Category: Viral

The 2023 NBA Playoff picture is set after a final day of the regular season that saw some shuffling of the deck in the Western Conference. The seeds are set in stone, and while we got the initial piece of the TV schedule on Sunday evening for Game 1s, it wasn’t until now that we knew the complete TV schedule for the first round, as the networks wanted to wait out the results of the first play-in games before setting the schedule.

While the 8-seeds are still to be determined by the play-in, the league has set the first round schedules now that Hawks-Celtics and Lakers-Grizzlies are officially the 2-7 matchups in each conference. Here is the full TV schedule, starting with the East.

EAST

1. Milwaukee Bucks vs. 8. TBD

Game 1 — Sunday, April 16; 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2 — Wednesday, April 19; 9:00 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 3 — Saturday, April 22; 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4 — Monday, April 24; TBD (TBD)
Game 5 — Wednesday, April 26; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Friday, April 28; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Sunday, April 30; TBD (TBD)

2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Atlanta Hawks

Game 1 — Saturday, April 15; 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2 — Tuesday, April 18; 7:00 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 3 — Friday, April 21; 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4 — Sunday, April 23; 7:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 — Tuesday, April 25; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Thursday, April 27; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Saturday, April 29; TBD (TBD)

3. Philadelphia 76ers vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets

Game 1 — Saturday, April 15; 1:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2 — Monday, April 17; 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3 — Thursday, April 20; 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4 — Saturday, April 22; 1:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 — Monday, April 24; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Thursday, April 27; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Saturday, April 29; TBD (TBD)

4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5. New York Knicks

Game 1 — Saturday, April 15; 6:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2 — Tuesday, April 18; 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3 — Friday, April 21; 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4 — Sunday, April 23; 1:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 — Wednesday, April 26; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Friday, April 28; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Sunday, April 30; TBD (TBD)

WEST

1. Denver Nuggets vs. 8. TBD

Game 1 — Sunday, April 16; 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2 — Wednesday, April 19; 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3 — Friday, April 21; 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4 — Sunday, April 23; 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 — Tuesday, April 25; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Thursday, April 27; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Saturday, April 29; TBD (TBD)

2. Memphis Grizzlies vs. 7. Los Angeles Lakers

Game 1 — Sunday, April 16; 3:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2 — Wednesday, April 19; 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3 — Saturday, April 22; 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 4 — Monday, April 24; TBD (TBD)
Game 5 — Wednesday, April 26; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Friday, April 28; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Sunday, April 30; TBD (TBD)

3. Sacramento Kings vs. 6. Golden State Warriors

Game 1 — Saturday, April 15; 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 2 — Monday, April 17; 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3 — Thursday, April 20; 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 4 — Sunday, April 23; 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5 — Wednesday, April 26; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Friday, April 28; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Sunday, April 30; TBD (TBD)

4. Phoenix Suns vs. 5. Los Angeles Clippers

Game 1 — Sunday, April 16; 8:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 2 — Tuesday, April 18; 10:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3 — Thursday, April 20; 10:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
Game 4 — Saturday, April 22; 3:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 5 — Tuesday, April 25; TBD (TBD)
Game 6 — Thursday, April 27; TBD (TBD)
Game 7 — Saturday, April 29; TBD (TBD)

The fact that beavers build dams is one of nature’s coolest features. Gathering and stacking tree branches, rocks, grass and mud across a river so they can build their homes underwater is a unique instinct among the animals—and a strong one.

Apparently, it’s so strong that beavers will build dams anywhere, including inside a human’s house using whatever items they can find.

A video shared by Dr. Holley Muraco, director of research at the Mississippi Aquarium, shows a female beaver named Sawyer busily gathering stuffed animals, blankets, Christmas decorations, wrapping paper and more to build a dam in a hallway, and it’s seriously the most delightful thing ever.

Sawyer pauses once in a while to assess her work, which is adorable. And her ongoing struggle with SpongeBob SquarePants’ legs is a must-see.

If you’re concerned about seeing natural animal behavior like this in an unnatural habitat, don’t worry. Muraco explains that Sawyer spends most of her time outdoors with other beavers, but also likes to come in the house occasionally. More on Sawyer’s life story below, but first, behold her adorableness at work:

Sawyer is one of three orphaned beavers Muraco is rehabbing at her home with the help of Woodside Wildlife Rescue.

“Sawyer is one of a kind,” Muraco tells Upworthy. “Very opinionated and, as crazy as it sounds, intelligent. I raised Sawyer on a bottle in our home and then introduced her to Huck and Finn who are a bit older. All three were orphaned separately when their parents were killed. The three were sent to Woodside Wildlife to be raised as siblings.”

Sawyer, Huck and Finn. Perfection.

Muraco says Sawyer started building dams in her kennel as a tiny baby and then moved on to building bigger dams in the hallway. She lives outside with Huck and Finn, but she walks to Muraco’s back door when she wants to go inside to check on things and build a new dam.

Muraco says beavers are very social creatures and do better living in a group, but are also one of the most difficult animals to rehab. They have to spend up to two years with rehabbers, which is how long they would spend with their parents in the wild, and caring for them is challenging due to their complex and sensitive digestive needs. They are also prone to illness and there’s a lot that’s still unknown about vet care for them. Muraco says beavers are also considered a nuisance animal, especially in Mississippi, so it can be hard to find a safe place to release them.

In Muraco’s care, Sawyer, Huck and Finn get ample opportunities to practice instinctive behaviors, which is a vital element of rehabilitation. The ultimate goal is for them to return to the wild once they meet key milestones.

Raising beavers is a lot of work, but Muraco is dedicated to preparing these young ‘uns for life after rehab, both for their own good and for the environment. “Beavers are a keystone species and are often critical for healthy wetlands,” she explains. They are misunderstood creatures and are sometimes killed by people who simply see them as pests, which is one reason Muraco publicly shares her adventures with Sawyer, Huck and Finn.

“We are so excited that people are enjoying watching the beavers and falling in love with this unusual, quirky rodent,” she says.

If anyone wants to support these beaver rescue efforts, Muraco invites people to donate to Woodside Wildlife Rescue.

This article originally appeared on 01.13.23

Max, the streamer formerly known as HBO Max, is really hoping for viewers to jump on the bandwagon and support its new service by announcing a whole slew of new shows and spinoffs that are already in the works. Even if the news is a little overwhelming, there is enough content coming to make everybody happy! Well, mostly everyone. Still no Sopranos spinoff... yet. The movie does not count.

One of the most popular HBO shows, Game of Thrones, is getting another long-awaited spinoff series, this time inspired by the first two stories in George R.R. Martin’s novella series, Tales of Dunk And Egg, which also sounds like it could be a Dunkin Donuts cooking series starring Ben Affleck. Maybe one day.

The series, titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, will take place a hundred years before we met those familiar Thrones faces. Martin is writing and executive-producing the show with Ira Parker, while House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal is also set to produce. Here is the official synopsis:

A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.

This isn’t the first, and surely will not be the last, GoT spinoff to head to Max, including a Jon Snow-led series and a House of the Dragon prequel series that will go back even further in history. Before we know it, there will be a show where the dragons are all by themselves roaming Westeros before humans ever did. Though that would probably seem more like a nature documentary. If they can get David Attenborough to narrate, it should work.

(Via EW)

Taylor Swift is continuing her run of the massive The Eras Tour in Florida this weekend, but there’s still a likelihood of famous faces not being able to attend. Just like us, some have struggled to get through the Ticketmaster queue to even pick some decently-priced seats.

In retired football player Eli Manning’s case, he has his sights on attending one of Swift’s MetLife shows in Jersey this May, as he recently told People.

“We’ve been to a couple of her concerts over the years and we’re trying to get to the one at MetLife this year in New York. The ticket situation has been hard for everybody,” Manning shared, noting that his family pushed him to try. He has three daughters and one son, all relatively young.

“It’s the ticket,” he added. “That was my one duty from my wife.”

However, the former Giants player still has roots at his old stomping grounds of the stadium, so he might be more fortunate in finally scoring tickets. (Or already has by now.)

“Luckily, I have a few connections at MetLife and since we play our games there, I was able to secure some, I think,” Manning said.

Swift’s MetLife shows start on May 26. A complete list of dates, along with more information, is available here.

It looks like the long-delayed HBO original series The Idol is finally imminent.

The upcoming series tells the story of a pop star named Jocelyn (Lily Rose Depp) who falls in love with a cult leader named Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye). Today (April 12), The Weeknd, who co-created the series with Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson, shared a tweet teasing new music ahead of the series.

“THE IDOL VOL. 1 [CD emoji] coming soon (double fantasy & jealous guy just a taste),” the tweet reads.

“Double Fantasy” and “Jealous Guy” appear to be names of songs on the show’s soundtrack, or perhaps titles of songs within the show’s score.

Earlier this week, The Weeknd took to Instagram Live to preview new music, which contained jazz-influenced sounds and featured producer Mike Dean on the saxophone.

Last year, during Coachella, The Weeknd debuted an updated version of his 2014 single, “Often,” which featured new production by Dean and Levinson.

While The Idol is one of the year’s most anticipated new shows, it is not arriving without its controversies. Last month, Rolling Stone published a scathing exposé noting the set’s alleged unprofessional conditions, and reported that The Weeknd wasn’t around much during production.

The Weeknd later responded to the piece via Twitter, with a clip from the show featuring characters Jocelyn and Tedros bashing the magazine.

Have you met Max? It’s the new service formerly known as HBO Max, and they are coming in hot with a whole slew of shows and specials. This is great news for everyone who loves good television, but bad news for anyone named Max, who will no doubt have a confusing year. It’s like Alexa all over again.

But with the new announcement comes the first look at Colin Farrell‘s new show The Penguin, aptly named after his tough guy villain in Matt Reeves‘ 2022 emo superhero film Batman. And by the first look, we can safely say: this “penguin” guy sure is pretty evil. It’s hard to even believe that our lovable boy Colin is really in under all of that makeup giving his best Tony Soprano impression.

According to the official synopsis, the series will pick up right where Reeves’ Batman left off. “After Paul Dano’s The Riddler kills Carmine Falcone, one of Gotham City’s top mob bosses, he floods the major downtown area in a coordinated terrorist attack — leaving Farrell’s Cobblepot with a city in chaos and a power vacuum within Gotham’s underworld.” Reeves is also producing the series.

The series is currently in production and is slated for a 2024 release, where it will have to compete with shows like The Last Of Us and House of the Dragon. But really, when it comes down to it, could zombies and dragons really tackle Academy Award Nominee Colin Farrell? Didn’t think so! And will Robert Pattinson make his grand return to stop him? Who knows.

The Penguin will also star Cristin Milioti, Michael Zegen, and Clancy Brown. Check out the trailer above.

(Via Variety)

Confirming reports that a new streaming service was on the way, Warner Bros. Discovery has officially announced that HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge into a new super app known simply as Max. As for the reasoning behind the name change, considering HBO has strong brand recognition and a sterling reputation for delivering the best prestige series on the market, here’s what WB Discovery streaming chief JB Perette said during the announcement.

Via Variety:

“HBO is not TV. HBO is HBO, it needs to stay that way, which is why we will privilege it in the product experience and also not push it to the breaking point by forcing it to take on the full breadth of this content proposition, had we kept the brand in the service name.”

Everyone got all that? HBO needs to stay HBO, but also here’s a plethora of HBO projects that were announced today for Max, the streaming service soon to be formerly known as HBO Max. (Our heads hurt, too.)

– A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. Technically, this Game of Thrones prequel series will air on HBO, but to make things as confusing as possible, it was announced in the middle of the Max presentation.

– Harry Potter. Confirming reports that WBD was keen to get J.K. Rowling’s books into a streaming show, this long-rumored project has been officially ordered to series for Max. Featuring an all-new cast, each season will focus on one book, which means it will run for at least seven seasons or eight if the final book is split into two parts like the films.

– The Sympathizer. A new comedy spy series starring Robert Downey Jr.

– The Conjuring. This series based on the horror film series is reportedly being developed by HBO Max for Max? Again, your guess is good as ours here.

– The Big Bang Theory spinoff. Thanks the success of Young Sheldon, a new spinoff from the hit sitcom is headed to Max.

– The Penguin. Based on Colin Farrell’s character from The Batman, this show was already announced and in production, but now it’s headed for Max.

Max is scheduled to launch on May 23.

(Via Variety)

Jodie Foster investigating a serial killer? It’s crazy enough to work. And maybe it will with True Detective: Night Country.

The fourth season of the HBO limited series that was an instant sensation when it premiered in 2014. Season two was a rushed mess, but after a four-year break, season three was mostly a return to form. And season four looks promising, based on the chilly and intense teaser trailer above.

In True Detective: Night Country, “when the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice,” according to the official plot synopsis.

The latest season of True Detective (which recently wrapped filming) is being overseen by showrunner Issa Lopez and executive producer Barry Jenkins, the Oscar-winning director of Moonlight. Creator Nic Pizzolatto is supposedly no longer involved.

True Detective: Night Country, which also stars Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Isabella Star Lablanc, Aka Niviâna, Anna Lambe, Joel D. Montgrand, Christopher Eccleston, and John Hawkes, premieres later this year.

Barbie is one of the movie events of the summer, but Margot Robbie is shocked that the film even got made. “The first time I read the Barbie script, my reaction was, ‘Ah! This is so good. What a shame it will never see the light of day because they are never going to let us make this movie.’ But they did,” the actress told BAFTA (via IndieWire).

There have been set photos and a trailer for Greta Gerwig’s satirical comedy, but precious few plot details. When asked if she would reveal anything, Robbie coyly replied, “Can’t tell ya!” She did, however, previously discuss how the Barbie movie won’t be what people think of when they hear “Barbie movie.”

“It comes with a lot of baggage,” she told Vogue. “And a lot of nostalgic connections. But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it. People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t.’”

Barbie, which also stars Ryan Gosling as Ken; Kate McKinnon, Emma Mackey, and Issa Rae as various Barbies; and Michael Cera as Allan, just… Allan, opens on July 21st, the same day as Oppenheimer.

(Via IndieWire)

John Mayer is a notorious heartbreaker amongst the A-list women in the entertainment industry. But the “Waitin’ On The Day” singer promises that he has since changed his way. However, his old songs, especially the ones about his past whirlwind romances, are still getting him into trouble. During a recent show, the musician took a moment to address one track in particular.

Released in 2013, “Paper Doll” has long since been rumored to be about his pop star ex-girlfriend, Taylor Swift. Following their tumultuous split around 2010, Swifties have whispered that Mayer was the inspiration behind her deep-cutting tracks, 2010’s “Dear John” and 2022’s “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” a track Mayer believes “he didn’t deserve” to be at the center of. To be fair, Swift hasn’t confirmed whether or not either song was about him.

Supposedly in response to “Dear John,” Mayer released “Paper Doll,” and during his show at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, he addressed the pushback he received from the song.

“I wonder if people don’t like it because it sounds a little pissed off,” said Mayer. “I don’t really like ‘pissed off’ as a song. […] There’s something about it that’s a little bitchy,” continuing to say it gives off “sarcastic b*tch” vibes.

Watch the video above.