HBO

Sirico had a long career in Hollywood playing underworld types.

HBO has taken the rare step of developing a prequel (or five) for its biggest hit, so might any other iconic dramas get the same treatment? We’ve heard talk of a Sopranos prequel for years, and creator David Chase says he can envision the possibility of Tony Soprano’s past.

Since 2003, HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher has been a divisive source of comedy and political commentary. If you believe the old adage that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, then the last few years have been particularly kind to the series; Maher has come under attack for his comments on an Ann Coulter protest at the University of California at Berkeley or his decision to give alt-right poster child Milo Yiannopoulos the chance to spread his message of intolerance to the masses. And while Maher has survived and even thrived at the center of controversy, his recent use of a racial slur on the show may be the final straw for even his most ardent supporters.

If you can’t decide what to watch this weekend, ScreenCrush’s Staff Picks are here to help. They’re like the recommendations at an old video store, except you don’t have to put on pants or go outside to get them. Here are four things to watch this weekend:

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.

If you’re wondering why the Jon Stewart HBO shorts intended for daily turnaround haven’t produced anything since their November 2015 announcement, there’s good reason. HBO confirms that its animated projects with the former Daily Show host have officially been scrapped, despite numerous updates on the Onion-style series.

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.

Just over a week ago, Amazon fervently denied reports that its three-year HBO deal would expire in May, removing access to all-time HBO greats like The Wire or Six Feet Under. The confusion was attributed to technical error, but reports now confirm the deal will actually expire in 2018.

The “Goodbye Tour” for HBO’s Girls was an unusual one, in that the final few episodes of the farewell season were notably devoid of major characters. The penultimate outing even introduced a major twist to one character’s absence, which executive producer Jenni Konner explains was intentional.

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.