Game of Thrones

HBO bosses never hoped to settle a final Game of Thrones season at fewer episodes than the seventh, but it seems those five new spinoffs loosened their grip. Reports confirm that Game of Thrones Season 8 has officially firmed up its episode order, and The Long Night might be shorter than you think.

We were all especially hungry for Game of Thrones after its spring delay, and doubly-so by the time HBO released the Season 7 trailer. So much so, in fact, that this week’s Season 7 footage racked up 61 million views in a day, believed to break TV’s record.

Game of Thrones promised us 747-sized dragons in Season 7, and they weren’t messing around. New photos from the coming premiere reveal an itty-bitty Daenerys atop a massive Drogon, along with other new sneak peeks.

Game of Thrones Season 7 spoilers are something of a contradiction, in that very little need be preserved of George R.R. Martin’s unpublished books, yet the series now has its own story to protect. And protect it will, as star Nathalie Emmanuel reveals the elaborate lengths through which cast were asked to protect Season 7 scripts.

Game of Thrones Season 7 has us deeper in the dark than ever, but there may yet be corners of George R.R. Martin’s books to explore. Sherlock star Mark Gatiss confirms that Braavos’ Iron Bank-er Tycho Nestoris will have a role in Season 7, and possibly beyond.

Buried among the avalanche of death and destruction rolling through each Game of Thrones season, we can usually find one or two yearly cameos from famous musicians, athletes, or other such fans of the show. We’ve had one debunked for Season 7, but apparently a notable New York Met found time to enter the World of Westeros, that of pitcher Noah “Thor” Syndergaard.

Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin wouldn’t dare confirm The Winds of Winter to be published in 2017, but fans of the Song of Ice and Fire franchise will nonetheless get a new corner of Westeros to explore in print. Martin confirms that previously-unread short “The Sons of the Dragon” will see the light of day in a new 2017 fantasy anthology.

For as long as Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss have discussed the final two seasons, the suggestion has been seven episodes for Season 7, and six episodes for Season 8. That final year doesn’t yet have an official renewal, which may yet lead to an increased episode order for the final Game of Thrones.

TBS’ Conan has been running strong for six full years now, frequently pushing the format with trips to Comic-Con, Cuba and more, but not everything goes off without a hitch. See for yourself, as wayward ravens derail Conan and Andy’s attempt to make a Game of Thrones sketch in a new behind-the-scenes sneak peek.

Game of Thrones has a habit of tightening narratives at the expense of characters still playing important roles in the books, something Alexander Siddig’s Prince Doran Martell practically became the posterboy for. Siddig was apparently none-too-thrilled with his exit either, saying there was “something wrong” about leaving the series at least three episodes early.

2016 has been the year of reliving the O.J. Simpson murder trial in dramatic television, from The People v. O.J. to O.J.: Made in America. So of course Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the Emmy Awards with an O.J. spoof.

There’s very little guideline for the remaining Game of Thrones seasons; whether to expect another all-out battle toward the end of Season 7’s truncated run, or if all major conflicts will wrap up before the final White Walker showdown in Season 8. Still, Season 7 laid out some very clear confrontations ahead, and new set reports suggest Daenerys might be out of her element in a major battlefield showdown.