“True Detective”: The first cop show to truly embrace the digital age
DVRs and screen-capturing technology allow us to scrutinize shows, and “True Detective” has exploited that fact to full effect. Its creators, says James S. Murphy, “have made the first true cop show of the digital age, or rather, the first cop show to reckon with and exploit the effects of digitization. 'True Detective' has provided us with so many clues that the creators are daring us to think any aspect of the show is irrelevant. Is it merely a coincidence that the show”s initial crime takes place in 1995, the very year that the DVD was invented, and that Cohle and Martin missed their target then? PLUS: Here are some disappointing endings, here are more insane theories, here are 15 burning questions that need to be answered, here are 7 ways it will end, is “True Detective” anti-Christian?, why the crime doesn”t need solving, here”s perhaps the craziest theory, and what if The Yellow King is “Game of Thrones”” King Joffrey?
With a whopping 17 cast members, “SNL” has become bloated this season
The 17-member cast – including 8 who joined this season – is the largest since “SNL”s” disastrous 1994-95 season, as Mike Ryan points out. That cast, too, had 17 cast members, and the following season Lorne Michaels reduced the cast to 11, including newbie Will Ferrell. The result of having 17 cast members, says Ryan, is that this “particular cast has no real group personality. It's almost impossible to get to know these guys because we see them so sporadically.”
Amy Sedaris joins Jane Krakowski on Fox”s “Dead Boss”
Sedaris will play Krakowski”s co-worker in the British comedy remake.
CW”s uncensored “Reign” sex scenes: Full-body shots, louder moaning
All in all, the “Reign” episode posted online wasn”t that much different from the one that aired on CW.
Cartoon Network is creating a “micro-network” – an app that sends “15-second content bites”
Cartoon Network Anything, coming later this year, will feature games, videos and trivia specifically created for mobile devices.
Lena Dunham went on a “real sick double date” with President Obama and the First Lady
The “Girls” star”s boyfriend, Jack Antonoff of Fun, posted a photo of him and Dunham and a casually dressed First Couple. PLUS: Dunham thought “SNL”s” “Girls” spoof was “one of the best things ever.”
Why “Portlandia” is actually a show about Los Angeles
Some of the sketches resonate more among Angelinos than Portlanders.
Seth Meyers: I”m sleeping more with “Late Night” than I did on “SNL”
“I feel like I'm sleeping more with this job than I did at ‘SNL,”” he says. “Because at ‘SNL' you just stay up all night writing, and you stay up all night rehearsing. This has that nice thing of you finish the show and you kinda have nothing to do until the next morning, so that's been good.”
Report: “Bachelor” producers can”t wait for Juan Pablo”s season to end
“Everyone on the show is just so over him and cannot wait for this season to be over,” a source tells E!, adding that his anti-gay comments ruined all the hard work put in to Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici”s wedding.
Ke$ha drops the “$” from her name
After leaving rehab, the MTV star will now be known as “Kesha.”
Is “Cheers” still funny in 2014?
Or is the NBC comedy a product of its time?
Robin Wright: “House of Cards” was inspired by my real-life anti-sex violence activism
“Well to tell you the truth, that was kind of my idea, and Beau Willimon, the show runner”s, because I had been involved with this campaign for so many years,” she says of Claire Underwood also becoming an activist this season.
Why Adam Driver is the breakout star of “Girls”
As Leah Pickett argues, “audiences and critics are much more likely to reward male actors for playing strange or unlikeable men, while actors playing unlikeable women are either vilified by the viewing public or brushed aside as too ditzy, bitchy, slutty, or incompetent.”
“Community” isn”t really funny this season, but it”s become a terrific drama
Perhaps the shorter season is to blame, says David Sims, Dan Harmon, he says, “is seemingly shedding the lighter, less daring episodes that would pad the earlier seasons. There”s not so much of the gang just hanging around the table and quibbling with school issues, or tripping over some nutty Chang behavior.”
Is the rumor true that Peter Capaldi is only aboard for 1 “Doctor Who” series?
There”s talk that Capaldi was selected for one season so that Steven Moffat could send the new “Doctor” in a more “radical” direction.
Spencer Pratt is officially a college graduate
The former “Hills” star posted a photo of his USC diploma yesterday on Instagram.
Why women are drawn to “Looking”
The gay-themed HBO drama,” says Inkoo Kang, appeals to women “who want to see reflected on screen their aspiration of living in a world almost wiped clean of sexism.” PLUS: Scott Bakula talks about his “Looking” role.
Here are the best TV opening credits of all time
From “Cheers” to “Fresh Prince.”
Benedict Cumberbatch talks about becoming an “accidental superstar”
In a lengthy NY Times profile, Cumberbatch calls Sherlock “an absolute bastard.”
Jonathan Banks: I”ll set the dark tone on “Better Call Saul”
The former “Breaking Bad” star says of the “Breaking Bad” spinoff, “essentially, there”s no way around Saul, he”s going to be a lighter tone. And the darker tone will be Mike.”
The “Game of Thrones” hip-hop mixtape is actually good
It”s a “rap word-bank fantasy” featuring repeated use of words like “Khaleesi” and “dragon” and “Red Wedding.”
Carpenter Adam Carolla helps wronged homeowners on “Catch a Contractor”
The Spike TV series debuting Sunday reunites Carolla with the job he did two decades ago when he met Jimmy Kimmel.
Happy 50th birthday, Wanda Sykes!
“Birthday celebration is in full effect!” the comedienne tweets of her 50th birthday, which is today. “I'm taking over the rest of 2014. Embracing 50! If you don't want the truth, then don't ask me.”
VH1″s “The Surreal Life” spawned so many spinoffs
Here”s a family tree, from “I Love New York” to “Celebrity Rehab.”
“The Good Wife” finally returns Sunday
Here”s a refresher on where the CBS drama left off before its hiatus. PLUS: Tony winner Michael Cerveris joining the cast.
Band on Letterman creates a mind-blowing performance
Check out Baltimore”s Future Islands, with its lead singer”s unique onstage presence.
“Once Upon a Time” returns looking like whodunnit mystery
“It”s kind of creepy, but a good creepy – a little like a horror film,” says Ginnifer Goodwin.
“Revenge” is back with a big confrontation
Preview Sunday”s big confrontation between Emily and Veronica. PLUS: Emily VanCamp talks about her off-screen romance with Josh Bowman.
Presenting TV”s best coffee mugs
From “True Detective” to the “Friends” Central Perk mug.
“Glee”s” Harry Shum Jr. gets engaged
Actually, Shum popped the question in October, but his reps confirmed the news today.
Analyzing “Mad Men”s” trippy poster
Is Don Draper going to die?
Ranking “Scandal”s” least-destructive couples
Mellie & Andrew are No. 1.
Another star of the ’60s “Honeymooners” revival dies
Sheila MacRae, who played Alice, passed away yesterday, three months after the death of Jane Kean, who played Trixie.
ABC”s “Resurrection” looks ridiculous
“Basically, ‘Resurrection' is like 'Touched by the Angel' meets 'The X-Files.' Just in case that sounds like your bag,” says Kevin Fallon. “It”s our fascination with, our desperation for, and perhaps even our fear of resurrection that makes ABC”s new supernatural drama such a genius idea,” he says. “The network wisely named the show ‘Resurrection,' too-instantly, we”re hooked. If only the network had breathed more life into it.” PLUS: Sundance”s “The Returned” ruins “Resurrection,” and it”s a solid show for a network audience.
Seth MacFarlane”s “Cosmos” is in superior and inferior to the Carl Sagan original
“There's a rushed, breathless quality to this finished product. Basic ideas are laid out, but they're almost too basic,” says Verne Gay, pointing to the fact that it”s on commercial TV. Still, it”s hard to ignore that the special effects are much superior than the original thanks to the many leaps in special effects technology. PLUS: It”s a refreshing change of pace to normal unscripted TV, organized religion is irrelevant in this series, host Neil deGrasse Tyson calls this a “surreal project,” and MacFarlane explains the new trippy spaceship.