Have y’all heard: Game of Thrones ends on Sunday. I KNOW. Here are the only two images we have from the episode:
OK.
But if almost one million people had their way, Sunday’s episode wouldn’t be the series’ last. Some very angry nerds have created a change.org petition demanding that “HBO: Remake Game of Thrones season 8 with competent writers.” It’s a meaningless gesture and some are calling them stupid crybaby brats, but I have to be honest: I get it. I completely understand the impulse.
A New York Times writer who hadn’t previously watched Game of Thrones binged it in five weeks ahead of this season and has some really interesting thoughts not just about the show, but about the nature of TV-viewing in general.
So, you named your daughter Khaleesi …
This is an unsatisfying explanation for why the show got rid of all of its direwolves. BOO. AND GRRRRR.
Apparently, Hodor and the wilding Karsi were originally supposed to be among the army of the dead. This piece seems grateful that the show “chose not to inflict even more pain than usual” on the audience, but I, for one, think an opportunity was missed.
If you haven’t had enough Game of Thrones after Sunday, there’s always the Con of Thrones being held in Nashville the weekend of July 12-14.
Stephen King is the only person happy with this season of Game of Thrones:
Oh, Stephen. No, honey, that’s not the problem.
Here are some of the loose ends we will never get the answers to. I was very convinced Daario was going to have infiltrated the Golden company and turn them against Cersei. In retrospect, that was dumb.
One solution to the Game of Thrones finale problem: make the entire episode about Tormund and Ghost. For it.
Y’all need to be nicer to Maisie Williams.
Game of Thrones isn’t the only huge show ending this week: Veep had its series finale last Sunday and it was practically perfect. So how did Veep pull it off? Oh, I can tell you how: THEY STAYED TRUE TO THE CHARACTERS. THEY CARED MORE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS THAN THE PLOT. STILL ANGRY.
And The Big Bang Theory had its series finale last night. No spoilers, but there was a final guest star, a big prize and a twist that some critics felt was unearned, particularly in this political environment. In any event, it went out on top: some 18 million people tuned in last night.
I’m including this link as an excuse to mention The Bachelorette which I am very much going to blog, I’m just off to a super-late start because of these motherfucking dragons.
The Riverdale season finale had pretty much everything except any reference to Luke Perry. Looks like they’re going to address the Fred Andrews thing next season so as to make sure they get it right instead of rushing it.
I do not look forward to the coming streaming wars. Oh, and IFC is launching a new streamer featuring its movies, IFC Films Unlimited.
Steve Kroft is retiring from 60 Minutes after 30 years.
Renewals
- The Spanish Princess has probably been renewed for a second season at Starz, but there has not been an official announcement yet.
Cancellations
- The Tick has been canceled after two seasons on Amazon.
In Development
- The Magic Order has been ordered to series at Netflix.
- Next in Fashion, a fashion designing competition is coming to Netflix.
- Brett Goldstein, a Black Mirror writer, is developing his own anthology series about love and science at AMC.
- Panic, a YA novel, has been ordered to series at Amazon.
Casting News
- David Alan Grier is joining the cast of Coffee & Kareem on Netflix.
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph and David Holmes have been added to the cast of High Fidelity at Disney+.
Mark Your Calendar
- South Side will debut on Comedy Central on July 24.
- Years and Years will debut on HBO on June 24. It looks kinda amazing — and a little too familiar.
- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction will return on Netflix on May 31.
- Strange Angel returns on CBS All Access on June 11.
- Disenchantment will return on Netflix on September 20.
- This is Farrah Fawcett will air on ABC on May 23.
- People Magazine Investigates: Cults returns on Investigation Discovery on June 3.
- Ice on Fire will debut on HBO on June 11. It has nothing to do with Game of Thrones.
- Giada in Italy will debut on Food Network on June 16.
R.I.P.
Grumpy Cat, Cat and internet star
Ashley Massaro, WWE wrestler and Survivor: China contestant
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Fleabag: Honestly, I loved the first season of this dark comedy SO MUCH that I almost didn’t want another season of it. However, according to every review I’ve read, this season might even be better than the first. In any event, I CAN’T WAIT. Season premiere. Amazon Prime
Catch-22: George Clooney stars in and produces this satirical take on the war classic. Season premiere. Hulu
Nailed It!: BAD CAKES. Netflix
See You Yesterday: Back to the Future + social justice. Netflix
The Rain: Season two. Netflix
Meghan and Harry Plus One: Hey, did you hear there’s a royal baby? 7 p.m., CBS
The Blacklist: Season finale. 7 p.m., NBC
Hawaii Five-0: Season finale. 9 p.m., CBS
SATURDAY
Note: Here in Houston at 7 p.m., Channel 11, KHOU is running a special on the anniversary of the Santa Fe shooting. Keep those families in your thoughts.
Saturday Night Live: Paul Rudd and DJ Khaled. Season finale. 10:30 p.m., NBC
The Blackcoat’s Daughter: I don’t know what this is even about, just that it stars Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka and it’s a horror film and that’s all I kinda need to know? Netflix
Psycho Granny: YEP. HERE FOR IT. 7 p.m., Lifetime
SUNDAY
Game of Thrones: HOW CAN IT BE THE SERIES FINALE ALREADY? I’M NOT READY. 8 p.m., HBO
Barry: I was just having a conversation with someone who asked if I could think of a show that had a great first season and maintained that momentum. There are PLENTY of shows that continued being great, but Barry is a specifically contemporary example of this. Season finale. 9:20 p.m., HBO
American Idol: A winner is chosen. Season finale. 7 p.m., ABC
America’s Funniest Home Videos: Season finale. 6 p.m., ABC
Supergirl: Season finale. 7 p.m., The CW
Charmed: Season finale. 8 p.m., The CW
The Red Line: Season finale 8 p.m., CBS
NCIS: Los Angeles: Season finale. 9 p.m., CBS
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Friday): Gabrielle Union, DJ Khaled
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: (Friday): Olivia Wilde, Scott Pelley, BTS
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!: (Friday): Ryan Seacrest, Celeste Barber, Slipknot
| FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (new) |
20/20 (new) |
| CBS | Meghan and Harry Plus One (new) |
CBS Morning News Special: No Exit! (new) |
Hawaii Five-0 (new) |
| CW | Dynasty (new) |
Whose Line is it Anyway? (repeat) |
Whose Line is it Anyway? (repeat) |
Local |
| FOX | Paradise Hotel (new) |
Local |
| NBC | The Blacklist (new) |
Dateline (new) |
—
| SAT. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:30 |
| ABC | American Idol (repeat) |
20/20 (new) |
News/Local |
| CBS | Million Dollar Mile (new) |
Ransom (new) |
48 Hours (new) |
News/Local |
| FOX | MLB Baseball (live) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Stanley Cup Playoff (live) |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
News/Local | Saturday Night Live (Paul Rudd & DJ Khaled) |
—
| SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (new) |
American Idol (new) |
| CBS | 60 Minutes (new) |
The Red Line (new) |
NCIS: Los Angeles (new) |
| The CW | Local | Supergirl (new) |
Charmed (new) |
Local |
| FOX | The Simpsons (repeat) |
Bob’s Burgers (repeat) |
Hotel Transylvania | Local/News |
| NBC | Ellen’s Game of Games (repeat) |
Dateline (new) |
Good Girls (new) |