'Game of Thrones': Emilia Clarke talks season 2
role

With us nearing the season 2 premiere of "Game of Thrones" we are starting to hear more and more about what we can expect when it comes to some of the characters.When it comes to Emilia Clarke...


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https://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/game-of-thrones-emilia-clarke-talks-seaso
n-2-role

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Pretty Little Liars - Shoppe Of Li'l Horrors

If These Dolls Could Talk: The results of Jenna's surgery; evil dolls attack again; Mona breaks up a shocking couple.

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http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/pretty-little-liars/if-these-dolls-coul
d-talk-1.php

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'Gossip Girl,' 'Once Upon a Time' guest Sebastian
Stan joins 'Political Animals'

If you love Sebastian Stan, then the following bit of news is probably going to make you rather happy. The rising star -- who has appeared recently on "Gossip Girl" and has an upcoming role on "Once Upon...


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http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/gossip-girl-once-upon-a-time-guest-sebasti
an-stan-joins-political-animals

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HBO Cancels Luck

• Find out why HBO has officially canceled Luck - BuddyTV
• Gael Garcia Bernal romances Kate Hudson in A Little Bit of Heaven - NextMovie
• 10 fun facts about the original 21 Jump Street - The Frisky
• See which stars are in Austin for SXSW - The Hollywood Reporter
• Go behind the scenes of The Secret Circle - HuffPost TV
• Harry Potter's Rupert Grint snags a new role - Moviefone
• Joel McHale reveals his favorite fan-made Community videos - Zap2it
• Action packed TV shows turned movies - Rotten Tomatoes
• Have a Mad Men-themed wedding with these tips - TrésSugar

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'Missing' Producers on 'Bourne' Inspiration,
Biggest Challenges and Future of Series (Q&A)

Philiana Ng
"It's TV so you come into it with that seven season picture in your head, but it certainly could be more, it certainly could be fewer depending on the response we get," executive producer Gregory Poirier tells THR of the future of the ABC show.

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Katie Couric's daytime talk show to begin Monday,
September 10

Katie Couric has been hard at work lately preparing her daytime talk show, and we now know a precise date in which we can see it air: The first episode of "Katie" is going to air on...


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http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/katie-couric-s-daytime-talk-show-to-begin-
monday-september-10

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Annette Bourdeau: '80s TV Shows We'd Like To See
Revived (In Movie Form)

Hollywood seems intent on reviving popular '80s TV shows for the big screen these days, with varying degrees of success. Flicks like The A-Team and Miami Vice fell a bit flat, while ventures like Alvin & the Chipmunks (the first and second movies, anyway) actually lived up to the '80s TV series.

This week's release 21 Jump Street, thankfully, falls into the latter category. The big screen adaptation of the popular '80s cop show starring Johnny Depp is fast-paced, funny and even has a little heart. (And yes, Depp has a great cameo.) Stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play well off of each other as the sensitive nerd and dumb beefcake, respectively.

As in the series, our two heroes are undercover cops based out of a run-down church on Jump Street. This time around, they get sent back to high school to infiltrate a deadly drug ring. This triggers major anxiety for Hill's character, since high school was no picnic for nerds in his day. Tatum's character, on the other hand, goes into the operation expecting to be big man on campus again.

Of course, once they get to school they realize everything has changed. This leads into one of the funniest scenes in the movie as they try to identify the new social order among today's teens who embrace nerdiness and doing good, as opposed to the nonchalant badasses and jocks who ruled the schoolyard when they were teens.

Hill is funny, charming and endearingly vulnerable as the nerd who gets a second chance at popularity. Tatum fills his jock role adeptly. (Although I must say -- I feel like I'm missing something when it comes to him. He just seems so generic. But I digress.)

It's refreshing to see an '80s remake actually done well. Which got us to thinking about other '80s TV shows we'd like to see on the big screen. (Done well, that is. No phoned-in cash grabs like The A-Team.)

1. Golden Girls. The original cast is irreplaceable, so no remake could even hope to be as good as the original. However, it's a solid concept that could translate into a pretty decent movie. Besides, we really could use some more flicks about women over 40. And not the plastic-Barbie-Demi Moore kind of women over 40. I'm thinking something funny, outrageous and even a little sexy, a la It's Complicated meets Grandma's Boy. Shirley Jones (The Partridge Family) would be great as sexpot Blanche.

2. ALF. Paul the stoner extraterrestrial was great, but as far as sassy aliens go, there's no topping ALF. I'm envisioning an action-comedy with ALF on a quest to rescue Rhonda, his Melmackian girlfriend, from some evil Area 51-types holding her captive for experiments. ALF's Willy-style nerdy best friend accompanies him on his journey.

3. Doogie Howser. It ain't easy being a child prodigy. The big screen adaptation could follow Doogie's quest to have some semblance of a normal teenage life. I'm thinking an Apatow-style dramatic comedy with heart.

4. Who's the Boss? I'm surprised this hasn't already been remade. After all, who doesn't like the idea of having a hunky housekeeper who becomes so-much-more? I'm envisioning a rom-com starring Mark Ruffalo and Drew Barrymore.

5. Perfect Strangers. We've seen the fish-out-of-water/free-spirit-loosens-up-uptight-businessman thing done time and again in movies. But there's something special about Larry and Balki that just might be worth revisiting on the big screen. Maybe Horrible Bosses co-stars Jason Bateman and Charlie Day could reunite as the uptight businessman and wacky distant cousin.

Any '80s TV shows you'd like to see made into movies?

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Soyon An: American Idol Style

Meet Soyon An, American Idol style consultant for several seasons now. She operates behind the scenes, but her work is seen by millions. This season, not only will she style the girls but she was asked to make over the boys image, as well. An meets with the Idol finalists weekly and aids each in shaping their image and discovering their unique style, which becomes more evident as the show's season progresses.

To kick off Season 11, the stylist had the Top 13 finalist put together their favorite fashion look. Each contestant was asked to give An a tear sheet, or several, of looks they loved from fashion magazines. Such an assignment gives An a crash course on each guy or girl and their style. From this point An will have a good idea of what to work with in moving forward for the fittings, which occur in preparation for performance (Wednesdays) and results (Thursdays) nights. Once the main wardrobe is underway, whether being shopped and/or customized by An, she sets out in search of any missing key pieces, accessories like shoes, belts, or jewelry, to complete each look.

Below is what An anticipates for each of the Top 12 contestants in the season ahead.

Joshua Ledet

I thought his collage was adorable with the glitter and Justin Bieber images. But with his big voice I wanted to keep the street look for Thursday result shows and give Joshua a more polished look for Wednesday performance nights.

Jessica Sanchez

Her tear sheets, full of flashy and high-fashion pieces in neutral colors, showed that I had a little fashionista on hand this season!

Elise Testone

When I received Elise's sheets I knew this was going to be a season of soul searching for her; the looks she gave me were a bit scattered. But each week we'll get closer to defining her image, and that's the whole point and fun of this process! It's a journey.

Erika Van Pelt

I new I had a rock chick on my hands once I saw her tear sheets. Seeing Fergie's photo especially showed me that I can push the fashion envelope with Erika. Our only challenge this season may be finding all the awesome styles in her size, but I'm more than up to that challenge!

Phillip Phillips

Oh boy... This guy is every girl's dream this season, but not this fashionista's. Looking at his tear sheets, Phillip's style may be too simple. I like that clean and easy look, but my challenge this season with him is to inject subtle style: think jackets, different types of basic shirts, and textures.

Jermaine Jones

Styling and dressing this 6'8 giant was naturally going to be a challenge. But after meeting Jermaine I was happy to find that he loves fashion and clothing, so I knew we'd have a lot of fun. In fact, after this season I can probably dress NBA players!

Colton Dixon

Though I didn't get tear sheets from Colton, I knew from our conversations and his auditions during the first three weeks that I'd have a lot of fun with this rock 'n' roll-slash-pop musician.

Shannon Magrane

My challenge with this 6'1 sixteen year-old will be making her look fun, young and age-appropriate, as being that tall can automatically add maturity to a look. In striving to make her appear on-trend and fashionable, I will aim to bring some edge and youthfulness into her styling.

Skylar Laine

She ended up being our last country diva standing. With Skylar's tomboy/ATV/deer-hunting background, I knew I had somebody with some sass and attitude on hand and wanted to work on not losing that. The challenge this season will be to keep that country spirit, but to at the same time merry that look with fashionable pieces.

Hollie Cavanagh

In an attempt to keep this English-Texan's thick personality intact, I am going to concentrate on injecting plenty of class into her style. The direction I want to take is that of funky patterns, bright colors, and bold statement pieces.

DeAndre Brackensick

DeAndre is the full-package artist, with good looks, a great voice, and swagger. I want to keep our seventeen year-old marketable with the teeny boppers by keeping his style not too busy, and not too street... I'm talking a more tailored look, especially since he's got a lot already going on with that hair!

Heejun Han

He might be in sweaters during rehearsals and auditions, but after seeing his tear sheets I knew we were going to get along just fine in the fashion world. Also, I like that he gave me style references of pop artists from his own country.

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'Mad Men's' Matt Weiner Finds The Silver Lining
Amidst Season 5 Struggles

You can read a lot of stories about "Mad Men" and interviews with its creator, Matthew Weiner, and come away without understanding of one important fact: He laughs a lot.

He makes a show that occasionally plunges headfirst into existential despair -- just see how low ad man Don Draper sank in Season 4 -- and which expertly dissects the uglier, more selfish and shameful aspects of human behavior. But like the drama he has shepherded for five seasons (so far), Weiner has a sense of humor. He talks about being "miserable" and about how his own neuroses and fears pervade the AMC show, yet he says that word with a smile and discusses his baggage with a self-deprecating laugh. So in the three-part Weiner interview that will appear on HuffPostTV in the coming days before the Season 5 premiere (Sun., Mar. 25 at 9 p.m. ET), imagine him chuckling every third sentence or so, and you won't be far wrong. In an hourlong interview in his Los Angeles office, Weiner was chatty, forthcoming and yes, unwilling to offer up any concrete details about the upcoming season of "Mad Men" (but then, fans of the show know how he feels about details leaking out before episodes air).

But as Weiner also says in this first installment, he's an entertainer. He's happy to be part of the promotional blitz for the new season, and no matter what the characters are going through, he wants to put on a show that will keep audiences coming back. Hence the decision to offer patient "Mad Men" fans -- who endured a 17-month wait between seasons -- a two-hour season premiere, a decision Weiner talks about below. He discusses last year's fraught negotiations with the entities that air and produce "Mad Men" -- AMC and with Lionsgate -- during which he and the powers that be clashed over not only his pay, but the show's running time and budget in a brawl that became very public and contentious. We also discussed about how long he envisions "Mad Men" running for, and why the production of Season 5 was special in many ways.

In the second and third portions of my discussion with Weiner, which will be posted here at the beginning of next week, he discusses weathering fan reactions to the new season (and he thinks there will be some negative ones), the character you won't be seeing much of and star Jon Hamm's stint in the director's chair (and you can read my interview with Hamm here and here).

We're just over a week away from the return of "Mad Men" itself. So shut the door, have a seat, pour a cocktail and listen to what its creator has to say about where the show's been and where it's going.

The interview below has been edited and condensed.

The gap between seasons -- does it worry you?

I'm feeling better about it as we get closer, because I see the expressions of anticipation and I am very pleased that the network has made a bigger effort than ever to publicize it. I have held up as much as I can of my end of the bargain by giving a two-hour premiere that I think is a healthy dose [of the show].

I'm in the entertainment business, and I want people to be happy to be back and to be excited about it. That’s why I did that. If I was watching the show, they got some 'splaining to do. I was like, "You know what? We're really sorry. We're really sorry, Ricky, but we made a really, really great dinner and we made Cuban food." Can I push this analogy any further?

Is that two-hour premiere partly to kind of re-acquaint everyone with where the characters are at?

No, it's the same [way we enter every season]. Well, it will be. There are a lot of new characters in it. It's the same way I do the show always, which is that we will [hit] the ground running and you will feel that you missed something and you will go back and say, "Where did that come from?" It may be something new, but it's the next stage in the story.

I'm worried always about changing the form. I was fighting over the minutes [i.e., the running time of each episode] and everything. I don't want to do something different once I've figured out what people like about the show. I mean, let's not be arrogant. Who knows what people like about the show? But once I figured out [what it's like] for me to do the show, I really didn’t want to change it. But this didn’t seem to be that big a jump in the format. The story that we had broken for Episode 1 was too big. The stories are always too big, but they’re usually about 25 percent too big. This was 85 percent too big, so we just put everything into it that we had. I think when you see it in its completeness, you'll get it.

But it's just like everything else with the show. I take dictates from the audience in the sense that I am the audience -- I am an audience member and I want them to be entertained, and I'm doing everything I can to satisfy that. But I don't take dictates in terms of what the content is or who the characters are paying attention to or whatever else, because I don't think [people would like that if they got it]. People are always like, "I love X in your show, give me more of it," and literally, if you follow that advice and do an episode with X in it -- more X -- they will be like, "Here we go again, more X. Have they run out of ideas?"

It's like dessert, you know? I'm always comparing things to dessert. It’s just like food or anything else in life that you take pleasure in. A little goes a long way. But I have to say that I have not been off as long as the show has been off the air. That is something people have to know -- [despite the contract situation] I literally started six weeks later than I would have [normally].

Really?

Yeah, there was no time slot for it. I don’t know if that’s clear to people and I've tried to explain this to everyone, and I don’t know if it’s of interest at this point and I probably should just let it go. But the delay of the show had nothing to do with me. Nothing.

There was a plan in place in 2010 that the show would not be on the air in 2011. You don't just throw in "Breaking Bad" because "Mad Men" is not available. They have four shows. They do them one at a time, and God bless them for the fact that "Breaking Bad" got an audience, because of where they were this summer. I'm very happy about that, because people should see that show.

But when were we going to go on after that? They moved "Breaking Bad" to the summer. "The Walking Dead" is the fall. They have "The Killing" in the spring and they have their new show, "Hell on Wheels," for Christmastime, and so this is where we are. Nobody wants to launch a show during the Super Bowl period or the Oscars, so this is where we are. I fought to be on the air. I lost that battle, but I won a lot of other battles and honestly, there are no more battles. The audience is going to get the show on a regular basis, but I haven't had that much time off. I've been making it the whole time.

At the end of production for Season 4, did you feel like you needed more time off to recharge? Were you fine with the amount of time off you had, and did it recharge you any way?

Being in that contract dispute was not recharging. Artistic people should not be put through that. I don't have the temperament or the stomach for business at the level, especially when it was so personal. But I got over it because I got to go back to work and I think that it actually was a special kind of recharge for the show, because we all realized that it almost went away and there was a certain amount of gratitude and rebirth for Season 5.

If we had just rolled into the next season [as we usually do], it would have felt like more work. Instead, everybody was like "Oh my God, we got to come back." We had 85 percent of our crew come back to the show. Everyone who works in television production is a freelancer in some way, so the idea that we got the team back together was just this testament to how much we all enjoy working here.

You've said that you want to do seven seasons and then be done. Is that a fixed plan for you or could that change?

You know, if I decide at the last minute to do another season, it won't be for money, but that is the plan. I mean, to ask somebody on mile 18 of a marathon, "Do you want to run 30 miles instead of 26?" Seven seasons feels like the show, but I'm not being a politician or anything like that. That is what I think the end of the show should be. That's what the plan is. If I get there, and a I change my mind, everyone can say I'm an idiot, but right now that's how I feel about it.

I'd imagine it might be more difficult to get the cast back for a theoretical eighth season because all their careers are doing so well.

Yeah, this is their day job, but they also have contracts and stuff. They sign on for it if they want to sign on for it. Is it a thing we have to think about now? I hope not. Jon Hamm and I, our contracts are tied together, so it ends when we both decide when it would end. That's sort of how it is and he takes his cue off of me about how much story is left.

But they don't work as many months of the year as I do on the show, so that's part of the reason why they've been able to do other things. We shoot for an intense five-month period, but we start writing about three months before that, and I do [post-production] about one-and-a-half or two months after that. So I have a 10-month job.

There is never enough time off in between, but knowing that I'm coming back next season and being able to see that on a calendar -- I've never really had that before. When I wrapped Season 4, I said goodbye to the cast and went to that last mix of Episode 413, walked out of that, did the DVD commentary, not having heard a word from the studio or the network about whether or not there would be more show because the pickup wasn't even announced… The [Season 5] pickup wasn't announced until the middle of the [contract] negotiations. So I don’t have that problem [of not knowing about the show's renewal status] anymore ... none of us do. And honestly, as awful as that experience was, it’s been great. [Season 5] was the most fun I've ever had doing the show.

Really?

Yeah. I hope that it hasn't made the work [less interesting]. I was still miserable. You'll see what's on my mind when you see the show. I just was like … you expect a certain amount of security with success, and we had never had it, and we sort of had it this year. I'm serious -- the gratitude, people showing up for the first day of shooting, the actors, people coming into that first table read -- [the season] went so fast. That’s the silver lining, and I feel like [that silver lining] should be there for the future.

I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to write because I had no one to fight with, but I found people to fight with, mostly in my home.

That's always the best place.

That's where they belong.

Check back here for more with Matt Weiner with Part 2 of the interview on Mon., March 20 and the final installment later in the week.

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Meet The New 'Punk'd' Targets

Celebrities beware, "Punk'd" is back on MTV and nothing is off the table. When the show returns on Thurs., March 29, 10 p.m. ET, some of Hollywood's hottest stars will be at the center of some big pranks.

Executive producer Ashton Kutcher is handing over hosting reins to the likes of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus as they pull stunt after stunt on their famous friends. Other celebrity hosts for the new season include Kellan Lutz, Bam Margera, Hayden Panettiere, “Punk’d� alumni Dax Shepard, and Tyler, The Creator, are Nick Cannon, Lucy Hale, Mac Miller and Heather Morris.

The celebrity targets? None other than Dianna Agron, Ron Artest, Lauren Conrad, Zac Efron, Shenae Grimes, Ian Harding, Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Hutcherson, "Jersey Shore's" Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Chloe Moretz, New Boyz, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Darrelle Revis, Emma Roberts, Cody Simpson, Rob Dyrdek, Liam Hemsworth, Khloe Kardashian, Sean Kingston, Demi Lovato, "Teen Wolf's" Tyler Posey, and Taylor Swift.

In addition to the variety of young Hollywood talent at the center of the series, the new season of "Punk'd" will give viewers behind the scenes access to how the elaborate pranks are produced.

Check out the full trailer below.

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