‘Scandal’ is back — and it has a lot of explaining to do

“Scandal” is back – and it has a lot of explaining to do
Here”s ranking the burning questions from most to least urgent, including what”s up with Mama Pope. PLUS: Life lessons from 2 1/2 “Scandal” seasons, Katie Lowes talks B613, Joe Morton says more people will become scary, introducing “Jazzy Snaps,” print out “Scandal” paper dolls, and Bellamy Young recalls being directed by Tony Goldwyn on “Dirty Sexy Money.”

Amy Poehler nabs Ellen Burstyn for her NBC comedy pilot
She”ll play Natasha Lyonne”s aunt in the comedy about a reformed wild child who creates her own eldercare business.

HBO: We don”t do product placement, so T-Mobile didn”t pay for its “True Detective” cameo
An HBO spokesperson said “True Detective” bosses felt that the T-Mobile was an authentic brand for 2002.

How is ABC”s plan doing with its plan to split the seasons of “Scandal,” “Grey”s” and “Once Upon a Time”?
Has splitting the season in half resulted in better ratings?

Ailing Quantas hopes for a big financial boost from its “Modern Family” investment
The money-losing Australian airline spent $1 million in Aussie dollars to bring the show Down Under, including flying 80 “Modern Family” cast and crew members in a special “Modern Family Flyer” airplane.

ABC teaming with Twitter for Oscar coverage
Sunday”s broadcast will include 10 “Twitter mirror” photos from celebrities in the green room, plus a sponsored-tweet campaign.

Not long before auditioning for “The Daily Show,” Jessica Williams was in a college class that showed Jon Stewart clips
Williams was just 22 when she joined “The Daily Show” in 2012. She recalls telling her professor, “Hey, so I need to reschedule midterms because I”m going to go audition for 'The Daily Show,' which you were showing in class earlier.”

Johnny Weir & Tara Lipinski get another gig: “Today” on the morning after the Oscars
They”ll talk fashion on Monday morning.

HBO's “Silicon Valley” poster spoofs Steve Jobs
“Where Everyone Wants To Be An Icon,” says the poster.

Stop trying to solve “True Detective” — it's a “parody” of storytelling
The HBO series isn”t about trying to solve murder, it”s focus is on the storytelling in the cop genre, argues Pasha Malla. “The show clearly strives to remain aware of the familiarity of its  material-and to play around with that familiarity,” Malla explains. “Its  self-consciousness becomes evident when characters appear to be speaking directly to viewers-most obviously in Rust”s quasi-metaphysical interrogations of chronological narrative.” PLUS: Creator Nic Pizzolatto previews the remaining episodes, Alejandro González Iñárritu was originally on board as director, and how a former pro snowboarder ended up directing “True Detective.”

Seth Rogen tells a US. Senate subcommittee he's a huge “House of Cards” fan
In testifying to raise awareness of Alzheimer”s disease, Rogen said: “I came here today for a few reasons. One, I'm a huge 'House of Cards' fan. Just marathoned the whole thing.”

Fred Armisen credits the editors for making “Portlandia” funny
They take everything that we”ve shot, says Armisen, and make it funny. “We”re not in the editing room at all,” he says. “They judge it on what they laugh at.” PLUS: Armisen and Carrie Brownstein go through the “Portlandia” process.

Mayim Bialik”s kids don”t know about her “Blossom” past
“The Big Bang Theory” star tells Howard Stern she has shielded her kids from her child actor past, even though they get to play with a “Blossom” doll. PLUS: Simon Helberg shows off his Nicolas Cage impression for Letterman.

OWN releases details of Lindsay Lohan”s first 4 episodes
In Episode 4, Lohan tries to revive her image by doing a sketch on Jimmy Fallon.

Why is the 1st breakout star from “Girls” a guy?
What does say Adam Driver”s reported casting on “Star Wars” say about gender biases in TV vs. movies?

“The Vikings” returns – its boss was surprised fans loved the intellectual aspect of the show
“I always assumed they would be interested in the visceral side of it — by the battles and things — but in fact people really got into the human saga and the human story and the gods,” he says. But “people responded strongly to the more intellectual parts of the show,” he says, adding: “I was pleased by that.”

Sarah Drew tells whom she”d pick for her “Grey”s Anatomy”s” April
“I were playing matchmaker, I would set her up with Matthew,” she says. “They are on the same page about big life things, the way they look at the world and the way they share the same space.” PLUS: Why it”s hard to quit “Grey”s,” and Jessica Capshaw and Camilla Luddington on the midseason return.

Check out “Community's” animated “G.I. Jeff”
Jeff “Wingman” will get a special episode.

See “Game of Thrones”” brutal deaths animated as 8-bit gifs
Including the King”s Landing battle. PLUS: Hand-carved “Thrones” wood action figures are for sale.

Jimmy Kimmel puts Ellen on his back in Oscar promo
Who is he wearing? Ellen!

“Sharknado” producer: Syfy will “be very aggressive in making things look like things are naturally happening” on Twitter
Unlike the original movie, “Sharknado 2” will have a orchestrated social media presence that will include the entire cast live-tweeting.

Chelsea Handler will be live-tweeting the Oscars
The E! star will be live-tweeting for The Huffington Post.

Sarah Jessica Parker: TV”s portrayals of female friendships have devolved since “Sex and the City”
“It”s kind of surprising to say, but in a way (‘SATC”) was a more innocent time,” Parker recently told British GQ “… I think so much reality television – and the women that dominate culture today – are pretty unfriendly towards one another. They use language that”s really objectionable and cruel and not supportive. I like to remember that Carrie and the other
women in 'Sex and the City' were really nice to each other.”

“From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” posters revealed
El Rey Network and Robert Rodriguez have released posters for each of the main characters.

Another “Vampire Diaries” alum is joining the “Supernatural” spinoff
Stephen Martines is the 3rd “Vampire” veteran to join “Supernatural: Tribes.”

Canadian TV renews “Lost Girl”
No word yet if Syfy will pick up the 5th season.

Meet Jerry Seinfeld, the Muppet
“New Material Seinfeld” was introduced on Pete Holmes” TBS show.

“Orange is the New Black”s” Pablo Schreiber wants a divorce
After his wife filed for separation, Schreiber is requesting an end to their marriage.

“Downton Abbey” costumes are on display in a Delaware museum
Why Delaware?

“The Red Road” wastes its fascinating premise
The Sundance series, starring Jason Momoa, premieres tonight with a compelling story, but a weak script. PLUS: Sundance ends its streak of creating quality shows, there”s some excellence in it you”re patient, it”s like a flashback to 1990s Indie films, and why Jason Momoa calls it the “most challenging thing” he”s ever done.

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