Today in viral videos: Russell Brand gets sympathetic, 50 (completely unscientific) ways to trick people into thinking you're smarter than you are, and summer treat from Disney.
From new "limited-run" event shows (and old ones like 24) to existing but evolving hits like How I Met Your Mother, the dinosaurs of the lower channels are disrupting their own programming models at upfronts this week to fight back against Netflix and Co.
CBS may be strutting around at upfronts, all proud and cocky because their shows are wildly popular. But their shows, both old and new, are also wildly awful.
Today in show business: Zach Braff's Kickstarter movie just got some real funding, two non-singers are joining the Into the Woods cast, and Bradley Cooper is headed to the kitchen.
Today in viral videos: Isabella Rossellini is a weird mom, The Simpsons get a Robot Chicken remix, Daft Punk by way of goat, and four lovely minutes of animals sneezing.
When Angelina Jolie — actress, humanitarian, one half of the most scrutinized couple since Sam and Diane — announced earlier this week that she had undergone a preventative double-mastectomy, a strange thing happened. The Internet, the great and terrible sea of bile, was nice. Of course the period of civility won't last long.
The network-TV king rolled out a new lineup Wednesday afternoon that includes a new Chuck Lorre comedy and a show starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar (yes, both of them). Check out the interactive now-and-then schedule inside, plus details, first-look video clips, and a whole lot of attitude.
Who would win a fight, Darth Vader or Doctor Who? Nerds almost saw a dream grudge match go down over the weekend when there was a flare up at a science-fiction convention in Norwich, England, when members of two rival gangs fan clubs nearly came to blows.
At upfronts Wednesday, TNT and TBS announced new projects featuring names like Spielberg, Stallone, Bay, Foxx, and Carell attached to them. With a rebranding now firmly built up by Conan and big, bold shows like Dallas, the Turner cable duo appears to have a true Hollywood identity: It's not HBO; it's TV heaven for movie-star pet projects.
Arrested Development Day — the holiday we made up for Netflix's season four digital dump — is less than two weeks away. Do you have a 53-episode catchup marathon in you? Didn't really think so. So these good people did their homework and built a viral visualization that its creators call "a service for the Arrested Development fan community." Be grateful.
With a $70 million donation for a new arts academy, it sounds like Dre and his Beats partner Jimmy Iovine are building a hub for the entertainment world, a kind of mini-undergrad version of Stanford, that overwhelming birthplace of tech geniuses and startup gurus — for anyone who thinks they can beat Spotify at its own game.
Today in celebrity news: Leo DiCaprio had a huge art auction this week, J.Lo has purchased a huge house, and Prince Harry is huge.
So the New Girl season finale last night more or less made a Taylor Swift song about love come true, which was kind of trite. But not even a gimmicky (if still kind of adorable) cameo from Swift-y herself could ruin the conclusion of a season that has solidified New Girl as one of the best comedies on TV.
Jon Stewart brought on Senior White House Correspondent John Oliver to break down just what went wrong for President Obama at his first major press conference since the scorecard of scandals broke out in Washington. Turns out, Obama had the wrong British wingman.
Google, possibly eying subscription music streamer Spotify's 6 million paying users, may be introducing a music streaming service of its own.
While ABC's upfront presentation on Thursday evening didn't seem like NBC's bloodbath, well, copying a successful formula isn't going to produce the best results. And all of ABC's new shows — yes, even Rebel Wilson's — feel derivative of something else.
James Franco wants you to know he reads William Faulkner. And there is a lot of James Franco in this trailer: James Franco riding a horse, James Franco trying on a Southern accent, James Franco looking intently at someone. James Franco, people. James Franco.
ABC isn't in great shape, so it's wildly rebooting its lineup. Click here for all those details, an interactive schedule, plus extended trailers for new shows, pretty good Jimmy Kimmel jokes, and more.
On the same day that Prince Harry visited the Jersey Shore, the marooned roller coaster that became a symbol of what Sandy wrought — and made for some of the storm's most iconic images — started its journey back out of the ocean. Meanwhile, its pseudo-replacement will be called "Superstorm." Seriously.
Palin turned down a national syndicated talk show by reality TV mega-producer Mark Burnett, reportedly because of location. So stop being so culturally elite, New York and Los Angeles. You're scaring her off.
PBS has announced that the fourth season of Downton Abbey will premiere in the U.S. on January 5. Yes, that's about four months after it premieres in the U.K. It's not like we didn't expect this news, but it seems particularly harsh. And there's a very simple solution.
ESPN's upfront presentation on Tuesday had more soccer, more football, and more SportsCenter, but the Worldwide Leader refused to explain the most puzzling sport on its moneymaking lineup of contracts: tennis.
Today in celebrity news: Sean Parker's fantasy Game of Thrones wedding plans progress, Prince Harry is in the East making everyone tingly, and Jaden Smith wants out.
America knows all about Christie's love of fleece zip-ups — they abounded on his love-fest with President Obama while touring the damage of Hurricane Sandy last year. But when Christie bestowed one upon Prince Harry this morning before their photo-op tour of the Sandy recovery, he was actually giving one to a kindred spirit. Harry, too, is a fan of the fleece.
The period of transition that began with Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig quitting the show last year is now in full swing. And while Hader's Stefon may no longer flirt with the departing Seth Meyers at the "Weekend Update" desk, this shift — like those before it — could be a good thing for a legendary show always in a legendary state of flux.
There's a whole world of re-imagined book covers for classic novels, and it goes well beyond those new Leonardo Di Caprio editions of The Great Gatsby.
The new editor of The Hairpin treats mix-tapes like books and commutes by Instapaper.
Actress Angelina Jolie has added a new cause to her long list of humanitarian efforts, but the latest is her most personal one of all.
Though the network execs admitted to having a bad year at Monday afternoon's upfront presentation, the point was clear: You might hear a lot about The Walking Dead or Mad Men, but far more people are tuning into the Big Four. For now.
Today in viral videos: ways to upset that New Yorker you love to hate, a supercut for every "noooooooooo" in Hollywood history, and some very fancy cats.
Prepare for more on the fate of the Idol udges — and the slate of guy-driven comedies the network has coming up this fall, all the better to round out Fox's New Girl/Mindy Project night. Also: There will be stars! And the bold return of 24! We're on the scene to bring you details, first-look clips, and much more.
I just sat through NBC's upfront presentation, which teases the new season lineup for advertisers and other assorted looky-loos, and boy, does the future not look bright for the struggling Peacock network.
Nancy Jo Sales' journalism helped shape Sofia Coppola's newest film.
The television news icon finally confirmed the news of her retirement on Monday's episode of The View with a heartfelt (if early) farewell in advance of her leaving behind the show — and more than a half-century of TV history — this time next year.
Perhaps the biggest news out of TV upfront week so far is Fox's decision to give Jack Bauer the zombie treatment with a 12-episode, time-skipping "limited series" return next summer. A lot has changed since 24; went off the air, but there's hard evidence that 24: Live Another Day won't fizzle just because primetime viewing habits have changed.
After a season of being lambasted for low ratings and flailing shows, NBC is attempting to convince advertisers — and viewers — that the network has the opposite in store. Click here for first-look clips, reactions, and NBC's self-defense from on-hand at the presentation, with interactive schedule.
Last night's Mad Men could be called an escalation episode. SCDP and CGC are in the process of merging, and things are closing in and constricting, even while the agency is expanding. Oh, and there are power struggles!
Did you hear? Did you hear?! It's almost here! The TV show that no one watched until after it was cancelled, Arrested Development, is less than two weeks away from returning for another flight on Netflix. Last night, they finally debuted the trailer that promises everything you love is returning.
ABC and Disney jumped out ahead of upfronts by announcing its fall lineup early, and the network has already begun cranking up the promo machine for one of its big hopefuls.
In case you've ever doubted that astronauts are the best, Commander Chris Hadfield is here to set you straight with what is apparently the first music video recorded in space. His song choice? "Space Oddity," by David Bowie. Of course.
Welcome to the Box Office Report, where we're not ready for flapper girls to be a thing again. How depressingly 2010.
The New York Times' Bill Carter reports current Saturday Night Live head writer Seth Meyers will replace Jimmy Fallon as the host of Late Night when Fallon moves to The Tonight Show.
So less than a year since her departure, Kristen Wiig made her triumphant return to Saturday Night Live last night to retread all the characters you knew and loved. But most importantly she stayed out of the way when she needed to let the new, very strong female cast shine.
In the dead of night, while you were sleeping or paying attention to other less trivial things, ABC and NBC announced the cancellation of Happy Endings and Smash, respectively. Feel free to use this space as a memorial for both shows.
The man who has everything -- Beyoncé, the Brooklyn Nets (until recently), amazing flow -- now apparently owns a time machine, if this recently unearthed photo from 1939 is anything to go by.
Today in show business news: NBC is cleaning house while CBS is adding more clutter, including a Robin Williams/Sarah Michelle Gellar show. Yes, you read that right.
Today in viral videos: Jimmy Kimmel shows you why you should be even meaner to celebrities, an undeniable karaoke duo, and a pomeranian who is ready for the weekend.
Vulture reports that Community, NBC's beloved-by-some comedy, will likely get a fifth season. So rejoice, Community fans, and remember this: you now have no reason to complain about the lack of love your show is getting from its network.
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