’ “Under the Dome.”

The viewer totals reflected below are from all original episodes that aired between May 22 and July 27. Reruns have been factored out for this study.

So how did this summer's crop of shows fare?

NBC's talent competition takes the top two slots for Tuesday and Wednesday episodes, respectively. Next up is “Under the Dome,” which still gets a strong L+7 lift.

The new Halle Berry space drama “Extant” has been mediocre in the key 18-49 demo ratings, but it's getting plenty of older viewers on CBS — enough for fourth place, which is tops among new shows.

Three more new shows — “24: Live Another Day,” “Night Shift” and, perhaps surprisingly, the aforementioned “Unforgettable” — follow, above some summer staples.

Here are this summer's shows total viewer averages and the advertiser coveted 18-49 demo rankings:

SEE ALSO: 'The Big Bang Theory' Cast Sign Huge New $90 Million Salary Deals

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Ever since Craig Ferguson announced in April that he will be departing CBS' "The Late Late Show," the rumor mill has been swirling as to who will replace him.

Now, The Wrap — who spoke to "an individual with knowledge of the situation"— is exclusively reporting the frontrunner is James Corden, a 35-year-old English actor, comedian, and writer.

"Corden rose to prominence in the UK as the co-creator, co-writer, and star of the BBC sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey' and subsequently lead the comedy play 'One Man, Two Guvnors,' which earned him a Tony Award for its Broadway run,"reports Collider. "Corden had a supporting role in this summer’s musical indie 'Begin Again' and leads the upcoming Disney musical 'Into the Woods' alongside Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep, which opens this Christmas."

While Ferguson will be exiting the show at the end of this year, CBS honcho Les Moonves told TMZ last night that "we're not sure" who the replacement will be, but Corden is "one of the people we are talking to."

Moonves added, "We have someone in the 12:30 time slot that we're keying in on."

While Corden isn't a recognizable name in the U.S., he does boast more than 4.3 million Twitter followers, which could draw a younger audience to CBS.

In his personal life, Corden's wife, Julia Carey (below), is currently pregnant with the couple's second child.

Check out some of Corden's past professional work below:

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert Breaks Character To Expertly Answer Teen Girls' Questions On Love And Dating

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HBO and Nic Pizzolatto have responded to recent allegations that the writer and showrunner of “True Detective” plagiarized parts of his Emmy-nominated show.

“True Detective is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto,” HBO said in a statement.

The show has come under fire in recent days when horror fansiteThe Lovecraft E-Zine founder Mike Davis and Thomas Ligotti Online founder John Padgett published on Monday their evidence that themes and even dialogue from Pizzolatto's show bore too much similarity to the work of other writers, in particular Ligotti and his book “The Conspiracy Against the Human Race.”

But the network believes any similarities are broad or coincidental. “Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction, and there have been many such examples in the past,” said HBO in a statement. “Exploring and engaging with ideas and themes that philosophers and novelists have wrestled with over time is one of the show's many strengths — we stand by the show, its writing and Nic Pizzolatto entirely.”

Also read: ‘True Detective’ Plot Details Emerge; Vince Vaughn in Talks, Elisabeth Moss Circling

Pizzolatto himself is adamant that there is no plagiarism, and names many influences for the show — though Ligotti is not one of them. “Nothing in the television show True Detective was plagiarized,” the show creator said in a statement. “The philosophical thoughts expressed by Rust Cohle do not represent any thought or idea unique to any one author; rather these are the philosophical tenets of a pessimistic, anti-natalist philosophy with an historic tradition including Arthur Schopenauer, Friedrich Nietzche, E.M. Cioran, and various other philosophers, all of whom express these ideas. As an autodidact pessimist, Cohle speaks toward that philosophy with erudition and in his own words. The ideas within this philosophy are certainly not exclusive to any writer.”

“True Detective” is nominated for 5 Emmy nominations for its first season, inclding Best Drama Series, two Best Actor nods for both Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, Best Writing for Pizzolatto and Best Directing for Cary Fukunaga.

A second season featuring a brand new cast and story is in development. As TheWrap reported, Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn and Taylor Kitsch are among the names in the mix.

The full statements from HBO and Pizzolatto can be seen below:

HBO Statement:
‘True Detective’ is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction, and there have been many such examples in the past. Exploring and engaging with ideas and themes that philosophers and novelists have wrestled with over time is one of the show's many strengths — we stand by the show, its writing and Nic Pizzolatto entirely.

Nic Pizzolatto Statement:
Nothing in the television show ‘True Detective’ was plagiarized. The philosophical thoughts expressed by Rust Cohle do not represent any thought or idea unique to any one author; rather these are the philosophical tenets of a pessimistic, anti-natalist philosophy with an historic tradition including Arthur Schopenauer, Friedrich Nietzche, E.M. Cioran, and various other philosophers, all of whom express these ideas. As an autodidact pessimist, Cohle speaks toward that philosophy with erudition and in his own words. The ideas within this philosophy are certainly not exclusive to any writer.

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective' Creator Is Under Fire For Alleged Plagiarism And A Lack Of Female Characters

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Ever since Craig Ferguson announced in April that he will be departing CBS' "The Late Late Show," the rumor mill has been swirling as to who will replace him.

Now, The Wrap — who spoke to "an individual with knowledge of the situation"— is exclusively reporting the frontrunner is James Corden, a 35-year-old English actor, comedian, and writer.

"Corden rose to prominence in the UK as the co-creator, co-writer, and star of the BBC sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey' and subsequently lead the comedy play 'One Man, Two Guvnors,' which earned him a Tony Award for its Broadway run,"reports Collider. "Corden had a supporting role in this summer’s musical indie 'Begin Again' and leads the upcoming Disney musical 'Into the Woods' alongside Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep, which opens this Christmas."

While Ferguson will be exiting the show at the end of this year, CBS honcho Les Moonves told TMZ this week that "we're not sure" who the replacement will be, but Corden is "one of the people we are talking to."

Moonves added, "We have someone in the 12:30 time slot that we're keying in on."

While Corden isn't a recognizable name in the U.S., he does boast more than 4.3 million Twitter followers, which could draw a younger audience to CBS.

In his personal life, Corden's wife, Julia Carey (below), is currently pregnant with the couple's second child.

Check out some of Corden's past professional work below:

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert Breaks Character To Expertly Answer Teen Girls' Questions On Love And Dating

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Amazon has unveiled the line up for its third pilot season, which will once again utilize viewer feedback to decide what shows will receive more episodes after five pilots premiere on Aug. 28.

The diverse offerings include three half-hour comedies and two hour-long thrillers, starring Selma Blair, Adam Brody, Sarah Chalke, Dana Delany, Ron Perlman, Paul Reiser, Chloë Sevigny and Mena Suvari.

1. Comedy “The Cosmopolitans,” written, produced and directed by Academy Award nominee Whit Stillman (“The Last Days of Disco”), follows a group of young Americans searching for love in Paris.

2.“Really,” a half-hour marriage comedy from “Super Troopers” director Jay Chandrasekhar, revolves around four hard-charging suburban Chicago couples trying to grasp on-to their dwindling youth.

3. Coming-of-age comedy “Red Oaks” is directed by David Gordon Green (“Pineapple Express”) and produced by Steven Soderbergh. It stars Craig Roberts (“Submarine”) as an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey in 1985. 

4.“Hysteria,” an hour-long drama that takes place in Texas, follows Suvari returning to Austin to investigate a strange, psycho-physiological illness that manifests itself in violent fits and spreads in the community through technology. Shaun Cassidy, best known for genre thrillers such as “Invasion” and “American Gothic,” wrote the pilot and executive produces.

5.“Hand of God,” the TV debut of filmmaker Marc Forster (“Monster's Ball”), will star Ron Perlman (“Sons of Anarchy”) as a powerful judge who suffers a mental breakdown and goes on a vigilante quest to find the rapist who tore his family apart. With no evidence, he relies on “visions” and “messages” he believes are being sent by God through Pernell's ventilator-bound son.

“We are delighted to be able to bring Amazon customers new shows from some of Hollywood's most talented actors and creators,” Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios, said in a statement. “There is something for everyone in this season and I can't wait to hear our customers’ feedback when they premiere later this month.”

SEE ALSO: 'True Detective' show creator fires back against plagiarism allegations

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It's here!

AMC has debuted the first teaser trailer for "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul."

It's only a short 10 seconds, but we get to see Bob Odenkirk reprise his role as our favorite criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. 

The series has already been renewed for a second season. "Better Call Saul" will debut on AMC in February.

Check it out below:

SEE ALSO: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" dominated the box office this weekend

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Acclaimed Irish actor JJ Murphy, 86, passed away this past Friday, just days after shooting his first scenes for season five of HBO's "Game of Thrones."

Murphy was set to play Ser Denys Mallister, the eldest member of the Night's Watch.

Murphy is best known as a theater actor in Northern Ireland. He worked for many years at the Lyric Theater in Belfast where he performed his final stage role in a production of Joseph Tomelty's "All Souls Night" in 2012. 

"Game of Thrones" creators D.B. Weiss & David Benioff have confirmed the role will not be recast in a statement, adding that Murphy was a "lovely man, and the best Denys Mallister we could have hoped for."

SEE ALSO: George R.R. Martin Isn't Writing A 'Game Of Thrones' Episode Next Season

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Sarah Michelle Gellar played Robin Williams' daughter in the recently canceled CBS comedy, "The Crazy Ones."

In fact, Williams was the reason Gellar wanted to do the show in the first place, telling E! Online at the time: "I stalked him ... I even called his best friend and I was like, 'I have to be on this show. Please tell Robin.'"

"He is a legend," the actress continued. "Think about it. Greatest stand-up comedian of all time, Academy Award winner, and nicest man on the planet."

The two became extremely close during filming, with Gellar saying that her children even called him "Uncle Robin."

After news broke of Williams' unexpected death on Monday, Gellar posted this photo collage of the former co-stars:

On Tuesday, Sarah Michelle Gellar released a more lengthy statement about her time with Williams — "the father I had always dreamed of having"— and the tremendous loss she now feels:

“My life is a better place because I knew Robin Williams. To my children he was Uncle Robin, to everyone he worked with, he was the best boss anyone had ever known, and to me he was not just an inspiration but he was the father I had always dreamed of having.

There are not enough adjectives to describe the light he was, to anyone that ever had the pleasure to meet him. I will miss him everyday, but I know the memory of him will live on.”

And to his family, I thank them for letting us know him and seeing the joy they brought him. Us crazy ones love you.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams' Daughter Releases First Heartbreaking Statement

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As Hollywood grieves the loss of Robin Williams, late-night host Jimmy Fallon opened “The Tonight Show” with a tribute to the comedian.

Fallon fought through tears and had to take a few pauses while discussing Williams’ life and encouraging his audience to view Williams’ stand-up.

"You would watch him and you would cry laughing. And you would think, 'I am never going to see anyone like this human ever,'" Fallon said. "It's just amazing. His brain was always thinking 10 steps ahead of what he was saying. He was like the Muhammad Ali of comedy."

To show what he meant, Fallon shared a clip of Williams' first appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson where the comedian got up from his chair, dodged cameras, and ran up to the audience.

The moment shows just how easily Williams could light up a room.

Everyone is smiling. Everyone is laughing. 

Even the security guard with his arms crossed in the background is wearing a slight smile.

After the clip, Fallon ended his tribute by getting on top of his late-night desk and saluting Williams with an, "Oh Captain, my Captain, you will be missed," a nod to the actor's Oscar-nominated performance in 1989's "Dead Poet's Society."

Check it out below:

SEE ALSO: Norm MacDonald Tweets Amazing Robin Williams Story About His First Encounter With 'The Funniest Man In The World'

AND: Robin Williams' ex-wife and 3 children release heartbreaking statements

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Warning: do not read on if you have not completed the entire "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. This post is full of spoilers.

Earlier this week at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin sent fan forums into a frenzy when he acknowledged that some readers had figured out the ending to the series.

"So many readers were reading the books with so much attention that they were throwing up some theories, and while some of those theories were amusing bulls--- and creative, some of the theories are right," Martin said, according to The Telegraph. "At least one or two readers had put together the extremely subtle and obscure clues that I'd planted in the books and came to the right solution."

But with thousands of researched speculations out there, via sites like Westeros.org and the r/asoiaf ("A Song of Ice and Fire") subreddit, it's tough to be sure which ones Martin is referring to. 

Our best guess lies with a well-written analysis by Reddit user c_forrester_thorne, which outlines the motivation of the mysterious Others, the deadly cold humanoid creatures also known as White Walkers, and the bittersweet ending that Martin is likely headed toward. This theory draws upon the fact that Martin, though a huge fan of Tolkien's, is aiming for a narrative that transcends the "cartoon" trope of pure good versus pure evil that was seen in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. As he said back in 2011, "a villain is a hero of the other side ... and I think there’s a great deal of truth to that, and that’s the interesting thing."

In the five published books so far, we haven't seen a nuanced version of the Others; just a lot of killing and horror. But there must be more to it, if Martin is holding onto his values of writing complex, "gray-area" characters. 

This is what c_forrester_thorne helps explain through the theory, which is now the top post of all time on the r/asoiaf subreddit. Here's what it says:

In the books, characters tell legends about The Long Night, a winter that lasted a generation and brought the Others from the north. They advanced south, killing and laying waste to the land, only to be stopped by the Last Hero. Then the great Wall was built, keeping the Others out of the realm of Westeros. Until now.

But here's the thing: We never hear exactly how this hero won the war. The theory presented is that this Last Hero was a diplomat, not a warrior, and bargained a peace with the Others by marrying the Queen of the Others — which merges the Last Hero with the story of the Night's King. And then it was the Others themselves who built the Wall as a territorial marker, and they fulfilled their side of the agreement by staying in the far north and leaving men alone. 

It was men who did not hold up their end of the bargain. Wildlings have settled north of the Wall, and the Night's Watch rangers regularly ride in this marked territory, and they engage in "fire-magic" (Daenerys in particular, with her dragons that are threatening to destabilize the world). This has sparked the re-invasion of the Others, not because they are ruthlessly evil mystical beings, but because they have been threatened by the actions of men. They no longer trust that men can be left to their own devices without endangering everyone. 

So how will the conflict play out? The hero of this age will be Jon Snow, whose parents have long been theorized to be Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon is the Song of Ice and Fire, a combination of Stark (northern lords, possibly descended from the Night's King himself) and Targaryen (dragon lords, whose motto is "Fire and Blood"). Rhaegar notably believed in several prophecies; he seemed to understand that a balance between Ice and Fire was the key to preserving the human race. 

So it stands that Jon could become King on the Wall and restore peace, maybe even by taking an Other as a bride just like the legendary Last Hero/Night's King. Daenerys, often thought to be the answer to defeating the icy cold Others with her fire-breathing dragons, could very well be on her way to a tragic demise. As her ambition and dragons grow more unstable and dangerous, Jon Snow will rise as the only one who can truly rule Westoros and bring peace.

This conclusion follows with Martin's intentions of avoiding clear-cut lines between good and evil. Dany isn't the fire-wielding hero that we think, and the Others have a more practical motivation for moving south and attacking the kingdoms of men. Jon will not sit the Iron Throne or ride on the back of a dragon, as so many have envisioned, but instead remain on the Wall to uphold the truce. 

To read the full theory on r/asoiaf, click here.

SEE ALSO: Fans have a crazy "Game of Thrones" theory about Jon Snow's real parents

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Two decades ago, author Lois Lowry published her best selling novel, "The Giver."

Today, "The Giver," the movie, finally comes to theaters — 18 years after the film rights were first optioned.

Lowry told The New York Times magazine's Jessica Gross about her involvement with bringing the popular book to the big screen:

"The film rights were optioned probably 18 years ago, so this has been a very, very long process. My entire involvement is as an interloper, an onlooker, an opinion giver. I don’t have any contractual involvement, so they could have gone ahead and made it without consulting me at all, but they’ve been gracious about involving me."

But the 77-year-old author did have one crucial note for filmmakers:

"I remember seeing the costume designs for the female lead, Fiona (Odeya Rush) — in the book she’s 12, and in the movie she’s 16. I advised them that some of the costumes were too sexy. And so the hem was dropped a little bit. I asked them: 'Please don’t turn this into a teenage romance.'”

Main character Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), is also aged in the film. In the book, Jonas is just 12-years-old, but the character is age 16 in the movie — an alteration that co-star Jeff Bridges wasn't initially comfortable with.

"When I heard that they were going to cast older people, I had to really decide, ‘Bon voyage’ and go our separate ways, or engage,” Bridges has said. “And I decided to do that (stay), even though I knew it wasn’t going to match my particular vision. I’m so glad that I did get on board."

In the end, only three kisses are exchanged throughout the entire film and there is much less violence than in other young adult adaptations like "The Hunger Games" or "Divergent."

Instead, "The Giver" tells the story of Jonas, who is chosen to learn from an elderly man (Jeff Bridges) about the true pain and pleasure of the "real" world outside of his seemingly-utopian society.

Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgard play Jonas' mother and father.

The film also stars Meryl Streep as "Chief Elder." Lowry was so impressed with the actress' performance that she says: "[Meryl] turns it into a complex character. I think they did a terrific job adding that level in. I wish I could go back and rewrite the book and expand that role."

"The Giver" hits theaters today.

SEE ALSO: New Trailer For Best-Selling Novel 'The Giver' Shows An Eerie World Without Color

MORE: Why The 'Expendables 3' Leak Won't Hurt Lionsgate At The Box Office

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Those who went out to see "The Giver" this weekend in theaters may have noticed a few major changes from author Lois Lowry's best-selling novel.

Two decades after the film rights were first optioned, the $25 million movie pulled in a paltry $12.7 million at this weekend's box office — likely in part because we've already seen similar young adult book-to-movie adaptations.

But Lowry says the long-awaited movie is more the result of the filmmakers. She told The New York Times Magazine's Jessica Gross about her involvement with bringing the popular book to the big screen:

The film rights were optioned probably 18 years ago, so this has been a very, very long process. My entire involvement is as an interloper, an onlooker, an opinion giver. I don’t have any contractual involvement, so they could have gone ahead and made it without consulting me at all, but they’ve been gracious about involving me.

But the 77-year-old author did have one crucial note for filmmakers:

I remember seeing the costume designs for the female lead, Fiona (Odeya Rush) — in the book she’s 12, and in the movie she’s 16. I advised them that some of the costumes were too sexy. And so the hem was dropped a little bit. I asked them: 'Please don’t turn this into a teenage romance.'

Main character Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) is also aged in the film. In the book, Jonas is just 12 years old, but the character is age 16 in the movie — an alteration that co-star Jeff Bridges wasn't initially comfortable with.

"When I heard that they were going to cast older people, I had to really decide, ‘Bon voyage’ and go our separate ways, or engage,” Bridges has said. “And I decided to do that (stay), even though I knew it wasn’t going to match my particular vision. I’m so glad that I did get on board."

In the end, only three kisses are exchanged throughout the entire film and there is much less violence than in other young adult adaptations like "The Hunger Games" or "Divergent."

Instead, "The Giver" tells the story of Jonas, who is chosen to learn from an elderly man (Jeff Bridges) about the true pain and pleasure of the "real" world outside of his seemingly utopian society.

Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgard play Jonas' mother and father.

The film also stars Meryl Streep as "Chief Elder." Lowry was so impressed with the actress' performance that she said: "[Meryl] turns it into a complex character. I think they did a terrific job adding that level in. I wish I could go back and rewrite the book and expand that role."

SEE ALSO: The 'Expendables 3' Bombs Opening Weekend

MORE: Harvey Weinstein Forced 'The Giver' Movie To Change The Book's Ending

Join the conversation about this story »