How ‘Game of Thrones’ will end according to one of my most trusted sources

As I’ve mentioned here before, my dear friend Andrew Dansby of the Houston Chronicle, he was the editorial assistant on the first Game of Thrones books back when we were just children working at Bantam Books. He has some eloquent thoughts on how the show will end that you should definitely read.

I recently looked back through a transcript from a conversation I had with George Carlin years ago.

“It’s all Band-Aids and quick fixes here,” he said. “No one ever thought long term in this country. No one ever thought 20 and 30 and 50 years ahead. … It was always immediate gain, immediate gratification. Immediate addressing of things that were loud and on the front of the screen in the foreground. But no consideration for infrastructure curves and waves of the future. There’s a price in all that. And we will pay it. I just wish I could live and see the trends that are now at work come to fruition and play themselves out.”

Carlin died a month later. So now I’m left haunted by what he had to say.

And “Game of Thrones” — or Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series — keeps Carlin’s thoughts on the front of my mind. The characters in this story that we’ve come to love and loathe — and in some cases both — at times feel simply like vessels built by Martin and the show’s creators to tell a bigger, broader and badder story about bigger, broader and badder inclinations in our nature.

Martin has stated clearly and often his historical points of reference for this story, including the War of the Roses. And with that reference is the implication that like the seasons, history repeats itself in maddening and horrifying ways. Peace, then, is usually just a prelude.

In less fancy talk news, here’s a quiz to determine which Game of Thrones character you would be. I’m Tyrion because of the whole box wine thing.

Speaking of Tyrion, here’s an interview with Peter Dinklage in which he reveals he guessed Tyrion’s fate correctly.

Game of Thrones is obviously worried about sticking the landing. Here are five other series whose series’ endings were a big fucking deal (and yes, obviously, Lost is one of them — but curiously, The Sopranos and Breaking Bad are not).

Uproxx has collected the crumbs of information the actors have let slip in their interviews, feel free to speculate wildly.

And while we’re reading way too much into things … as someone who reads too much into everything, even I find this piece about Game of Thrones and shaving impressive.

60 Minutes will be doing a Game of Thrones segment this Sunday ahead of the premiere.

All of the facts about filming Game of Thrones that you never needed to know: “During all eight seasons, and specific to production in Northern Ireland, 3,748 pounds of rubber and 1.5 tons of metal were used for armory, with 1,300 shields created. Additionally, production used: 52,000 bags of paper snow; 163 tons of propane; 3,000 pyrotechnic effects; 4,000 gallons of artificial blood; 20,907 candles; 25 miles of rope; 22,966 feet of waxed cotton fabric to make more than 330 tents; and 50 miles of fabric for costumes. The construction department used: 745 miles of repurposed timber; 60,000 sheets of plywood; 20,000,000 screws and bolts; 65,000 bags of plaster; 1,320 gallons of wood glue; 1,200 blocks of polystyrene; 1,000 sheets of fire board; more than 1,000 miles of cable; and 120 semi-truck loads of reclaimed beams from warehouses and barns from all over Europe.”

Finally, here are a bunch of questions Game of Thrones needs to answer in its final season. None of them have anything to do with how many bags of plaster were used.

Interesting: When Calls the Heart, the Hallmark show Lori Loughlin starred in, will return on May 5 and 6 but she will be edited out of it. Considering she’s a lead in the show, that should be quite a trick.

Meanwhile, Loughlin reportedly didn’t know the prosecutors were serious about jail time. BUT NOW SHE DOES.

But good news, you guys: Olivia Jade is out of hiding.

We know how Transparent is getting rid of Jeffrey Tambor. (They’re killing his character, obviously.)

Good question: With the announcement of upcoming Marvel series on Disney+, is Disney spoiling Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame? (Yes.)

Which 90s procedural should be given a reboot? (The only correct answer is: Murder She Wrote. Maybe Renegade. But instead of procedurals, can we get a Northern Exposure reboot up in here? Thanks.)

YouTube TV has upped its subscription fee to $50 a month after they entered a partnership with Discovery channels to include their content on the service.

I don’t know if this actually counts as TV news (it doesn’t) but Julian Assange was arrested this morning and Pamela Anderson of all people had a meltdown about it.

We are living in the strangest timeline.

Sex Monster News

Allison Mack has pleaded guilty in the NXIVM sex cult case.

Geoffrey Rush has won a defamation lawsuit against News Corp for printing sexual harassment allegations against him.

AMC recently hosted a panel on diversity, and the wonderful Melissa McBride (Carol on The Walking Dead) became emotional talking about her character and the women she has known who have been abused.

Y’all need to leave Oprah alone.

Renewals

  • Barry has been renewed for a third season at HBO. Hooray!
  • NCIS has been renewed for a 17th season at CBS.
  • Hanna has been renewed for a second season by Amazon.

Cancelation

In Development

Casting News

Mark Your Calendars

ABC has released their summer dates:

  • Bachelorette Reunion will air on Monday, May 6.
  • Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will return on Friday, May 10.
  • What Would You Do? will return on Friday, May 10.
  • The Bachelorette returns on Monday, May 13.
  • Celebrity Family Feud returns on Sunday, June 9.
  • The $100,000 Pyramid returns on Sunday, June 9.
  • To Tell The Truth returns on Sunday, June 9.
  • Press Your Luck will debut on Wednesday, June 12.
  • Card Sharks will debut on Wednesday, June 12.
  • Match Game will return on Wednesday, June 12.
  • Grand Hotel will debut on Monday, June 17.
  • Holey Moley will debut on Thursday, June 20.
  • Family Food Fight will debut on Thursday, June 20.
  • Reef Break will debut on Thursday, June 20.
  • The 2019 ESPYS will air on Wednesday, July 10.
  • Bachelor in Paradise returns on Monday, July 29.

 

  • Reminder: Emma Stone is hosting SNL this week:
  • Wine Country will debut on Netflix on May 10.
  • Lunatics will debut on Netflix on April 19.
  • Street Food will debut on Netflix on April 26. (Fun fact, it looks like a Houston chef, Nikki Tran of Kau Ba is interviewed. If you haven’t been to her new place in Montrose, you should definitely check it out — AND ORDER THE DUMPLINGS. I INSIST.)
  • Perpetual Grace, Ltd. will premiere on Epix on June 2.
  • Last Summer will debut on Netflix on May 3.

WATCH THIS

Supernatural: What’s going on with Jack’s soul? 7 p.m., The CW

Black Summer: A prequel series to Syfy’s (now dearly departed) Z Nation. Series premiere. Netflix

FAM: Season finale. 8:30 p.m., CBS

Game of Thrones marathon: Season four. 12 p.m., HBO2

Late Night:

  • Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Emma Stone, Tracy Pollan, Michael J. Fox, Tank and the Bangas
  • Late Night with Seth Meyers: Adam Driver, Regina Hall, Anthony Carrigan
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Don Cheadle, Kiernan Shipka, Hozier
  • The Daily Show: Lizzo
  • Conan: Bill Burr
  • Busy Tonight: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
  • Watch What Happens Live: Melissa Etheridge, Chelsea Handler

THUR 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC Grey’s Anatomy
(new)
Station 19
(new)
For the People
(new)
CBS The Big Bang Theory
(repeat)
Young Sheldon
(repeat)
The Big Bang Theory
(repeat)
FAM
(new)
S.W.A.T.
(repeat)
CW Supernatural
(new)
In the Dark
(new)
News/Local
FOX Gotham
(repeat)
The Orville
(new)
News/Local
NBC Superstore
(new)
A.P. Bio
(new)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
(new)
Abby’s
(new)
Law & Order: SVU
(new)

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