It is widely known  that George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire book series is loosely based on historical actors and events of England’s Wars of the Roses (a series of dynastic wars fought between two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York—sound familiar?).  The extent to which specific characters or plot lines are actually derived from this period is debatable, and perhaps better saved for a later article, but one likeness in particular is difficult to ignore. Perhaps it was just a casting coincidence but it’s noteworthy that...

The sixth season of HBO’s hit show “True Blood” is coming down the pipe faster than Russell Edgington can drain a faerie. June 16th is the official premier date and picks up right where season 5 ended – with Bill drinking the blood of Lilith and transforming into some super vampire monster (commonly referred to as “Billith” by fans); Eric yelling “RUN!” at Sookie after Billith arises from the pile of vampire goo that was Bill; and Pam, Jason, Tara, Jessica, and Nora riding on an elevator together, about to go into battle against the remaining security forces of the...

If you look past the dragons, sorcerers, and blood you’ll realize that Westeros is just another country trying to survive.  Much like America and many other non-fictional countries, Westeros has a small group of people that help run the country.  In America, our presidents have their respective cabinets that assist them. In Westeros, the King has a Small Council. The most recent Small Council stands as such. The Hand of the King Tywin Lannister “The King shits, and the Hand wipes.” Ser Jaime Lannister accurately described Ned Stark’s last title when he was appointed Hand of...

Another month worth of programming is just ahead and I have little space for an introduction here as May is just stuffed to the gills with content. You know the routine; below grouped by category is the majority of the entertainment awaiting us on HBO in May 2013. I’ll bet you will find something you like. Theatrical Movies: All four (4) of the movies premiering Saturday nights in May had good responses when they were out in the cinemas. If you haven’t seen any of these films yet or just what to watch a favorite again here is your opportunity. They are ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER;...

It seems like only yesterday we were strolling down the boardwalk with Nucky and the gang trying to avoid becoming assassinated by any number of individuals and organizations.  While the long winter may have pushed HBO’s Boardwalk Empire to the back of our minds the breaking dawn can now be seen. We can confirm that Boardwalk Empire season 4 has begun principal filming! A couple of weeks ago we got wind of a NYC casting call for 20 somethings willing to work in a smoky environment and receive period-appropriate hair cuts.  Now that doesn’t give us any hints as to...

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2013 – HBO has renewed GAME OF THRONES for a fourth season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin, GAME OF THRONES is an epic story of treachery and nobility set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years, and only the lust for power is eternal. The Emmy®- and Golden Globe-winning series launched its ten-episode third season Sunday, March 31 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, with other episodes debuting subsequent Sundays at the...

Welcome to the third and penultimate installment of this multi-part series, which documents and explores the houses relevant to HBO’s Game of Thrones. These are an attempt to familiarize non-readers of A Song of Ice and Fire with (and remind readers of) the history of the most important houses in the show. If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the first two installments, The North, and The Riverlands, The Vale, & The Iron Islands, as there are references contained in this piece which are explained in more detail in previous parts. Here are the houses of the mighty...

News has been breaking regularly about HBO’s new crime series: True Detective.  The show will most likely enter production soon and fans of The Wire in particular are waiting on pins and needles for the latest tidbits because the show looks to bring HBO back to the contemporary crime underworld.  While series plot details are thin we are privy to a most of the main cast members at this point. Here are the True Detective cast members that we can confirm so far: Matthew McConaughey (Rust Cohle)  Woody Harrelson (Martin Hart)  Michelle Monaghan (Maggie) Kevin...

Two words: GAME CHANGER. That’s what I use to describe HBO’s Game of Thrones. By bringing big budget Hollywood-style production onto the small screen, this show has broken the mold of cult-like followings typically behind most fantasy stories and introduced the series to a mass audience.  Most importantly, the content of Game of Thrones is like no other. It’s not common for a fantasy series, or any show for that matter, to be filled with intense drama, bloody violence, and elaborate sex scenes in every episode. But Game of Thrones doesn’t shy away from that at all. The series...

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Season 1 – Season 5 of True Blood. It also contains some controversial opinions about the much-beloved vampire franchise. Leave your comments and hate-mail below in the comments. How could something so good go so terribly wrong? What used to be a campy, entertaining look into the lives and loves of the residents of Bon Temps has turned into a groan fest of epic proportions. Over the course of the it’s five season run, True Blood has gone from a show we couldn’t wait to watch, to the show we love to hate. There are some fans who...