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Tag: Television

  • Why The ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Credits Sequence Doesn’t Feature The Actual Cast

    Have you ever wondered who those people are in the opening credits sequence for Netflix’s Orange is the New Black? They’re certainly not the faces of the cast we’ve become acquainted with while watching the series.

    Perhaps a clever way of laying the groundwork for a sequence that will work for years to come regardless of who might come and go from the show? If you don’t have the actual characters in there, you don’t have to change anything if, say, Laura Prepon leaves.

    In reality, those are real women who have actually been to prison (and one of them is Piper Kerman, the woman who wrote the memoir upon which the show is based).

    Co.Design has an interview with Gary Bryman, executive producer of Thomas Cobb Group, which designed the sequence. Here’s an excerpt:

    “Our initial concept was to create a semi-surreal main title sequence of images from Piper’s point of view that would starkly contrast the hard, cold reality of her new imprisoned life against the imagined luxuries of her previous life.”

    But creator Kohan wanted a title sequence suggesting the show would tell many incarcerated women’s stories, not just Piper’s. TCG’s solution was to photograph a full range of real women who had been in prison–from a most intimate, up-close, not typically TV-ready perspective, moles and all.

    This is quite in line with the format of the series. While Piper (Chapman, on the show) is certainly a central character, OITNB is about many other people, and often explores the backstories of other characters. In fact, the characters are so well developed (and surely will continue to be as the show continues), it could probably go on as an entertaining series even without Piper’s character. That’s not an insult to Piper (either the real one or Taylor Schilling, who plays Chapman), but a testament to the show’s cast. That’s why even if Laura Prepon leaves the show, it will be just fine without her.

    We already know that some characters are getting expanded roles in the second season, and at least one new character is being added. There will be no shortage of potential storylines to explore regardless of who leaves the show. It’s about people in a prison. There are always other faces and personalities, and that’s what makes the credits sequence work so well without any actual cast members.

    The Regina Spektor song doesn’t hurt either.

  • What People Who Don’t Like ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Say About It

    If you’re searching for Orange is the New Black reviews online, chances are you’re seeing mostly positive ones. Critics have been very kind to the show, and in my personal view, that’s with good reason. It’s really good.

    Obviously, not everyone agrees.

    If you want to get an idea of what Netflix subscribers think, where better to look for reviews than on Netflix itself? Netflix is happy to provide reviews – positive and negative – right from its Orange is the New Black webpage. Currently, there are over 3,000 of them for the show. Many of them are five-stars or otherwise positive, but the negatives aren’t too hard to find. I didn’t go through all 309 pages of reviews, but from what I can tell, the reviews still seem mostly positive.

    So what do people who actually don’t like this show say about it? Here are a few samples from user reviews:

    The acting is good, the story is even interesting. The problem, this show portrays Christians as dumb or white trash. I watched every episode wondering if there would be one single positive thing said or acted about Christianity. This show, and the production of it in general, is so liberal left that straight men are generally portrayed in a negative image as well, with maybe one exception. How nice of them. If you are gay or far left in your viewpoint, this show will get 5 stars. If you are conservative and lean towards the right…don’t waste your time. The elite (in their minds) left have made it a point to insult your belief throughout the series.

    …

    All I know about this stupid film? series? Is that it comes up for ALMOST EVERY SEARCH I DO ON NETFLIX and is constantly on the front page. For this reason alone, I will never, ever watch it. I don’t like having content shoved down my throat. Seriously, the searches I’m doing HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SHOW, KEYWORDS, TITLE, ETC I know that much. So, no.

    …

    X_x SO MUCH NUDITY. I feel raped. I shut it off in the first two minutes because of how much nudity I was shown.

    …

    This show commodifies lesbianism in the worst, most misogynistic ways– by using it as an “edgy” selling point to tip the show from drama to soap opera. It’s full of hackneyed tropes: until I leave all girls school lesbian (Lorna), fat butch lesbian (Big Boo), desirable waifish femme lesbian (Mercy, Lorna), couture European lesbian (Alex), the Stud (Nicky, Big Boo), and of course, Piper the hasbian who I guess just can’t be a bisexual because she fell in monogamous love with a man. (Even though who she’s with has NOTHING to do with whether she’s bisexual, but there’s the myth of the “hasbian” for you). As with the characters of color, these demographic tropes play a huge role in presumed pre-developed characters that settle into the issued stereotypes like a foundation, rather than defying them. Piper’s “former gayness” authenticates queerness for the straight population in the same way her whiteness does w/regard to POC criminalization. Piper is less of an “other” in mainstream America’s eyes & the show admits it, but then plays on it. The show commodifies POCs and queers and, it commodifies them in the SAME way, with the voyeuristic titillating spectacle of “lesbian sex” and hype of “black and latino violence”. With less packaging, you could see the same thing on “bum fights” or “girls gone wild”, both filmed and perpetuated for the entertainment of privileged, ignorant, straight white men. The show doesn’t really even attempt a simple role reversal where racial minorities are represented as queer and the white inmates are represented as violent– it’d still be a token effort, but nope, not even that. I watched this series trying to reconcile it, trying to decide whether I liked it or not because hey, a queer, woman and POC dominated cast, but in the end I realize that it’s *about* us, not *for* us. ~Bridget

    …

    While the acting was excellent, and the storyline almost anticipated by this viewer, I found that the foul language was way overdone.

    …

    This show is vile and disgusting. If you have children for the love of God do not let them watch this show. Its sad to think that this is the best that Netflix can come up with when you think about how boring and stupid their other show was about that ex gangster in the Norway or whatever. Hey Netflix, here is an idea… instead of trying to make your own crappy shows, why don’t you try and stay updated with new shows and movies that come out and make your money that way? People would be much happier and you wouldn’t waste all your money on washed up actors that no one will ever look past american pie or that 70’s show to see on film.

    …

    This whole show is unbearable, I wanted to give the Netflix Original Series a chance, but all the characters were fake and exaggerated. I love Weeds, Arrested Development, and so many other shows that have a similar sense of humor, but this is poorly done.

    …

    Managed to watch the first 5 episodes. Realized I didn’t really care what happened to any of the characters and reached a level of boredom that it became a chore to watch. Expected something better from Netflix.

    …

    I love how many people gave this such high reviews when the whole series was so full of cliche and make believe. I mean the drug pushing jailor with a mustache….really? It wasn’t so bad up until the end. Here’s hoping there is another season, otherwise, we’ll all be really lost as to what happened. I also love how completely racist this show is, which isn’t mentioned much either.

    …

    This show is an abhorrent example of religious bigotry. As a person who has christian friends and family, I find the mischaracterizations portrayed in this show deeply offensive. Netflix should be ashamed of producing a show with so many false and degrading negative stereotypes. In the show 1 of the primary antagonists is a “devout” christian. Throughout the series she is the sounding board for the protagonists anti christian rants. Christians are portrayed as stupid, unthinking drones, who support the murderer of an abortion clinic employee in a cultist fashion. The person who wrote this utter crap has obviously never looked at people of faith in any sort of positive light, and has no objectivity to even begin to effectively portray a christian.

    …

    This could have been a great show, I enjoyed it for a little while but due to extremely graphic gay sex I had to stop. Too bad too because they had a good cast and a good concept but the story got boring pretty fast and the show got a little too disgusting and vulgar.

    Season 2 is currently in production as Netflix renewed it even before it debuted.

  • Apparently ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Pennsatucky T-Shirts Are A Growing Trend

    T-shirts inspired by Taryn Manning’s character Pennsatucky on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black appear to be a growing trend.

    Last week, Manning shared her enthusiasm for her new shirt, which shows Pennsatucky holding a lamb in a Jesus Christ-like image:

    Now, we see Society6 seller Zharaoh is selling shirts (along with iPhone cases, throw pillows and other items) with a Pennsatucky license plate image:

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    A Skreened seller is also offering a “Tucky” shirt (in an appropriate orange color):

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    I’m guessing there are more out there, and more to come.

  • Orange Is The New Black Cast Members Twerk On Season 2 Set

    While Laura Prepon is not one of them, a few members of the Orange is the New Black cast have been “Twerkin’ on the set” of the second season, which is currently in production.

    Danielle Brooks, who recently got promoted to series regular, along with Uzo Aduba and Taryn Manning, shared this on Instagram, saying:

    This is how the ladies of Orange Twerk on the Set of @oitnb #oitnb #ghettodorms #twerkin

    Crazy Eyes doesn’t appear to be amused.

    The second season began filming last month, and is due out in 2014.

  • Netflix Posts New ‘Hemlock Grove’ Q&A Video

    Netflix has posted a new Hemlock Grove fan Q&A video to its YouTube channel in which various cast members answer fan-submitted questions from Facebook and Twitter.

    Answers come from Bill Skarsgard, Penelope Mitchell, Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott, Freya Tingley, and Landon Liboiron.

    Netflix announced that it had renewed Hemlock Grove for a second season back in June. Production designer Drew Boughton told us a couple weeks ago that filming hadn’t begun yet, but that they were starting to set up production for the upcoming season. Netflix added that they had not yet started production.

    The first season has earned a couple of Emmy nominations, contributing to the total of fourteen nominations Netflix shows received (nine for House of Cards and three for Arrested Development).

    More Hemlock Grove fun here.

  • Laura Prepon’s Departure From ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Looking More Likely

    It’s still not totally clear what’s going on with Laura Prepon and her role on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black. Last week, rumors began to spread that she would be leaving the show. Now, other pieces of information have come out.

    UPDATE: Here’s what co-star Taryn Manning had to say about the situation.

    The rumor first began when BuzzFeed reported that she would be leaving after returning to resolve her storyline in a limited number of episodes in the second season, but would have the option of returning later. Netflix, meanwhile, said that the rumors of her leaving were “inaccurate,” but that the “season is still developing and nothing is confirmed.”

    After remaining silent on Twitter for the majority of the month, Prepon finally tweeted this:

    Orange is the New Black is currently filming in New York at Kauffman Astoria Studios (just a floor below where they shoot Sesame Street). However, we already knew that she was supposed to return for a limited number of episodes, so that’s not really all that reassuring.

    Vulture flat out asked Prepon of she was returning, and she said, “Yeah, of course. It’s just scheduling. It’s all scheduling, girl.”

    That was before the BuzzFeed report, however, and again, it could just mean that she’s returning for those few episodes to wrap her story up.

    In fact, it’s looking more and more like BuzzFeed’s report is accurate. TV Guide has since reported that “a source close to the show” confirms that her character’s story is wet to wrap up early in Season 2. From TV guide’s Friday report:

    According to the insider, Prepon hasn’t been on set since production began on the second season weeks ago, and when she does return, it won’t be for long. The Season 2 premiere, which will be shot later this year, will “[wrap] up Laura’s stuff and [resolve] the cliff-hanger” from the Season 1 finale, the source explains.

    The reasons behind Prepon’s departure are still unclear, and the actress has not commented on the situation. But to say her exit is surprising is an understatement, given the show’s immense buzz and the fact that Prepon told TVGuide.com just last week that she felt there was “a lot of story line left to explore” for her character. Neither Netflix nor reps for Prepon have responded to e-mails about the report.

    Speculation about how they’re going to “wrap up” her story is running rampant, as you would expect. Possibilities being discussed include Prepon’s character getting killed off or getting out of jail. Her reported option to return would seemingly point more toward the latter, but you never know. There’s always dream sequences and flashbacks. If her storyline is really going to be wrapped up in the first episode of the second season, that doesn’t leave a lot of time for her to get released from prison, unless a great deal of time passes between seasons.

    Prepon’s Alex character has been a major part of the show so far, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as good or even better without her. Shows have survived the deaths of main characters and flourished. Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire fans know what I’m talking about. While Prepon’s presence on OITNB has been appreciated by many, the show will be just fine without her. It has too many other great characters not to be (some of which are getting expanded roles).

    If you find yourself jonesing for more Prepon, and you’ve already been through all of That 70s show, might I suggest checking out Lighting Bug?

    Image: Laura Prepon (Instagram)

  • Laura Prepon Remains Silent On ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Status

    It’s now been two days since news (or at least rumors) about Laura Prepon leaving Netflix’s Orange is the New Black came out, and the actress has yet to acknowledge the situation publicly.

    The whole thing started on Wednesday, when BuzzFeed wrote an article: “Laura Prepon is Leaving ‘Orange Is The New Black’ (For Now, At Least).”

    The report indicated that she would only be back for a limited number of episodes in the forthcoming season to resolve her story, and that the door would be left open for her to return in the future. It said she didn’t sign a contract tying her to the show for the upcoming season. The report cited “sources close to the show.”

    Following the BuzzFeed report, various news outlets like The Huffington Post and The Hollywood Reporter got a canned statement from Netflix:

    “Our season is still developing and nothing is confirmed.”

    According to HuffPost, Netflix indicated that rumors about Prepon leaving are “not accurate”.

    As far as we can tell, the whole thing is simply still up in the air, which is probably why Prepon and her representation have remained silent on the matter. No statements on her end. After regularly tweeting about the show, Prepon’s Twitter account has been quiet since August 1st.

    Perhaps negotiations will keep her around for more, or maybe the show is simply going in a different direction. We do know that we’ll be seeing expanded stories from some of the other characters, given that actresses Danielle Brooks, Taryn Manning and Uzo Aduba have all been promoted to series regulars. The show has also picked up at least one new cast member with the addition of Lorraine Toussaint.

    Either way, OITNB’s second season began filming last month. Netflix renewed it even before the first season premiered, and the next chapter is due out on an unspecified date in 2014.

    While OITNB came out a little too late to get any Emmy attention this year (Netflix shows have accumulated 14 nominations), it will almost certainly be in the race next year, if buzz and critical acclaim are any indication.

    Prepon, by the way, was the most searched-for cast member (at least on Bing), even before news of her possible departure came out.

    On a sadder note, Prepon’s former That 70s Show co-star Lisa Robin Kelly was found dead this week.

    Image: Laura Prepon (Instagram)

  • Here’s The New Stuff You’re About To See On Netflix

    Netflix is a revolving door of movie and television content, particularly on the streaming side of things. Though titles often disappear from availability, new ones are also frequently added. Sometimes these come in the form of Netflix original shows or even exclusive access to certain programming, but sometimes it’s just older titles that many find to be still worth watching.

    Content is added to Netflix streaming each week, and it can be difficult to keep up with what’s available all the time. With that, here’s a look at some new additions.

    Note: This is for the U.S.

    The past week has seen a bunch of new TV content and and some more movies hit Netflix streaming. On Thursday, Netflix announced the availability of all episodes of Goosebumps and The Magic Bus.

    In the coming week, we’re going to be seeing even more TV shows, stand-up comedy performances, some interesting documentaries, and more movies. Here’s a look at some of the titles you’ll soon be able to stream.

    Available on Saturday 8/17:

    High Tech, Low Life (2012)

    Shihe Zhang, Shuguang Zhou

    Meet Tiger and Zola, two “citizen reporters” who travel China chasing the big news stories as it’s never been done before. Outfitted with 21st-century technology, the two face censorship and even imprisonment in their pursuit of the truth.

    Miss Gulag (2007)

    At a Siberian women’s prison known as UF-91/9, inmates vie every year for the beauty pageant title of Miss Spring. Focusing on three entrants, this captivating documentary looks at a new generation of women coming of age in post-Soviet Russia.

    Wilfred: Season 2 (2012)

    Adapted from the Australian TV series, this unconventional comedy follows the surreal experiences of Ryan, a deeply depressed man who becomes convinced that his neighbor’s dog Wilfred is actually a man wearing a costume.

    Available 8/19:

    Ghost Hunt: Season 1 (2006)

    In season one of this supernatural anime series, high school freshman Mai Taniyama discovers that she has psychic abilities, prompting her to join the Shibuya Psychic Research team, whose mission is to obliterate evil from the earth. With some help from a spirit medium, an exorcist, a shrine maiden and a monk — along with the latest in psychic technologies — Mai learns how to access the mysteries of the spirit realm.

    Love/Hate: Seasons 1-3 (2010-2012)

    LOVE/HATE is a gritty crime drama based on Dublin’s criminal underworld. It depicts the drug addiction, squalor and violence of organized crime that has grown in post-boom Ireland. Catastrophic events ignite tension among the drug gang, and family, friends and the community must live with the consequences.

    Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011)

    Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Rowan Blanchard, Mason Cook, Jeremy Piven, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Danny Trejo

    Former Spy Kids Carmen and Juni Cortez return as teenagers to help 10-year-old twin siblings Rebecca and Cecil Wilson save the world with their stepmother, a retired secret agent who’s been called back into service to stop a conniving smuggler.

    Available 8/20:

    This Is Martin Bonner (2013)

    Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet, Demetrius Grosse, Kristin Slaysman

    Eschewing his old East Coast life, Martin Bonner moves to Nevada and goes to work for a program that prepares prisoners for life on the outside. But when he meets ex-convict Travis Holloway, they forge a bond that surprises them both.

    Highland Park (2013)

    Billy Burke, Danny Glover, Parker Posey, Rockmond Dunbar, Kimberly Elise, John Carroll Lynch, Eric Ladin, Michelle Forbes, Deborah Ann Woll, Bo Derek, Bob Gunton

    HIGHLAND PARK follows a group of high school faculty members and their desire to improve their community. Confronted with overwhelming problems and limited resources, their lives and priorities change when money seemingly falls into their lap.

    Miss Representation (2011)

    Explore how the media’s often disparaging portrayals of women contribute to the under-representation of females in positions of power, creating another generation of women defined by beauty and sexuality, and not by their capacity as leaders.

    Serving Life (2011)

    Forest Whitaker

    Filmed in a notorious Louisiana prison, this moving documentary chronicles the work of some inmates who find a sense of redemption for their past crimes by volunteering in the jail’s hospice, offering compassion to other prisoners as they die.

    Available: 8/21

    A Haunted House (2013)

    Marlon Wayans, Essence Atkins, Cedric the Entertainer, Nick Swardson, David Koechner, Alanna Ubach, Dave Sheridan, Liana Mendoza, Affion Crockett, Jamie Noel

    In this spoof of horror films like Paranormal Activity, Marlon Wayans stars as an immature guy who’s frightened when he learns the girlfriend who just moved in with him has been possessed by a demonic spirit.

    Available: 8/22

    CSI: NY: Season 9 (Seasons 1-8 already available)

    Science in the service of crime fighting comes to the Big Apple in the second spinoff of the “CSI” franchise. Gary Sinise stars as workaholic detective Mac Taylor, who guides an elite squad of forensics investigators determined to nab the criminals.

    Available 8/23:

    Doug Stanhope: Beer Hall Putsch (2013)

    Doug Stanhope’s new hour-long stand-up special filmed at Oregon’s legendary club Dante’s on Thursday, April 4th, 2013.

    Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend (2013)

    In Mike Birbiglia’s My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, Mike shares a lifetime of romantic blunders and miscues that most adults would spend a lifetime trying to forget. On this painfully honest journey, Birbiglia struggles to find reason in an area where it may be impossible to find — love.

    Dredd (2012)

    Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Wood Harris, Langley Kirkwood, Junior Singo, Luke Tyler, Jason Cope, Domhnall Gleeson, Warrick Grier

    In the future, catastrophic wars have transformed Earth into a barren wasteland with the remaining population crowded into megacities, where all-powerful cops — including the ultraviolent Judge Dredd — are on the hunt for drug-dealing terrorists.

    Other titles that recently became available include: Fairy Tale: Season 1, My Strange Addiction: Season 3, Eve of Destruction, Haven, Revolution: Season 1, Solomon Kane, Immortalized, and See Girl Run. More here.

  • New Episodes Of Netflix’s ‘Mako Mermaids’ Get A Release Date

    Less than a month ago, the latest Netflix original, Mako Mermaids, debuted. It hasn’t received anywhere near the attention the company’s previous originals have, but that’s probably because it’s more a kids show. Nevertheless, it seems to have found its audience.

    As with Arrested Development, Netflix has the luxury of building upon an existing audience with Mako Mermaids. The show is a spin-off of the popular Australian show H20: Just Add Water.

    That audience will be happy to know that more episodes will be available very soon. We’ve known that more episodes would be coming in September, but Netflix has now announced that another thirteen episodes will debut on September 15th.

    Mako Mermaids11 hours ago

    Netflix have announced that MAKO MERMAIDS eps 14 – 26 will be available from September 15.

    Powered by socialditto  372 likes ·  56 comments

    Titles for the forthcoming episodes are: Battlelines, Sirena’s Secret, Truce, Moon Ring 2, The Trident Job, Where’s the On Button?, Nowhere to Hide, Aquata Returns, Evie Times Two, Zac’s Choice and Trust.

    As far as kids content goes, Netflix also announced on Thursday that all episodes of Goosebumps and The Magic School Bus are now available in the U.S.

    While not for kids, September will also see the Ricky Gervais dramedy Derek hitting Netflix in the U.S. as a streaming exclusive.

  • Lisa Robin Kelly Dies: “That ’70s Show” Star Was 43

    Lisa Robin Kelly, the actress who played Laurie on “That ’70s Show”, was found dead in a California rehab facility on Wednesday night. She was 43 years old.

    Kelly has had a troubled past pretty much since she’s been in the acting world; she left “That ’70s Show” for a while–her character written off to go to beauty school–because of a drinking problem, then found herself in headlines several times for various arrests on drug and domestic abuse charges.

    Kelly’s most recent arrest came in June, when she was cited for driving under the influence after an officer spotted her car stalled on the side of the road. She was taken into custody and later released on $5,000 bail.

    Kelly’s agent told TMZ that she had only recently entered the rehab program to get help for her alcoholism.

    “She had been fighting demons for a while and finally lost her battle,” he said.

    The cause of her death hasn’t been released yet, but sources say she went into cardiac arrest in her sleep on Wednesday night.

  • IPTV Growing as Cable, Satellite Begin to Fade

    IPTV Growing as Cable, Satellite Begin to Fade

    Last month it was revealed that the number of cable subscribers in the U.S. is dropping. In addition, the percentage of U.S. households that exclusively watch over-the-air TV programming is down to only 7%. These statistics suggest that the internet, and TV programming over the internet are becoming more popular than ever.

    Market analyst firm IHS this week released research showing that IPTV is now growing. IPTV plans, which include Verizon’s FiOS and AT&T’s Uverse, gained 398,000 subscribers during the second quarter of 2013. This is close to the number of subscribers pay-TV (cable, satellite, and IPTV) providers lost during the same quarter – 352,000. IHS predicts that this year will be the first that pay-TV subscriptions show an overall decline, down to 100.77 million subscribers from last year’s 100.89. IPTV now has 11% of the total pay-TV market share.

    “Of the three segments in the U.S. pay-TV market, the IPTV sector is enjoying growth, especially in urban areas where it is luring subscribers away from satellite,” said Erik Brannon, U.S. television analyst at IHS. “In particular, satellite’s lack of a true high-speed Internet service or a triple-play bundling option puts it at a disadvantage when competing against IPTV and cable. Cable, meanwhile, has its own problems, including disagreements between operators and content providers over rising programming costs that squeeze customers in the middle.”

    The causes for the shift away from pay-TV cited by IHS are the same ones discussed by other analysts and industry watchers. People cutting out cable (or young people who never sign up for cable) in favor on internet access to Netflix, Hulu, and other services will play a larger role in the future decline of pay-TV. In addition, the current high price of pay-TV services.

  • Orange Is The New Black’s Taryn Manning Is Grateful For Her New Christ-Like Pennsatucky T-Shirt

    Tayrn Manning, who plays the role of Pennsatucky on Netflix’s hit show Orange is the New Black, like many other cast members, appears to be enjoying the spotlight as fans continue to express their appreciation of the show and its characters in interesting ways.

    Someone has expressed their love for Pennsatucky by taking the famous image of Jesus Christ holding a lamb, and putting Manning’s character in the Christ role. Manning shared it on Instagram, expressing her gratitude for whoever gave it to her. Now some fans want one too.

    If you watch the show, you shouldn’t have a hard time understanding why this exists. Pennsatucky is something of a Christian leader (albeit a violent one) in the show’s prison.

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    Orange is the New Black38 days ago

    Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett: former meth head and current miracle worker. http://youtu.be/nryWkAaWjKg #OITNB #Netflix

    Powered by socialditto(image)  398 likes ·  146 comments

    Fans can expect to see plenty more of her in the forthcoming second season, as Manning was recently promoted to a series regular.

  • New Downton Abbey Season 4 Photos Released

    ITV has released eight new photos from the forthcoming and much-anticipated fourth series of Downton Abbey. It will debut in the U.K. next month, and then here in the U.S. in January.

    That leaves you plenty of time to get caught up on past seasons. Just don’t expect to do so on Netflix, as Amazon has grabbed the exclusive streaming rights. Netflix subscribers do always have the DVD option, however (at least for now).

    Just don’t forget to grab your tissues.

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    Downton Abbey4 hours ago

    Dear Lords and Ladies, we are delighted to present the new generation at Downton Abbey… See more photos from the forthcoming Series 4 here: http://itv.co/1cxxpe5

    Powered by socialditto(image)  1,000+ likes ·  1,000+ comments

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    [ITV]

  • Watch The ‘Breaking Bad’ Premiere Online For Free, Courtesy Of AMC

    When AMC has a widely-anticipated season premiere of one of its shows, it usually likes to hook people who don’t have cable or satellite up with the episode for free on its website. They’re cool like that.

    On Sunday, perhaps one of the most highly-anticipated final season premieres in television history aired when Breaking Bad began its final countdown. Once again, AMC is giving fans access to the show for free on AMC.com for a limited time, though it’s not clear just how long that is.

    AMC writes on its blog, “Breaking Bad is back and Sunday’s Premiere of the Final 8 Episodes set the stage for an epic showdown between Walt and Hank. If you missed the show, AMC.com is now streaming the full episode for free. This is a one-time-only event and will not be happening with future episodes in the series. Watch it for the first time. Watch it again. Just do so quickly.”

    When they did this with the Walking Dead midseason premiere in February, they left it up for a week, so it stands to reason they’ll do so again. But just to be safe, you might not want to wait that long.

    Here’s the link.

    The episode is also available to buy on Amazon and iTunes. Of course if you live in the UK, you can watch it on Netflix.

    More Breaking Bad fun here.

  • ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2 Is Filming One Floor Below Sesame Street

    Filming began for Orange is the New Black: Season 2 two weeks ago. What you may not have known, however, is that the show is filming just one floor below Sesame Street at Kauffman Astoria Studios in Queens.

    Interestingly enough, Sesame Street is starting to deal with the subject of prison. Earlier this summer, Sesame Street introduced a muppet named Alex, who has a parent in jail.

    As far as we know, there is no connection between the filming of OITNB at this location and the introduction of this particular muppet to Sesame Street, but coincidentally, both are aimed at spreading awareness of prison-related issues.

    While OITNB author Piper Kerman has been rigorously advocating for improvements to the justice system, Sesame Street skits featuring Alex are part of an online set of resources for those looking to help children deal with loved ones who are incarcerated.

    Given the serious nature of the prison system and Sesame Street’s new character, I don’t expect we’ll be seeing any Sesame Street Orange is the New Black parodies like the new Sons of Anarchy one anytime soon.

    Other notable titles to have been filmed at Kauffman Astoria Studios include: The Warriors, The Cosby Show, Glengarry/Glen Ross, MTV Unplugged, Carlito’s Way and Nurse Jackie, among many others. In fact, OITNB is said to be shot on the same soundstage as The Cosby Show.

    Orange is the New Black: Season 2 is due out in 2014. Sesame Street’s new season (featuring the SoA bit) will debut September 16th.

    [h/t: Glamour]

  • The “BREAKING BAD” House: Who Really LIVES There?

    AMC’s “Breaking Bad” is in its final season. Many are left with questions. Not about chemistry teacher turned drug dealer, Walter White either. Some want to know about the house where much of the storyline occurred. Who actually lives there in the “White House?”

    Well, it seems one Albuquerque resident, “Fran,” says she’s owned the house since the early 1970s. She said she was very skeptical when the show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, knocked on her door and asked if she wanted her house to appear in an upcoming TV series. She said she replied in much the same manner as any homeowner might.

    “I asked him if he wanted to buy a Brooklyn bridge, too,” she said. “

    Gilligan assured her that his request was, in fact, genuine and supplied her with several references from the Santa Fe Film Commission to put New Mexico homeowner’s mind at ease.

    “No, this is quite real,” he said.

    According to Fran, the show’s production crew took a bit of “license” when it came to the house’s interior. She says they built a replica for the studio soundstage, but they purposefully wrote in many dynamic scenes into the script that center on one of the actual features of the home.

    “The pool is ours,” she said. “Vince Gilligan wanted to cover it up, but the production designer said ‘No way.’”
    http://youtu.be/HJWOgKu_oJM

    Since the first show aired, Fran says she’s been inundated with visitors. She said for the most part, everyone has been very kind and respectful of her property. She also said they come by the busload.

    “They’ve been coming from the beginning,” she said. “We had a tour group from Russia just this weekend.”

    The final season of long-time running show has generated more interest in the house. Last month, Fran says she saw more than 400 cars parked outside her home.

    It’s been getting a little crazy lately,” she said. “But it’s been a hell of an experience.”

  • Amazon Options New Sci-Fi Thriller “Orbit”

    Amazon Options New Sci-Fi Thriller “Orbit”

    Aliens are coming to Earth. The fate of the world depends on a small band of people who must fight the battle of their lives. At least, that’s what the first draft says anyway.

    Amazon has optioned a new science-fiction thriller about an alien invasion called “Orbit.” Bruce Guido, the project’s writer, says he’s now working on the first draft. He reports his efforts are simply a labor of “love.”

    “Orbit emerged out my love for the alien invasion genre, a genre which I have adored my entire life. When it comes to what may happen if aliens wander into our neighborhood, the possibilities are infinite.”

    Guido says his new project centers around a band of workers orbiting the Earth. From a distance, the group witnesses as aliens try to take over the world by force. Powerless and afraid, the salvage crew must figure out how to intercede in time before all is lost. He says what makes his sci-fi story a little different from the more run-of-the-mill features is all a matter of perspective.

    “As I was looking at a photo of Earth, sitting lonely against a sea of black, it just hit me — what if the story was told outside of Earth? … What if we experienced worldwide destruction from the point of view of characters that are isolated, watching from the outside? What would it be like to see our home, our loved ones, everyone we’ve ever known, annihilated from a distance with us powerless to stop it?”

    Guido has had a bit of prior success with his unique vision before. “Third Shift,” a story about a depressed vampire, who works at a convenience store, won him honorable mention at the 2010 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival. Amazon says they anticipate great things from the up-and-coming filmmaker.

    “While it’s a contained story involving only a handful of characters, the scope and stakes of the movie are enormous. This is a movie about the end of the world, but it’s played out entirely with a cast of six people.”

  • ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Is Being Searched For More Than All Other Netflix Shows Combined [Bing]

    Last month, we looked at some search data from Yahoo about Netflix’s original shows. Orange is the New Black was quickly generating more search buzz than even Netflix’s Emmy-nominated shows House of Cards and Arrested Development.

    Now, Microsoft has shared some information with us about how Netflix’s shows have been comparing with one another in terms of search volume on Bing. Unsurprisingly, Orange is the New Black is being searched a lot more than the others over there as well.

    Orange is the new Black has been the most searched Netflix show of the entire summer, followed by House of Cards, then Arrested Development, according to Bing. In fact, Orange is the New Black has been searched for more than all other Netflix shows combined.

    The rank in search volume on Bing for Netflix shows has been like this:

    1. Orange is the New Black
    2. House of Cards
    3. Arrested Development
    4. Hemlock Grove
    5. Lillyhammer

    Orange is the New Black does have the advantage of being released more recently than the others, but the rest of the list doesn’t really indicate that recency of debut is playing much of a role, other than the fact that Lilyhammer is fifth. It was, of course, the earliest Netflix original. It’s unclear where Mako Mermaids factors into this. Out of the six, it is actually the newest, but hasn’t received nearly the publicity of the rest.

    House of Cards has been out since the beginning of February, and it managed to take the number two spot. The fact that it is up for nine Emmys probably has something to do with it. Arrested Development and Hemlock Grove are also nominated in various categories.

    Lilyhammer is the closest to having a second season available to watch. It’s due out sometime this year, while second seasons of OITNB, House of Cards and Hemlock Grove are all due out next year. Arrested Development is still up in the air, but it’s looking like a movie might be more likely than a fifth season.

    “Laura Prepon was the most search for OITNB cast member, even ahead of series lead actress Taylor Schilling,” a Bing spokesperson says.

    Orange is the New Black1 day ago

    You learn something new everyday… #SwollenFeet #OITNB

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    “Natasha Lyonne was searched for more than her American Pie co-star Jason Biggs,” he adds.

    Both, of course, are in Orange is the New Black.

    The top-searched OITNB cast members on Bing have been:

    1. Laura Prepon
    2. Taylor Schilling
    3. Natasha Lyonne
    4. Kate Mulgrew
    5. Jason Biggs

    “Kata Mara was searched more than any other House of Cards cast member, including Kevin Spacey,” the spokesperson notes.

    The top-searched HoC cast members on Bing have been:

    1. Kate Mara
    2. Kevin Spacey
    3. Robin Wright
    4. Corey Stoll
    5. Kristen Connolly

    “Also, people like Kevin Spacey, Jason Biggs, Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Robin Wright, Kate Mulgrew, and Natasha Lyonne show up in Snapshot in Bing,” the spokesperson adds.

    Bing recently started adding more info about celebrities in its autosuggest feature as well.

  • Orange Is The New Black Season 2 Will Have A Lot More ‘Crazy Eyes’ As Uzo Aduba Scores Larger Role

    More cast news for Orange is the New Black’s second season has surfaced as Uzo Aduba has has reportedly had her role boosted.

    Deadline reports that Aduba has been made a series regular for Season 2. It’s her first regular part.

    Aduba plays Suzanne Warren, more commonly known as Crazy Eyes. As the first season debuted, she quickly established herself as one of the fan favorites, and has even been the subject of some interesting tributes.

    MILD SPOILER ALERT: Toward the end of the first season, we started to see a different side of Crazy Eyes, so it seems likely that this will be greatly expanded upon in the forthcoming season.

    The news follows earlier reports that Danielle Brooks, who plays Taystee and Taryn Manning, who plays Pennsatucky have also been promoted to regulars. The show has also added a cast member, picking up Lorraine Toussaint, who will play a character named Vee.

    There should also be more ‘Pornstache’ in Season 2, though actor Pablo Schreiber will apparently not be a series regular.

    Filming of the new season began early last week. Here’s a pic of Aduba from the set:

    Season 2 is scheduled to debut in 2014. No date has been set.

  • Netflix Is Getting A Bunch Of New TV Content (And Some More Movies) Next Week

    Netflix is a revolving door of movie and television content, particularly on the streaming side of things. Though titles often disappear from availability, new ones are also frequently added. Sometimes these come in the form of Netflix original shows or even exclusive access to certain programming, but sometimes it’s just older titles that many find to be still worth watching.

    Content is added to Netflix streaming each week, and it can be difficult to keep up with what’s available all the time. With that, here’s a look at some new additions.

    Note: This is for the U.S.

    In case you missed it last week, the first half of the final season of Breaking Bad went up on Netflix. You have until Sunday to get caught up.

    Starting Monday, 8/12, the following will be available for streaming.

    Fairy Tail: Season 1 (2009)

    Lucy, a 17 year old girl, sets out on journey to become a full-fledged wizard and joins the strongest and most(in)famous guild FAIRY TAIL where she meets Natsu, Happy, Gray and Erza, who treat her more like family than friends. This epic series takes us through all the dangers that the members of fairy tail face and eventually overcome through mutual love and friendship.

    My Strange Addiction: Season 3 (2012)

    This documentary series tells the compelling stories of individuals who are battling unusual obsessive behaviors, following them as they reveal their addictions to friends and family and meet with psychological experts to understand their condition.

    Available on 8/14:

    Eve of Destruction: Episodes 1-2 (2012)

    Scientists drill a hole in the universe to harvest a limitless pool of “dark energy,” but the experiment goes horribly wrong and wipes an entire city off the map. Now, their effort to save the world becomes the ultimate threat that could destroy it.

    Revolution: Season 1 (2012)

    Fifteen years after electricity stopped working and the world was sent back into the dark ages — with small agrarian communities of families working together — three companions go on a quest to uncover the truth about the mysterious blackout.

    Solomon Kane (2009)

    James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Pete Postlethwaite, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Alice Krige, Mackenzie Crook, Patrick Hurd-Wood, Jason Flemyng

    A once-murderous sea captain — Solomon Kane — is holed up in a monastery in retreat from the devil, whom he fears is coming for his soul. Kane soon learns, however, that the path to redemption lies in defending those who are weak.

    Available on 8/15:

    Birdmen: The Original Dream of Flight (2012)

    These are the men and women who fly like birds. Matt, Ellen and Mike are wingsuit B.A.S.E. jumpers, taking part in the ultimate extreme sport which allows human beings to fly. Birdmen captures their experiences in stunning aerial camera work to bring us as close as possible to the sensation of human flight.

    Immortalized: Season 1 (2013)

    AMC’s unscripted series brings viewers into the captivating and provocative world of creative and competitive taxidermy. Immortalized explores the passionate detail and artistic expression that goes into creating this compelling art.

    Oggy and The Cockroaches (1998)

    Affable, judicious cat Oggy loves to snooze peacefully in front of the tube. But a trio of vexatious cockroaches — Joey, Marky and DeeDee — soon put an end to Oggy’s sedentary life, bedeviling him incessantly. His life is further disturbed by his cousin Jack, who’s determined to get rid of the intruders once and for all … no matter what the consequences.

    Rita: Season 1 (2012)

    Rita tells the story of a private school teacher struggling to deal with the complexities of her job, demanding parents of her students and her own three teenage children at home.

    See Girl Run (2012)

    Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Josh Hamilton, Marylouise Burke, Aubrey Dollar, Larry Pine

    Fleeing a stale marriage, New Yorker Emmie returns home and hooks up with old flame Scott, a cartoonist who’s settled for mediocrity. Amid the promise of new romance, they discover that the years apart have changed them forever.

    Other titles that have recently become available include: It’s a Disaster, Erased, Sadako, Arbitrage, and Burn Notice Season 6. See this article for a bigger list.

    Image: My Strange Addiction Season 3 (TLC)

  • ‘Arrested Development’ Movie (Before Season 5) Appears To Be Creator’s Real Goal

    Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz really wants to move forward with a movie. That is becoming clearer and clearer with each interview the man gives.

    Netflix appears to want to move forward with more Arrested Development regardless of what format it takes, and Hurwitz has indicated that he wants to do a movie next on more than one occasion.

    He spoke with Empire for about a half hour on a podcast indicating that everyone (himself, the cast and Netflix) want to do a movie, but Fox, which still owns the property it cancelled years ago, is holding it up. Hurwitz is hoping Fox can be convinced to let it get moving.

    Arrested Development movie rumors are nothing new. They have been coming and going for years, since way before Netflix ever picked the show up. Hurwitz spoke with The Guardian about his old plans for the movie:

    Speaking of working within constraints, you had to work with each actor separately as their schedules were so packed. In an ideal world, how would you have preferred to do the fourth series?

    I actually would have preferred to do the movie. What happened was, by the time I sat down to do the movie, a lot of years had passed and I had a lot of story and so I sat down with Ron Howard. But we could barely get anyone to let us do this movie, it was very hard to get anyone interested in it. The prevailing belief was, the show was cancelled, why would you do a movie? But I had this anecdotal evidence that people were watching the show, but it was totally anecdotal – and of course I’d think people were watching the show.

    Even Ron Howard couldn’t get someone to greenlight a movie?

    You’d think, but that’s the movie business. So we sat down and he said: “OK, what are you thinking?” And I said: “It needs to be a trilogy.” And he put his head in his hands and said: “I don’t think they’ll do that. How about if you make the first one and then we’ll see.” And I said: “But people then will be disappointed, I want them to know we’ll resolve the story so I want it to be a trilogy.” And he said, “It’s not going to happen.” So I went back to work and it became clear that even if I just spent a little time with each character, there wouldn’t be time in a single movie … So the idea that emerged was this anthology show, one character at a time, completely separate, just little webisodes. Then from there, I started being more ambitious and it became about how they all affect each other. Every problem that arises in the lives of the Bluths was started by another Bluth. It’s completely self-generated. There’s no exterior incident – everything is their fault.

    But Hurwitz’ plans for a movie aren’t just old plans. Reiterating his comments from other recent interviews, he told the Guardian, “I hope so,” when asked if he’s doing a movie now.

    The fourth season of Arrested Development has already been nominated for three Emmys.