FOUR. FOUR NEW GAME OF THRONES SERIES ARE IN DEVELOPMENT. AND ONE OF THEM IS BEING WRITTEN BY A WRITER WHO HAS WORKED ON THE LEFTOVERS, WESTWORLD AND MAD MEN. SOMEONE FETCH ME SOME SMELLING SALTS.
~deep breath~
Alright, here’s what we know: not much. HBO is not saying if these are prequels, sequels, spinoffs or companion series, there is no timetable, and HBO is not saying if they are going to order all four or just one OR WHAT (probably just one, but a girl can dream, right?)
We do know that HBO would probably want a new Game of Thrones series to be ready to air soon after the completion of the current Game of Thrones series next year. And we know that these are the four writers working on the new series:
- Max Borenstein (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island)
- Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Kingsman and X-Men franchises), George R. R. Martin
- Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, A Knights Tale)
- Carly Wray (HBO’s The Leftovers & Westword, AMC’s Mad Man), George R. R. Martin
START SPECULATING IMMEDIATELY.
Personally, I would like to see series based on The Dance of the Dragons, the terrible Targaryen war for control of Westeros; Robert’s Rebellion against the Mad King; the Dunk and Egg adventures; or, going really far back, a series set in ancient Vallaria leading up to The Doom. That’d be awesome.
I AM ALREADY SO EXCITED.
In Other TV News
CBS is going to offer CBS All Access and Showtime together in a streaming package, which just makes sense.
Someone named Greg Rikaart is leaving The Young and the Restless after 14 years.
I’m not a fan of his shows but I love the way Chuck Lorre trolls Donald Trump.
If wondering about Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest’s Q scores was keeping you up at night, wonder no longer.
Networks behaving badly: ESPN fired Sara Walsh when she returned from maternity leave and Zola Mashariki claims a BET executive accused her of faking her breast cancer.
We need to talk about this wig in this cast photo from Marvel’s Inhumans.
Peaky Blinders could be turned into a wholly unnecessary musical.
Fox News has been sued yet again, this time by a staffer who claims she was fired after using their sexual harassment hotline. Fox News’s lawyers are never bored, that’s for sure.
And the federal probe into Fox News has expanded to include a look into whether or not intimidation tactics were used against employees. Apparently Roger Ailes hired that talking potato, Bo Dietl, to dig up dirt on Gretchen Carlson and other women who had accused him of sexual harassment. Fox News just sounds like a charming place to work as a woman.
There are actually people angry at John Dickerson for not saying anything about Stephen Colbert saying that Trump’s mouth is Putin’s “cock holster.” (I never get tired of typing that.)
Late Night Roundup
The late show guys had a lot to say about Trumpcare, as you might imagine.
Stephen Colbert points out the ridiculousness of allowing different states to offer different standards for health care:
Trevor Noah outlines all the groups opposed to the bill:
Seth Meyers shreds the GOP for shoving the bill through:
And Adam Scott was surprised by his childhood hero, Mark Hamill, on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in the best May the Fourth bit yet:
Trailer Park
Sense8, Netflix, TODAY!
Twin Peaks, Showtime, May 21
Bloodline, Netflix, May 26
Marvel’s Inhumans, ABC, This Fall
Cancellations
In Development
- NBC is beginning the upfronts early: they are already announcing that they have picked up Rise and For God and Country for their upcoming season.
- The book about Hillary Clinton’s campaign, Shattered, is being turned into a miniseries.
- BBC has ordered new adaptations of War of the Worlds and Little Women.
- BBC One is developing an adaptation of A Suitable Boy.
- Food Network has picked up a whole new Giada De Laurentiis series: Giada’s Summer Entertaining.
- E! has greenlit WAGS Atlanta.
Casting News
- Ruth Wilson will play her own grandmother in the miniseries, The Wilsons. Which is weird, right?
R.I.P.
Robert D. Marta, Camera operator
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Sense8: Season 2 of the strange, emotional sci-fi series. Netflix
Handsome: A Mystery Movie: Jeff Garlin stars in this comedic mystery, along with Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, Christine Woods, Steven Weber, Eddie Pepitone and Leah Remini. Netflix
The Last Kingdom: Season 2. Netflix
SATURDAY
Saturday Night Live: Chris Pine and LCD Soundsystem. 10:30 p.m., Saturday, NBC
Chris Gethard: Career Suicide: Comedian Chris Gethard talks about his struggles with depression and addiction in an off-broadway special that they swear is funny. OK. 9 p.m., HBO
Kevin Smith marathon: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Chasing Amy; Clerks; Clerks 2 5:40 p.m., Starz Encore
SUNDAY
The MTV Movie & TV Awards: Wait, when did they add TV to this? 7 p.m., MTV
The Last Man on Earth: The group’s daily life is turned upside down in the one-hour season finale. 8 p.m., Fox
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: It’s Oliver’s 100th episode. And honestly, Oliver has gotten a lot more accomplished legislatively in 100 episodes than our president has in 100 days. 10 p.m., HBO
Late Night: Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Friday): Paul Giamatti, Gisele Bundchen, Pete Lee The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: (Friday): Richard Gere, Maria Bamford, Perfume Genius Jimmy Kimmel Live (Friday): David Spade, Alt-J Watch What Happens Live (Sunday): Kim Zolciak-Biermann, Gabourey Sidibe
| FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | The Toy Box (new) |
Shark Tank (new) |
20/20 (new) |
| CBS | Undercover Boss (new) |
Hawaii Five-0 (new) |
Blue Bloods (new) |
| CW | The Originals (new) |
Reign (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Lucifer (repeat) |
Lethal Weapon (repeat) |
Local |
| NBC | First Dates (new) |
Dateline NBC (new) |
—
| SAT. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:30 |
| ABC | NBA: Playoff Game (live) |
News/Local |
| CBS | NCIS (repeat) |
Training Day (new) |
48 Hours (new) |
News/Local |
| FOX | Yankees at Cubs (live) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Stanley Cup Playoffs (live) |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
News/Local | Saturday Night Live (Chris Pine & LCD Soundsystem) |
—
| SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) |
Once Upon a Time (new) |
The Last 100 Days of Diana (new) |
| CBS | 60 Minutes (new) |
NCIS: Los Angeles (new) |
Madam Secretary (new) |
Elementary (new) |
| FOX | Bob’s Burgers (repeat) |
Bob’s Burgers (new) |
The Simpsons (new) |
Making History (new) |
Last Man on Earth (new) |
| NBC | Little Big Shots (repeat) |
Little Big Shots (new) |
Chicago Justice (new) |
Shades of Blue (new) |
Plus there’s the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, but I’m not sure I’ll watch it – two years ago it gave us “American Pharoah,” which makes me think of that guy in the White House. Ick.
Thanks, Stan!
-T
I love it when famous people meet their idols and still freak out a little. Adam Scott was shaking so hard!