Among the other eight additions are Alexander Siddig (Da Vinci’s Demons) as Oberyn’s even-tempered older brother Doran; Toby Sebastian (After the Dark) as Doran’s son Trystane, heir to Dorne and betrothed to Myrcella Baratheon; Nell Tiger Free (Endeavour) as Myrcella Baratheon, daughter of Cersei and Jamie whose position in Dorne has been tenuous since Oberyn’s death; DeObia Oparei (Dome) as Areo Hotah, loyal captain of Doran’s palace guard; Enzo Cilenti (Rome) as wealthy slave trader Yezzen; Jessica Henwick (Spirit Warriors) as graceful Nym Sand, second eldest bastard daughter of Oberyn; Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (The Family) as Tyene Sand, daughter of Oberyn and Ellaria; and Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) as pious High Sparrow, who arrives in King’s Landing looking to serve those forgotten by the world at large.

The fifth season of Game of Thrones premieres in the spring of 2015, with the series already having been renewed for a sixth season that’ll debut in 2016. You can check out TVHackr’s guide to the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series here, as well as an introductory video to the new characters below.

Which new addition to Game of Thrones are you most excited about? Are there any book characters that haven’t been introduced already that you’d like to see pop up? How much of the book material would you like the fifth season to cover?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH2ri8RhSnw

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The hit television series Game of Thrones was derived from a series of novels by George R.R. Martin, who has created a world of high fantasy and excitement that remains unrivaled in the world of both reading and television. The series of novels, entitled collectively A Song of Ice and Fire, was originally planned to extend to three volumes, yet the success of the series, and the sheer breadth of the cast of characters involved, has seen the author extend the series to a planned seven volumes, five of which have so far been published to great acclaim.

The world in which the novels are set is inspired greatly by medieval European history; indeed, Martin traveled the many ancient sites of Europe – especially those in Great Britain – and studied historical events carefully to lay the groundwork for the books. The detail is impressive, and scholars of English history will notice that the main plot lines are very much drawn from the Wars of the Roses, which took place between the feuding houses of York and Lancaster.

The novels mainly cover the ongoing feudal battles and intricacies of the great noble houses Westeros, the Wall, and the Targaryens. The many threads that link these three have their roots in genuine events from history, and the wonderfully rendered descriptions of the continent on which they live – Westeros and Essos – paint a picture of a time very different to today. Writing in an engaging and fast paced style, yet managing to keep us informed as to the minute details that make the land so real, the books add an aura of sense and understanding that is sometimes lost in the necessarily compacted world of the TV series.

(*) As of October, 2014.

The overall sales figures vary. In April 2011, The New Yorker reported that more than 15 million of books had been sold worldwide. In May the same year, The Wall Street Journal reported that 6 million copies had been sold in North America. In July 2011, USA Today reported that 8.5 million of copies (including digital copies) had been sold. In December the same year, 12 million. In September 2013, Reuters reported than 24 million of copies (including digital and audio copies) had been sold in North America alone. The series has been translated in more than 20 languages. The 5th book of the series – A Dance with Dragons – in more than 40 languages, according to USA Today.

Book #1 – A Game of Thrones

The first book in the series, A Game of Thrones introduces the reader to the main characters and branches out across three central plot lines: In the Seven Kingdoms tells the tale of the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark, and his convoluted and troubled family. Eddard has six children – five legitimate, one not – and the plot involves incest, murder, and a clutch of Direwolf puppies, which are central to the story. As with all good yarns, the battle for the head of the house is the central point.

On the Wall makes up the entrance to the novel, and introduces us to the wonders of the magical, 300 mile long wall of ice and stone that protects the Seven Kingdoms from the wilderness beyond, and the Night Watch, who are detailed to man the defense. Eddard’s bastard son, Jon, joins the Night Watch, which allows the reader to see its many flaws.

The third thread is In the East which is set in the Free City of Pentos, and covers the initial story of the Targaryen. It also introduces us to one of the most important figures in the whole series, Daenerys, sister of ‘mad king’ Viserys, who uses her to secure an army intended to overthrow the throne of Westeros. Other themes include magical treasures, execution and, as is the norm, a battle for the crown.

It is notable that the book differs from the television series in its approach, with the plot lines delivered in a less detailed manner and the entire story contracted for television; also, elements of the first book spread beyond the first series of the TV series, while there are other elements that we have not yet read – they appear in later volumes – woven into the opening series. Overall, the books give a better depiction of the timeline.

Click here to get A Game of Thrones from Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

Book #2 – A Clash of Kings

As with the first novel, the second – A Clash of Kings – takes us through the three main plot lines of the Seven Kingdoms, the Wall and the East. In the former, a civil war rages with the North and South at loggerheads; Rob Stark – son of the now dead Eddard – is declared King of the North, while three of the Baratheon family all have designs on the throne of Westeros. The war that ensues is bloody and tireless, and results in many changes in the family hierarchy.

At the Wall, the Night Watch has embarked upon a mission to investigate the mysterious peoples known as ‘the Wildings’; they discover that they have a fortress, and decide to advance. However, the Wildings are too fierce and the Night Watch face defeat. The result is a failed infiltration attempt, and it is eventually discovered that the Wall is to be attacked by tens of thousands of Wildings, along with their collection of magical beings.

In the East Daenerys has gained a gang of followers and a degree of power – as well as some baby dragons, which ensure her notoriety – and is set upon the throne of Westeros herself; however, assassination attempts, dragon battles and mysterious happenings prevail, and Daenerys is ultimately unsuccessful.

While the second series of the TV adaptation does follow the book more closely than the first, it is arguable that, again, it moves forward too quickly and leaves behind some of the more intricate detailed plots from the novel.

Click here to get A Clash of Kings from Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

Book #3 – A Storm of Swords

The third book in the series, A Storm of Swords, picks up the story where we left it at the end of the previous book; the War of the Five Kings still rages in Westeros, the Wall is under threat from the advance of the Wildings and their motley army, and Daenerys, defeated so far, is returning to Pentos.

In the Seven Kingdoms the action is split into the North and South regions, with several significant events taking place in each, not to mention a series of fierce and bloody battles. The novel introduces the ‘Brotherhood without Banners’, a revolutionary group hell bent on revenge and power, and central to the plot in the north is the ‘Red Wedding’. Opposed by many of the families involved, and further enraging the battles that are taking place, the wedding is the central theme around which the plot unravels.

At the Wall the threat of attack by the Wildings is looming, and the small army of the Night Watch can do little but wait. Murder and fighting are prevalent, but through it all Jon Snow is offered the title of Lord of Winterfell by the surviving and yet week King Stannis; thanks to a mystical appearance of the ghost of his dead direwolf, Jon refuses. He instead returns as the new commander of the Night Watch.

In the East Daenerys is becoming more unhinged and, with the gift of a dragon, secures the services of a slave army to overthrow and ransack the city of Meeren. However, she discovers traitors in her midst, yet offers them a deal. They take up her offer and, with the help of others, successfully overthrow the city. The rule of Meeros, she sees as a precursor to her rule at Westeros.

Click here to get A Storm of Swords from Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

The Interim

It is at this point that the author came upon a problem; his next book had originally intended to be set five years after the end of the third novel; this, he believed, would allow him to concentrate on younger characters who had no yet had time to develop. However, Martin also faced the problem that his characters – and there are great many more than the few central ones we have mentioned so far – were not flung far and wide across the continent. Hence, he decided eventually to split the next two books to cover different regions and characters, rather than the three-viewpoint approach of the first two novels. The result is that readers are able to concentrate on the engaging action in two different novels, set concurrently at the same time.

Book #4 – A Feast for Crows

A Feast for Crows, the fourth of the series, covers the happenings in the Seven Kingdoms and the East; the concurrent book, A Dance with Dragons, focuses on the goings-on at the Wall and elsewhere.

We begin in the Seven Kingdoms with the approaching end of the War of the Five Kings; however, the prologue introduces an intriguing character, Pate, who is quickly poisoned, and yet his place n the tale is as yet unresolved. Other central plot themes include the crumbling reign of Queen Cersei, who routinely ignores good advice; the increasingly powerful Tyrell family, and major battles in the closing stages of the war. An important section deals with the Iron Islands, which are central to the theme and to the Daenerys character in this section, as well as many other running themes of family feuds that have certain consequences.

In the East, Jon Snow and his Night Watch make an appearance with a story about assassinations, growing dissent and the importance of the dragons owned by Daenerys, while things are complicated again by mysterious dreams and odd creatures with magical powers.

It is notable that, at this point in the TV series, the two final books become entwined, although not to a point where they are complicated to follow.

Click here to get A Feast for Crows from Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

Book #5 – A Dance with Dragons

The fifth book in the series, and so far the final one published, A Dance with Dragons begins with Jon Snow’s election as the commander of the Night’s Watch; however, other factions refuse to acknowledge this, resulting in the beheading of one of his main rivals. A reinforcement of the Wall ensues, as well as battles involving the remaining Wildings and others, and the hunt for a mysterious Three Eyed Crow is also central to the plot here.

In Pentos, the Free City, much is happening, with Daenerys still the focus of attention; she remains in Meeren, as ruler, still hoping this is the precursor to her tenure as the ruler of Westeros. Her Dragons also play a prominent part in this section of the story, and Drogon – the senior – is important to the plot, as is a marriage plan intended to bring her to the side of an opposing family. The main plot theme surrounds the ongoing downfall at Westeros where incompetence and family feuds rule, as well as the many threads involving Jon Snow and his ruling of the Wildings.

The television series is now up to date with the story, but it has to be said that, although the on-screen version features a wealth of characters, it cannot be as diverse as the books, therefore several important incidences are omitted. The best way to immerse oneself in the world of Westeros and Essos is to take time with Martin’s books.

Click here to get A Dance with Dragons from Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

Conclusion

In writing the series of books that make up A Song of Ice and Fire George R.R. Martin has created a fantasy world as real as any that preceded his; indeed, his works have been likened to Tolkien, but with a more involving and less fantastical bent. That his main characters are clearly influenced by – and based upon – real historical figures, particularly those from British medieval history, makes the whole seemingly believable, and enables the reader to become more immersed in the world of the many characters who are well drawn and engaging.

Far more than in the television series, which is necessarily abridged in order to fit some very complex and interesting plot lines into the short screen time, the novels allow for the imagination to get to grips with the plot, and for the characters to come to life. It is to the author’s credit that he has managed to carry his characters through, so far, five volumes, without once losing the reader’s attention. That he needs at least two more novels to apparently conclude the story shows just how much is going on here, and it must be said that the above plot summaries are brief and by no means comprehensive. One can only get a true feel of the majesty of Martin’s writing, and of the world he has created, by reading these wonderful stories.

Where to Get Them

Book #1 – A Game of Thrones	Book #2 – A Clash of Kings	Book #3 – A Storm of Swords
Book #4 – A Feast for Crows	Book #5 – A Dance with Dragons	More to come...

A Song of Ice and Fire Series (Box Set)

All the Game of Thrones books are also available in Kindle versions.

The post Is A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin For You? appeared first on TVHackr.

“Game of Thrones is a phenomenon like no other,” noted Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. “David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, along with their talented collaborators, continue to surpass themselves, and we look forward to more of their dazzling storytelling.”

The fourth season premiere of Game of Thrones averaged 6.6 million viewers, HBO’s most-watched program since the 2007 series finale of The Sopranos, and helped Silicon Valley become the most-watched comedy premiere since Hung in 2008. Season four’s premiere was up 52% over the third season premiere, adding an additional 1.6 million viewers in two replays for a total gross audience of 8.8 million.

The renewal makes Game of Thrones HBO’s longest-running scripted series, as True Blood ends its seven-season run this summer, Boardwalk Empire‘s five-season run concludes this fall, and nine-season comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm isn’t guaranteed to return. The series had already become the highest-rated on the network thanks to a ratings trajectory not unlike True Blood and with HBO currently in flux, restocking itself with the likes of True Detective and Looking, Game of Thrones is an even more important asset for the network to have. This renewal also takes the series to within one season of showruners Benioff and Weiss’ seven-season plan, which should easily be achieved considering the ratings heights, critical acclaim, and cultural footprint Game of Thrones has achieved in its first four seasons.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9:00 on HBO.

What did you think of the fourth season premiere of Game of Thrones? Should the show try to go beyond the seven-year plan of its creators? Is Silicon Valley the right comedy to premiere behind Game of Thrones?

The post Game of Thrones Renewed for Seasons 5 and 6 by HBO appeared first on TVHackr.

Season three of Veep will focus on the presidential campaign of Vice President Selina Meyer, who was inspired to go after her political dreams and end the seemingly endless marginalization she faced while working under POTUS at the end of season two. However, Selina and her team will have to clean up the series of gaffes that haunted them the past few years if she has any hope at catching a spark out on the campaign trail and becoming a buzzed about candidate with a legitimate shot at the White House.

Created by Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Beavis & Butt-Head), Silicon Valley tells the story of Richard (Thomas Middleditch), an introverted computer programmer living in a Hacker Hostel start-up incubator. The show is said to look at the modern-day epicenter of the high-tech gold rush, where the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. In addition to Middleditch, the show will star the likes of Kumail Nanjiani (Burning Love), T.J. Miller (The Goodwin Games), and Zach Woods (The Office).

The fourth season of Game of Thrones is set to premiere Sunday, April 6th at 9:00 on HBO, with the third season of Veep following at 10:00 and the series premiere of Silicon Valley closing out the night at 10:30.

Which shows in the HBO spring lineup will you be watching? Are you excited about seeing the rest of A Storm of Swords being played out? Do you think Silicon Valley will fit in well with Game of Thrones and Veep?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5iS3tULXMQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0lGJFQHp1c

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While the fourth season of Game of Thrones, whose first trailer will debut this Sunday, is set to adapt the second half of A Storm of Swords, the third novel in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, the third season of Veep will follow Vice President Selina Meyer on the campaign trail as she looks to stir up the beginnings of a presidential run. From creator Mike Judge, Silicon Valley is said to take a look at the modern-day epicenter for the tech gold rush – the South Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. The cast will include the likes of Thomas Middleditch, TJ Miller, Zach Woods, Kumail Nanjiani, Martin Starr, Josh Brener, Christopher Evan Welch, and Amanda Crew.

This is the third straight lineup change for HBO’s spring lineup, which saw consisted of Thrones, Girls, and Veep in 2012 and Thrones, Veep, and Family Tree in 2013. Though no formal decision about the fate of Christopher Guest comedy Family Tree has been announced by HBO, cast member Nina Conti has mentioned in interviews that the show won’t be returning.

Elsewhere on HBO, acclaimed newsmagazine Vice will be returning for its second season on Friday, March 14th at 11:00. Stories covered during the first season, which concluded this past summer, included political assassinations in the Philippines, the economic crisis in Europe, and treating heroin with hallucinogens in Mexico.

HBO’s winter 2014 lineup is set to premiere Sunday, January 12th, with True Detective at 9:00 and Girls at 10:00. Gay-themed dramedy Looking will premiere the following week at 10:30.

Will you be watching Game of Thrones, Veep, and/or Silicon Valley? Do you think the night sounds like it has a decent flow to it? What do you hope to see happen during the fourth season of Game of Thrones?

The post Game of Thrones, Veep, and Silicon Valley to Premiere Sunday, April 6th on HBO appeared first on TVHackr.

Netflix scored two slots on the list with House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, while other new entries included FX spy drama The Americans, Showtime period drama Masters of Sex, ABC political soap Scandal, and HBO political comedy Veep, the latter of which is coming off Emmy wins for Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale. The rest of the AFI Top 10 of 2013 list was made up of the most recent seasons of Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Good Wife, and Game of Thrones.

It’s been a particularly award-heavy time for the TV industry, as the Writers Guild, Producers Guild, and International Press Academy have all announced nominations for their respective awards in recent weeks. Freshman series that have made noise include Masters of Sex and Orange is the New Black, both of which stand a reasonable chance of breaking into Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy races later in the season.

Do you think that AFI made good selections for its list this year? Are you surprised that Homeland and Modern Family aren’t represented this year? If you could remove one program and replace it with another, what would it be?

AFI Top 10 Programs of 2013
The Americans
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
House of Cards
Mad Men
Masters of Sex
Orange is the New Black
Scandal
Veep

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Eva Longoria, Sean Bean and Kate Walsh are coming together in an Indie drama which would be directed by Rustam Branaman. The feature is named

Another character, Jolene is portrayed by Eva Longoria, who is a mortgage broker and comes across Vian in a grocery store, along with Jimmy. Not at first, but eventually she agrees to go out with Vian, only to have her spiteful ex-boyfriend disclose disturbing information about her. Kate Walsh plays Vian’s elder sister, Bethley, who is a single mother. She is a strong but extremely charming woman, who has done nothing but work her entire life, ever since her husband abandoned her. Beth has strong religious values.

The original screenplay has been written by Rustam Branaman, himself and the photography of the film head-starts in Los Angeles on October 21st. Branaman shared that the story of the feature is very close to his heart and is full of themes, which intrigues him, the major one being life-transformation. He said that transformation in a person’s life is something which is beyond any measure, when love and compassion combine; it leads to a deeper sense of unpredictable behaviors, which is present in all of us, people.

Our television star, Game of Thrones’ fame Sean Bean also stars in the forthcoming TNT and Jupiter Ascending’s Legends pilot, whereas, Desperate Housewives’ fame, Eva Longoria’s next project would be Frontera. The upcoming films starring Kate Walsh are Just Before I Go, Dermaphoria and Staten Island Summer.

The producers of Any Day include Jeanette Zhou, of Jaguar Entertainment, Darryl Marshak (The Marshak/Zachary Co.) and Andrew Sugerman (Pantheon Entertainment). Jaguar entertainment is the financer of the movie, this being their first film. The director of photography is Harlan Bosmajian.

The post Bean, Longoria and Walsh team up for Indie Drama, Any Day appeared first on TVHackr.

Among the three major program categories, Breaking Bad was named Program of the Year, reigning Program of the Year winner Game of Thrones earned honors for Outstanding Achievement in Drama, and there was a tie for the comedy equivalent, as The Big Bang Theory and Parks and Recreation will share the award. Meanwhile, Bunheads took home the award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming shortly after its cancellation, Shark Tank won for Outstanding Reality Programming, and The Americans picked up Outstanding New Programming.

A full list of nominees and winners is below.

Do you think the TCA members made the right call more often than not? What is their biggest snub this year? Will any of the winners from this year repeat next year?

Individual Achievement in Comedy
Louis C.K., Louie (FX) ***WINNER***
Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO)
Jake Johnson, New Girl (Fox)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Individual Achievement in Drama
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel (A&E)
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black (BBC America) ***WINNER***
Monica Potter, Parenthood (NBC)
Matthew Rhys, The Americans (FX)

News and Information
Anderson Cooper 360., CNN
Central Park Five, PBS ***WINNER***
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Comedy Central
The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC
60 Minutes, CBS

Reality
The Amazing Race, CBS
The Glee Project, Oxygen
Shark Tank, ABC ***WINNER***
Survivor, CBS
The Voice, NBC

Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming
Adventure Time, Cartoon Network
Bunheads, ABC Family ***WINNER***
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, PBS
Sesame Street, PBS
Switched at Birth, ABC Family

Outstanding New Program
The Americans, FX ***WINNER***
Elementary, CBS
House of Cards, Netflix
The Mindy Project, Fox
Orphan Black, BBC America

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials
American Horror Story: Asylum, FX
Behind the Candelabra, HBO ***WINNER***
Downton Abbey, PBS
Rectify, Sundance Channel
Top of the Lake, Sundance Channel

Outstanding Achievement in Drama
The Americans, FX
Breaking Bad, AMC
Game of Thrones, HBO ***WINNER***
Homeland, Showtime
Mad Men, AMC

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy
The Big Bang Theory, CBS ***WINNER*** (tie)
Louie, FX
New Girl, Fox
Park and Recreation, NBC ***WINNER*** (tie)
Veep, HBO

Career Achievement Award
James L. Brooks
James Burrows
Jay Leno
William Shatner
Barbara Walters ***WINNER***

Heritage Award
All In the Family, CBS ***WINNER***
Lost, ABC
Saturday Night Live, NBC
Star Trek, NBC
Twin Peaks, ABC

Program of the Year
The Americans, FX
Breaking Bad, AMC ***WINNER***
Game of Thrones, HBO
House of Cards, Netflix
The Walking Dead, AMC

The post 2013 TCA Award Winners appeared first on TVHackr.

-At their TCA session, NBC revealed that reality-competition series Fashion Star has been canceled after two seasons, while Celebrity Apprentice is currently casting (but hasn”t been renewed as of yet) and canceled Anne Heche comedy Save Me shot 13 episodes, seven of which won”t air. In addition, pilots Wonderland and The Donor Party are said to be on hold, The Gilded Age (from Downton Abbey“s Julian Fellowes) is alive, and Dick Wolf”s Girlfriend in a Coma is in negotiations with David Frankel to executive produce and direct.

-NBC also gave a peek into their miniseries development cycle. Aside from A.D., After the Bible, which will premiere during the 2014-2015 season, the network has projects in the works based on Cleopatra, Hillary Clinton, Rosemary”s Baby, Stephen King”s Tommyknockers, and the Pilgrims” journey to Plymouth.

-Syfy has greenlit Dominion, based on 2007 fantasy/horror film Legion, to pilot. Scott Stewart, who co-wrote and directed Legion, is back to direct the pilot, which is set 25 years in the future after a war between an army of angels and mankind.

-Casting news: Jurnee Smollett has joined the fifth season of Parenthood, where she”ll be playing Kristina”s political campaign manager Heather in a major recurring role; Sam Elliott Ron Swanson”s Eagletonian doppleganger on an upcoming episode of Parks and Recreation, the same one that will feature Kristen Bell as Eagleton”s Leslie Knope; American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy announced that Denis O”Hare will be appearing on the show”s third season, though no details about his role were disclosed; in addition to recurring on HBO”s upcoming medical comedy Getting On, Emmy nominee Molly Shannon is set to recur on Raising Hope as the new owner of Howdy”s, beginning with the fourth episode of the season; ER vet Parminder Nagra has joined NBC”s The Blacklist and a mentor to one of the female FBI agents; Heidi Klum and Henry Winkler will be stopping by Parks and Recreation next season, playing the mayor of a small Danish town and Jean-Ralphio”s father, respectively; Rome“s Indira Varma to play Ellaria Sand on the fourth season of Game of Thrones, premiering next spring; Steve Cabral is the latest to join ABC Family”s Ravenswood and Raymond Collins.

-The Hub has announced their first Halloween bash, set to air October 26th. The event will celebrate the best of  Halloween, including the first-ever nationwide costume competition with one  finalist being chosen from every state in America. Details are set to be released in August.

–Please Like Me, a scripted comedy from Australian comic Josh Thomas, has been renewed for a second season by Pivot. The series, which debuts August 1st, stars Thomas as 20-year-old Josh, whose life becomes in disarray when he”s broken up with by his girlfriend, realizes he might be gay, and moves in with his suicidal mother. You can watch the first episode of the series here.

-The ESPN 30 for 30 series of documentaries will add six new entries this fall: October 1st – Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau (centering on big wave surfer Eddie Aikau); October 8th – Free Spirits (a look at former ABA franchise Spirits of St. Louis); October 15th – No Mas (analyzing the infamous boxing match between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard); October 22nd – Big Shot (about the 1996 New York Islanders); October 29th – This is What They Want (following the improbable run of tennis great Jimmy Connors at the 1991 U.S. Open); and November 5th – Tonya and Nancy (chronicling the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics).

-Key art for four CBS fall series has been released. Included are Robin Williams comedy The Crazy Ones; Chuck Lorre-created Mom; family comedy The Millers; and We Are Men, which will air Mondays at 8:30. Art for the network”s lone new fall drama Hostages was also recently released. You can check out trailers and previews for each series here and here, as well as premiere dates for each CBS fall series here.

The post News Roundup: NBC at TCA, Syfy Pilots, and 30 for 30 Documentary Dates appeared first on TVHackr.

This week on TVHackr, we talked about the death of James Gandolfini, what”s coming up on Baby Daddy, and the series premiere of Ray Donovan, which was uploaded to Showtime”s Youtube account. Around the web, the subjects ranged from water-cooler TV to genre programming at the Emmys and Scooby-Doo.

Scandal: Scott Foley Promoted to Series Regular for Season 3
Captain Jake Ballard won”t be going anywhere just yet, as Scott Foley has been promoted to a series regular on the Shonda Rhimes drama, which will be entering its third season this fall.

Magic City Season 2 Premiere Recap: You Opened the Door to That Monster
On the season premiere of Magic City, Vera finds out what Ike”s been hiding from her about their financial status, while there”s a plan that could bring Ben Diamond down and let the Evans family start anew – in Cuba.

Family Tree 1.05 Sneak Peeks: Tom Arrives in the United States
Tom meets up with Al and Kitty Chadwick and begins digging into the real reason why Charles moved from the United States to England in the first place. How will Tom react when he finds out a fairly major piece of his family”s history?

Baby Daddy Season 2 Spoilers: Danny Begins Avoiding Riley
Danny begins seeing a psychiatrist who suggests that his recent slump has to do with Riley, while Ben tries to get Emma into daycare and Riley”s mother Jennifer renews her rivalry with Bonnie at their book club.

Defiance 1.09 Preview: Earth Republic Quarantines Defiance
Quentin continues looking into what happened to his mother, a plague hits Defiance, and Amanda has a challenger in the upcoming mayoral election. Who wants to be the one to rule over Defiance and its unsteady relations between humans and Votans?

CBS Announces 2013-2014 Premiere Dates
The Eye has become the first network to unveil its premiere dates for next season, choosing to concentrate most of them in the pre-established network premiere week rather than staggering them out.

The Strain: Oscar Nominee John Hurt Joins the FX Pilot
The series, from Guillermo del Toro, takes place in New York City, where a CDC Canary Team is tasked with investigating (and containing) a mysterious viral outbreak that has hallmarks of vampirism.

The Fosters Recap: A Number, A Decision, A Word, and Plenty of Tears
Brandon has to make a difficult decision regarding his residence, while Callie”s dark past begins coming out in her writing, Lena does her best to help Jude, and Jesus continues to see Lexi.

The Fosters Spoilers: Callie Grows Closer to Wyatt
Coming up on The Fosters, tension between Brandon and Talya bubbles over, Jesus and Lexi face the consequences of their relationship, and Mariana tries to fit in with a cool, edgy crowd.

Ray Donovan: Watch the Series Premiere Here
Showtime made the (edited) series premiere of upcoming drama Ray Donovan available for viewing around two weeks prior to its television debut.

Juan Antonio Bayona to Direct Showtime’s Penny Dreadful
The acclaimed director, most recently of The Impossible, will helm the first two episodes of the period drama, set in Victorian London and featuring several classic literary characters.

News Roundup: T Bone Burnett Won’t Return for Nashville Season 2
The Grammy-winning producer (and husband to Nashville creator Callie Khouri) won”t be returning for a second season as the show”s music supervisor. Buddy Miller will take over for season two, which debuts this fall on ABC.

Hemlock Grove Renewed for Season 2 by Netflix
Netflix officially ordered more of Eli Roth”s Hemlock Grove, with 10 additional episodes in the supernatural mystery set for a 2014 premiere.

FX Acquires Kelsey Grammer/Martin Lawrence Comedy From Lionsgate TV
The series stars Grammer and Lawrence as Chicago lawyers who become unexpected friends and colleagues.

James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
The Sopranos star and three-time Emmy winner passed away while in Italy attending a film festival.

2013 Imagen Award Nominations Announced
Switched at Birth, Dallas, and Private Practice scored 2013 Imagen Award nominations, founded to recognize positive portrayals of Latinos in the media.

Agents of SHIELD, Once Upon a Time, and Wonderland Coming to Comic-Con
ABC”s 2013 Comic-Con lineup includes Joss Whedon”s Agents of SHIELD and two fairy tale dramas.

Episodes: Tracy Spiridakos to Guest Star in Season 3
The Revolution actress will be playing a family member of Morning”s on the Showtime comedy.

Hit the Floor 1.05 Sneak Peeks: Jelena Introduces German to Derek
Will Jelena succeed in driving Ahsha and German apart on the next episode of Hit the Floor?

Mistresses 1.04 Preview: Sam Won’t Let Karen Go
Savi begins looking into paternity tests, while Joss grows closer to Alex and Karen continues her obsession with Sam Grey.

Defiance 1.10 Preview: Nolan and Tommy Discover a Body at the NeedWant
Kenya”s former husband is found in the walls of the NeedWant and raises questions about several people in Defiance.

NBC Announces Fall 2013 Premiere Dates
When will the likes of Parks and Recreation, Chicago Fire, and Grimm begin their next seasons?

AMC Delays Hell on Wheels Season 3 Premiere to August 10th
Due to extreme weather, AMC has delayed the start of the western one week and will make the new premiere two hours.

Warner Bros. Announces Comic-Con Lineup
Among the Warner Bros. shows making the trek to Comic-Con are Arrow, Supernatural, and The Vampire Diaries.

TV NOW: How Important is the “Water-Coolerness” Factor for Today’s Television? (The TV Addict)
The TV Addict looks at spoilers, television binge watching, and the new norms of the modern digital world.

Your Summer Roundup of Reality-TV Ridiculousness (Vulture)
Enjoy ridiculous reality television? Vulture has compiled the most outrageous-seeming programming hitting the air this summer. Prepare yourselves accordingly.

 (Hitfix)
Should genre television have a bigger presence at award ceremonies like the Emmys? Hitfix argues that it should.

Meddling Kids Sidekick Mysteries = Series: 13 Hanna-Barbera productions that recycled the Scooby-Doo format (The A.V. Club)
The A.V. Club looks at cartoons that looked to ape the success of Scooby-Doo with a similar format and whether or not they were able to stand out in a crowded cartoon landscape.

Traditional TV is unstoppable. Can YouTube ever beat it? (Slate)
Is there a chance of Youtube ever overtaking broadcast television? Slate looks at the possibility.

The TV Isn”t Dying–Americans Still Overwhelmingly Unwind in Front of the Tube (National Journal)
On an average day in 2012, adults 15 and older spent six hours in front of the television, up from 5.76 hours the year before. The share of free time spent playing games or using a computer for fun fell from just over 52 minutes to just under it.

Majority of Americans Don”t Trust Newspapers and Television News (U.S. News and World Report)
Confidence in television news is tied with newspapers this year at 23 percent, which is slightly up from last year”s all-time low of 21 percent.

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