Starz's new fantasy series "Outlander" is pretty popular with a lot of moms. Not only have we heard that anecdotally from those around us, but Zap2it even referred to it in April as "'Game of Thrones' for the soccer moms."

So is it true? According to ratings statistics, there's some support for the theory. 

"Outlander" is watched predominately by women. According to Nielsen numbers, 64% more women than men watch the epic period drama. Drilling down further, you'll find an average of 2.5 million women are watching each episode of the current season. One million of them belong to the older-skewing 25- to 54-year-old demographic — which can be viewed as one indicator for the mom demographic.

Why are women flocking to watch the romantic adventures of a woman sent back in time and forced to marry a man she barely knows?

1. Moms read the books and became hooked.

Many of the series' fans started with the book series written by Diana Gabaldon. Spanning eight novels released between 1991 and 2014, the "Outlander" world has expanded to include short stories, a graphic novel, and a musical album. And Gabaldon is writing a ninth book for the series.

"It's the history. It's the story itself and the romance at the heart of it and it's just these characters," mom and "Outlander" watcher Karen Mitchell, 60, told BI. "It's the whole package. I'm an avid reader and I've read so many bad books in my life. This is not it. This is a book series that can really engage readers on so many levels."

Mitchell, who lives near Portland, Oregon, said there was a fear for her and within the books' fandom that Starz would make "horrible" casting choices. "Right with the first episode, even before, everyone became very happy with the way things were going," she said.

Conversely, Mitchell's daughter is also a fan of the TV series, but that's where she discovered the story. She's now going back to read the books.

A grandmother now, Texas-native Connie Sandlin, 64, also read the books first and told BI she's very happy with what Starz did with the series. Sandlin is prone to say, "If it's OK with Diana, it's OK with me."

2. Moms like the characters' family values.

Sandlin appreciates what the main characters Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jaime (Sam Heughan) stand for.

"They're good examples of the real values we should have: loyalty and being honest, standing up for your family, making sure your children are well cared for to the best of your ability. As a mother, that all appeals to me," she said.

3. Women find inspiration in Claire and Jaime's marriage.

"I like watching these two central characters," Mitchell said. "Jamie and Claire navigate the rocky shores of marriage at different places in their lives. All of us bring our own lives to the books and it's like watching, if you will, our lives in Jamie and Claire's. We learn something about marriage from them."

Sandlin found herself in a unique position in which she pulled inspiration from the couple.

"I started my life over again seven years ago with my husband when we moved to Costa Rica," she said. "I learned from Jamie and Claire about taking risks and that wherever we were, we were home with each other."

4. Moms appreciate the show's female point of view.

Aside from rare exceptions in which another character narrates an episode, "Outlander" is told primarily from Claire's point of view.

"One of the reasons that female viewers are so drawn to the show is because you're getting to see things the way a woman would see them," Mitchell pointed out.

That's not only a gesture toward Gabaldon's books, but also a reflection of who's behind the camera on the Starz series.

"The presence of females in the writers room, female executive producers, and the fact that [executive producer] Ron D. Moore is so attentive to what women might be thinking, how women might be viewing it, what a strong woman looks like, how a strong woman sounds and that women at any age can have full lives," Mitchell said.

5. But, of course, Sam Heughan as Jamie doesn't hurt.

"I couldn't be happier," said Sandlin of the casting. "I couldn't imagine anyone else playing the role of Jamie other than Sam Heughan. He has the right body type and a kind nature."

Mitchell agreed. "Obviously, Sam's looks have drawn a lot of people to the show. The fact that he's an honestly decent, nice man really makes it a much worthwhile pursuit to watch."

"Outlander" airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on Starz.

SEE ALSO: Michael Bay's Pirate Drama 'Black Sails' Had Starz' Biggest Premiere In The Channel's History

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Broken down to its parts, "Black Sea" sounds like a predictable genre thriller with a kooky twist: a heist film set entirely in a submarine. But by combining elements of those classic genres, director Kevin MacDonald ("The Last King of Scotland") has crafted an efficient and exciting old-school thriller that proves familiarity is nothing to be afraid of.

A laid-off English submarine captain (Jude Law) gets lured by his old buddies to assemble a team of professional submarine operators to find a lost U-boat filled with millions of dollars of Nazi gold. The submarine they'll need to use is Russian, and so Law assembles a crew of both Brits and Russians.

As soon as the vessel begins its journey, the two groups of men are at each other's throats. Law says from the start that each man will get an equal share of the bounty, and this doesn't sit well with some crew members, who deem themselves more essential than others. Why should a homeless teenage boy (recruited by Law at the last minute) get the same amount of money as the hulking Russian who does all the heavy lifting?

Law is presented as a working-class hero. In his first dialogue exchange, we learn he's been working on submarines for over 30 years, and that he essentially lost his wife and kid to the job. When the opportunity for "one last big score" comes up, he has no reason not to abandon what little is left of his life and just go for it.

The majority of "Black Sea" takes place on the submarine, and the camera work makes the audience feel just as confined as the men on the boat. These men are far from civilized, and all have severe tunnel vision about the mission.

It's not long before the actions of one rogue man put the lives of those on board and the mission in jeopardy, and from that point forward, there's no telling what may happen next. It becomes a matter of life and death rather than a matter of becoming rich. The cinematography is gorgeous despite the ugliness, and there are some particularly chilling shots when some men leave the boat to find the gold.

It's hard not to compare the film to those that inspired it, as Law's descent into madness is reminiscent of the Humphrey Bogart classic "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre." And there's a "company man" character pulling the strings (Scoot McNairy in his most obnoxious role yet) that feels airlifted out of James Cameron's "Aliens."

"Black Sea" is an amalgam of submarine thrillers and "one last job" heist films that succeeds on all fronts, borrowing ideas we've seen before and executing them so well that they feel fresh. In January, a "dump month used by studios to unload their disasters ("Mortdecai," "Strange Magic), "Black Sea" sticks out like a Russian sub and is one of the best 2015 releases so far.

"Black Sea" is available to rent or own on Amazon Instant and wherever Blu-rays are sold.

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Mindy Kaling seems to be handling the news of the cancelation of "The Mindy Project" pretty well.

Late on Wednesday as reports swirled that the show had ended its run on Fox and may jump to Hulu for additional seasons, Kaling took to Instagram with a note to fans.

"Hey guys, I'm in Montana, is anything happening in LA? #themindyproject," Kaling wrote.

Alongside the cheeky caption, Kaling shot a picturesque video of her surroundings complete with what looks like the woods and a vast river. At the end, she gave the camera a big wink. 

Although Fox won't confirm the show's cancelation after three seasons to Business Insider, Kaling has reason to feel upbeat about "Mindy Project's" future.

An individual with knowledge of the show's negotiations told BI that is indeed in conversations with Hulu for an additional two seasons.

Hulu has been beefing up its original series slate since 2011. Those offerings include supernatural comedy "Deadbeat," teen drama "East Los High" and the upcoming James Franco-Stephen King JFK assassination drama "11/22/63."

Additionally, Hulu already carries "The Mindy Project" episodes currently.

"The show is creatively vibrant and has a passionate, upscale, loyal audience," said the insider. "And it is a top performer on Hulu. So, this makes a lot of sense."

It's no secret that "The Mindy Project" has never been a barn-burner in ratings. Its recently wrapped third season averaged a low 1.05 in the advertiser-coveted demographic of Adults aged 18-49 and only 2.31 million viewers, which is one of the reasons BI included it in its list of shows heading to cancelation. But, it has done pretty well in DVR viewing and online viewing — another reason a Hulu deal makes sense.

A Universal TV rep had no comment on the reports. And a rep for Hulu has yet to respond to BI's request for comment.

SEE ALSO: 'The Mindy Project' just got canceled and it's moving to Hulu

MORE: 15 TV shows that will most likely be canceled in the next few weeks

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NOW WATCH: Disney just released a new 'Star Wars: Episode VII' trailer and it's incredible

The Wachowskis made their names with their massively popular "Matrix" trilogy. Their last two theatrical efforts — "Cloud Atlas" and "Jupiter Ascending" — were box office disappointments. Now they're taking their talents to Netflix with their new high-concept science fiction series "Sense 8," which premieres on June 5. 

One more thing... at the 1:04 mark in the trailer there's a super-cool shot of a guy sliding on his knees while shooting guns. Look on the right side of the screen and you can see a camera following him.



Of  course our first reaction was "this has to be a mistake." However, we'll give the Wachowskis the benefit of the doubt and assume that this is intentional and will make sense within the context of the show.

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Dave Coulier won't be cut out of Netflix's planned "Full House" spinoff.

The Canadian actor and comedian announced his participation Thursday on Instagram along with some extra production news.

"Yes, I'll be on the Fuller House reunion. And this guy, Mark Cendrowski will be directing. #cutitout," Coulier wrote along with a photo of himself and Cendrowski.

Coulier starred on the series for its entire eight-season run on ABC from 1987-1995 as Joey Gladstone aka Uncle Joey to the show's three kids. A childhood friend of Danny Turner (Bob Saget), Joey joined the household to help his buddy raise his three daughters after their mother died. As a stand up comedian, Joey was often the source of fun impersonations including cartoon characters Popeye, Bullwinkle and Pepe LePew. His popular catchphrase was "cut it out."

After "Full House" ended, Coulier put his impersonation skills to good use in voice roles on animated series such as Adult Swim's "Robot Chicken,"  Cartoon Network's "Teen Titans" and Canadian series "Bob & Doug," among many others.

Cendrowski, who Coulier says will direct "Fuller House," has directed many comedies, including CBS's "The Odd Couple" and "Big Bang Theory," and Disney Channel's "The Wizards of Waverly Place."

A Netflix representative had no comment on Coulier and Cendrowski joining the show.

Who else is returning for the spinoff and who isn't? Here's BI's account of the show's castings so far:

Bob Saget as Danny Tanner — IN NEGOTIATIONS

The show's original single dad has stayed pretty quiet about the new show. But reports of some kind of reunion have been circling for years and Saget has had plenty of time to comment.

According to Lori Loughlin, who played Jesse's wife Rebecca, Saget is in talks for the show.

Last year, Saget told People that a reunion show was "the farthest thing from my mind that exists." At the same time, he has made appearances with the other cast members in recent years.

Candace Cameron Bure as D.J. Tanner — IN

Twenty years later, D.J. is a veterinarian, has two boys, she's pregnant and, wait for it, recently widowed. Where have we heard this story before?

Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie Tanner — IN

Sweetin will reprise her role as middle sister, Stephanie, she of the "How Rude!" catchphrase. When we meet her again, she's an aspiring musician and will move in with D.J. to help her raise her kids.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as Michelle Tanner — MIA

The twin millionaire fashionistas, who as babies tag teamed the role of the youngest Tanner daughter, had no idea about the show, according to WWD.

“I ran into Bob [Saget] the other day and we didn’t even talk about it,” said Ashley.

“I’m shocked I haven’t heard from John [Stamos],” said Mary-Kate.

But they're going to get some sage advice from a trusted father figure. “I’m going to call [Saget] and get his perspective,” said Ashley.

Later, Stamos said that it wasn't true that the twins hadn't known about the show previously.

Have mercy on Netflix.

Lori Loughlin as Rebecca Katsopolis — IN NEGOTIATIONS

Could Uncle Jesse be a bachelor again? It's possible if Loughlin's talks don't end in her signing on to return for "Fuller House." The actress said on Thursday's "Today" that she's optimistic.

"I think it would be awesome to have all of us together, and I think that's what the fans would like to see," Loughlin said.

Andrea Barber as Kimmy Gibbler — IN

Hello, what are best friends for? Barber will be back as chatty Kimmy Gibbler, who also moves in to help D.J. out. But she's a single mom with a teenage daughter herself.

Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit as Nicky and Alex Katsopolis — MIA

ABC Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit on ABC's "Full House."

After three seasons of playing Uncle Jess and Rebecca's sons, the twins seem to have moved on from acting. Blake is a firefighter in Atlanta, according to Bustle.

And Alex is still working in Hollywood as a sound editor. In fact, he and the "Game of Thrones" sound team were nominated for an Emmy in 2014.

So it's not looking good for their return.

SEE ALSO: There's a 'Full House of Cards' parody, and it's surprisingly uplifting

MORE: A 13-episode 'Full House' spinoff is definitely happening

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Even more "Game of Thrones" material has leaked online.

Fans were both surprised and confused when clips from a video appearing to spoil scenes from the next episode of the hit HBO series began circulating on social media Wednesday.

We first noticed the leaks on Reddit.

A "Game of Thrones" fan Instagram account posted the following small snippet Wednesday morning with a caption reading "Sneak peek episode 5!!! 'kill the boy' Full video on OSN.com".

"Kill the boy" is the name of the next "Game of Thrones" episode, debuting Sunday on HBO.

The full video appears to have originated on a website for Middle Eastern television network, OSN. 

The video, which has since been pulled from OSN but still exists online through duplicate versions, was touted as a "first look" or sneak peek at the next episode. However, it's clear it was much more than that from anyone watching.

Here are two images from the video.

Any "Game of Thrones" fan will immediately notice the full video is one of the "Inside the Episode" segments HBO typically releases on its YouTube account within an hour after the episode premieres. 

Here's how a scene from one of those looks:

The leaked feature contains three clips outlining some important scenes from the episode, with commentary from "Game of Thrones" writers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. We won't spoil them here, but there are some crucial moments between Jon Snow and Maester Aemon, as well as a tense dinner scene with Sansa and the Boltons. Tyrion and Jorah get a small feature, as well.

The leak is especially surprising given HBO's recent annoucement about its plan to tighten security on advanced screenings of "Game of Thrones" — the most pirated show of all time. 

Currently, an error page indicates the video's removal from OSN's network, though a version of the video is still circulating on Reddit.

We have reached out to both HBO and OSN, and will update this post if we hear back.

SEE ALSO: One of the most important scenes on Sunday's "Game of Thrones" is the one you'd least expect

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Tipsy Elves cofounder Nick Morton went through 10 years of higher education so that he could become a dental specialist.

So when he and his cofounder Evan Mendelsohn made a deal with "Shark Tank" investor Robert Herjavec and sales of the company's holiday sweaters starting taking off, Morton was confronted with a difficult decision.

Should he continue seeing dental clients and hire an outside manager to assist Mendelsohn, or should he abandon those career goals and fully commit to the business he helped create?

The inevitable choice between drawing a steady paycheck or quitting your day job and risking everything on your business is different for every aspiring entrepreneur, Herjavec told Business Insider at a press conference for Deluxe's new initiative for entrepreneurs, Small Business Revolution. 

Morton and Mendelsohn discussed the issue with Herjavec in his Toronto office, as shown in the premiere episode of the ABC series "Beyond the Tank."

"You've got to step off the ledge at one point," Herjavec said. "It's your company. You want to get to $50 million? You gotta do it."

After spending some time thinking it over, Morton decided to go all in with his company. Today, Tipsy Elves is a year-round apparel company that Herjavec is confident they can grow into a $100 million business.

Herjavec said his own decision in 1990 to commit to his first business, BRAK Systems, was easy. He was fired from his job at Logiquest and needed to make a mortgage payment.

Like Morton, he had never dreamed of one day founding his own business.

"Mark Cuban and I always argue about this," Herjavec said. "He's always, 'Oh, when I was 12 I knew I was going to start my own business.' When I was 12, I didn't know anything. I just wanted to go outside and play. I only started a business because somebody fired me."

Whether entrepreneurs decide to fully commit to their business out of opportunity or a perceived necessity, they need to take the decision very seriously, Herjavec said, with their eyes to the sky but their feet on the ground.

"Don't quit your job if it's going to hurt your family," he said, "but at the same time, a business is a living, breathing thing. If you don't quit your job, it's never going to grow. But only you can make that decision."

SEE ALSO: Robert Herjavec's brilliant advice helped his favorite 'Shark Tank' investment double sales

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Bungie held its third and final "House of Wolves" live-streamed event on Wednesday, so now we know about pretty much everything that's coming in the second expansion pack for "Destiny," which lands May 19.

There's a ton of anticipation leading up to this release. "Destiny" was one of the biggest titles of 2014, but its initial release was met with mediocre reviews and tons of critiques. Thankfully, the game has been getting better every single week as Bungie listens to its community. Many of the most sought-after tweaks are coming in this next big pack of content, which aims to keep fans entertained in the months and years to come.

So, here's what "House of Wolves" is all about:

• A new social space. Right now, players (see: Guardians) are limited to visiting Earth's Tower to get bounties, buy weapons, and exchange engrams for rewards. In House of Wolves, they'll be able to access the Vestian Outpost in the Reef, a new area in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The Reef space also includes new vendors that sell bounties, weapons, and other missions specific to the House of Wolves storyline.

• New story missions. In this expansion, the Queen calls upon all Guardians to hunt down the House of Wolves, a group of aliens called Fallen that were once loyal to the Queen before they decided to rebel. There are at least three House of Wolves story missions we know of.
• A new three-man cooperative strike called "The Shadow Thief."You can watch the entire strike here (it's about 14 minutes long).

• A new "arena" mode called Prison of Elders. This is what we learned about on Thursday. The Prison of Elders requires you beat five rounds of increasingly difficult enemies — each round has three separate waves you must fend off — that culminates in a randomized boss fight. Bungie's keeping specific Prison of Elders rewards, and how to get them, under wraps for now. This new game mode can be played at four different difficulty levels, including one Level 28 mode that offers matchmaking with other players, and three more difficult Prison of Elders modes at Levels 32, 34, and 35, that require you form your own fireteams.

• A new multiplayer mode called Trials of Osiris. Each weekend after May 19, Guardians will be able to purchase their passage into the Trials of Osiris: Like a game of mini golf, each player gets a scorecard. You can get up to nine wins, or three losses; if either of those happens, your card gets "completed," and you can return to the Reef to turn in that card for specific rewards. The more wins on your card, the better the rewards. As for the game mode itself, Trials of Osiris calls for players of three (no matchmaking here either, sorry) to take out other teams in elimination-style rounds: Your team gets a point for eliminating the other team, and the first to five points wins the game. Each round is two minutes max, and the only way to get back in a game, once killed, is to be revived by a teammate or wait for the next round to start.

• New crucible arenas, and major tweaks to the system. Bungie is doubling all the rewards you get for completing multiplayer matches, and promises that for the first time, one's performance will determine the outcome of the rewards — random number generation (RNG) won't play as much of a role. But more importantly, the company is introducing three new arenas for all players, and one new Crucible location that's exclusive to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 owners. Also, the old arenas introduced in the last expansion will join the general rotation to ensure freshness. 
• New weapons, armor, and gear. Bungie has also raised the ceiling for Guardians' power or "light" levels, and players will be able to upgrade all legendary and exotic armor to meet that new level. There's also a ton of new gear that's themed after Prison of Elders and Trials of Osiris, a new multiplayer game mode that rewards the best players with awesome Egyptian-themed rewards.

There are a ton of other tweaks and improvements to the game — most importantly, Bungie listened to fans and tweaked its in-game economy for exchanging different types of materials needed to ascend one's gear and power level, making it much simpler and easier to get to the higher levels needed to play Destiny's endgame content like Prison of Elders. But in general, all of these additions are highly welcome.

"Destiny" is a rare game that's truly evolving as time goes on. There was a lot of anticipation leading up to this game, and though many were disappointed by its offerings at launch, Bungie has proven time and time again that it's listening to its community and willing to implement the most desired changes.

Compared to the previous expansion, House of Wolves offers something for everyone — and you don't even need to purchase the expansion to access many of these features, including new Reef social space and enhancements to the Crucible. And with all the new content and challenges, there will be plenty to keep Guardians busy until we're introduced to the next chapter in Bungie's 10-year game plan.

Bungie put together a great video explaining all the additions of House of Wolves. You can check that out below.

SEE ALSO: Fan feedback is transforming 'Destiny' for the better

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NOW WATCH: Here's how much you have to buy to make Amazon Prime worth it

Ja Rule will always be there when Hillary Clinton calls and he will always be on time.

The rapper and former federal prison inmate appeared on Fox Business on Thursday to discuss Magnises, a credit card company he's working with. While there, Ja Rule was asked who he's backing in the 2016 presidential election.

Though he expressed admiration for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), Ja Rule said Clinton, who announced her campaign last month, will get his vote.

"I like Hillary. I like Hillary. But, you know, it's crazy because ... I also think Jeb is a good candidate as well," Ja Rule said. "But, you know, I don't — I'm a Democrat, so yeah, so I would vote Hillary."

Clinton's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ja Rule's endorsement. 

Watch Ja Rule's full appearance on Fox Business below.  

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NOW WATCH: Barney Frank has a grim outlook for the 2016 elections

French film critic Nino Frank came up with the term "film noir" (translation: "black cinema") back in 1946 to describe Hollywood films with dark themes.  

Fast forward to today: you can peruse 100 of the most iconic film noir flicks from the past century in Taschen's weighty new tome, Film Noir. 100 All-Time Favorites. 

And currently, you can watch eight of these films on Netflix. Taken together, books and movies make for the perfect weekend binge. 

SEE ALSO: This awesome supercut shows the best driving scenes from Quentin Tarantino movies

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"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," 1920

Directed by Robert Wiene.

This silent horror film makes reference to social issues during World War I and juxtaposes reality with a dreamworld. If you enjoy plot twists, you will relish every second of this classic. 

"Sunset Boulevard," 1950

Directed by Billy Wilder.

This Oscar-winning film — for Best Score, Best Art Direction for a Black-and-White Film, and Best Original Screenplay  — makes unforgettable storytelling out of Hollywood's tendency to throw away talent with age. The plot is laced with love, murder, and plenty of tragedy.  

"The Conversation," 1974

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Filmed during the Watergate scandal that prompted president Richard Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, this political thriller, an updated noir, questions the invasion of privacy through audio surveillance. The film reminds us that even the walls have ears. 

On Wednesday, May 20, David Letterman will bring a 33 year career in late night to a close as his tenure on "The Late Show" comes to an end. 

A lot has changed since Letterman first took the "Late Night" chair in 1982. Today, there is a lot more competition, both on television and on the web with viral videos. But Jimmy Kimmel, who competes directly with Letterman in the 11:35 pm spot, has decided to show a rerun instead of a new episode as Letterman's final episode airs.

Kimmel told The New York Times that it didn't feel right to compete with his idol.

“I have too much respect for Dave to do anything that would distract viewers from watching his final show,” Kimmel told The New York Times. “Plus, I’ll probably be crying all day, which makes it hard to work.”

Kimmel has made it no secret that he is a life-long Letterman superfan, claiming that Letterman is the main reason he got into television in the first place.

When he was growing up, Kimmel's car had a license plate that said "L8 Nite" on it. When Kimmel turned 18, he was given a "Late Night"-themed birthday cake.

"His show was just so weird and different," Kimmel told Rolling Stone back in 2013. "I'd never seen anything like it. I didn't know anyone who had a sense of humor like that."

As a kid, Kimmel felt like Letterman was doing his show "specifically for [him]." And now, to return the favor, Kimmel won't do his show, specifically for Letterman.

SEE ALSO: David Letterman says viral videos by Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon drove him out of late-night TV

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NOW WATCH: Watch Jon Stewart break it to his audience that he's leaving 'The Daily Show'

In 1997, John Silveira was asked to come up with fillers for unsold ad space in the magazine he was writing for. The clock was ticking, and he decided to just place two ads of his own. He needed to get the page filled up fast and get on with his day.

The first ad that Silveira placed was a personal ad he'd written in hopes of finding a girlfriend. For the second, he chose a fake "wanted" classified. In it he included the opening lines of a sci-fi novel he'd been working on.

Here's the ad:

It reads:

WANTED: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 322, Oakview, CA 93022. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.

Posting the ad in the magazine was hilarious, an inside joke Silveira had with himself. He figured no one would really notice it.

He was wrong.

The ad led to an explosive volume of letter responses, a series of internet memes with millions of views. It was the inspiration for a critically acclaimed indie movie in 2011, "Safety Not Guaranteed," starring comedian Aubrey Plaza, 14 years after the ad ran.

And it still won't die.

Letters from prison

We heard about the story of the "Safety Not Guaranteed" meme, as it's known, on "Reply All," a podcast produced by Gimlet Media about the internet.

You can listen to it here:

It inspired us to dig deeper into the layers of its popularity. Lynn Levy of "Radiolab" interviewed Silveira and found out about the unintentional consequences the ad had on his life.

So first, that magazine Silveira was working for. It was called Backwoods Home Magazine, a small Oregon publication specializing in "practical ideas for self-reliant living." It's still active today and publishes six issues a year. Its website is a tribute to '90s internet; there's an animated American flag and Comic Sans MS headers. It's surprisingly kept up to date with select material that the editorial team puts online.

It has a small but seemingly loyal readership. Topics Backwoods Home covers include weaponry and home canning. It has, Levy says, a "survivalist vibe." It's not People or US Weekly or Vogue, and it definitely does not have the audience of a renowned print publication.

It was the night before the September 1997 issue was to go to print when Silveira and his boss ran into the space issue in the advertising section. There was room for two ads and barely any time to fill them, so Silveira threw in his own — the "Safety Not Guaranteed" ad being one of them.

It was brief and intriguing, and Silveira expected a handful of funny responses to the P.O. Box he listed.

He got tons of replies, from curious to desperate to potentially crazy. Silveira read some of his favorite responses to Levy during their interview.

"How are we going? Why is it dangerous? Why do we need weapons? What kind of weapons should I bring?" one reply read.

Another asked if there would be toilet paper — or "do I have to bring my own?" — while another was penned by a bunch of felons writing from prison. "We would like to go back and not get caught."

The joke ad, the space-filler, became a weird beacon of hope for readers who had major problems or devastating histories. Silveira said the letters from prison were especially tough.

He told Levy:

Dozens, in prison, asked me to go back in time and talk them out of committing the crime that put them away. Others (and not a few) were from people who begged me to go back and save a loved one from a tragic death. Those letters were so heartbreaking I almost couldn't read them and I felt a certain amount of shame for not anticipating the false hope I placed in so many hearts.

This emotional can of worms was an unanticipated consequence of Silveira's flash decision to post the ad.

The responses went on for a few months, but eventually letters were no longer overflowing Silveira's mailbox. It seemed as if the madness was coming to an end.

But not so fast.

'You're the man now, dog!'

It’s tough to trace incidences of the "Safety Not Guaranteed" ad appearing between 1997 and the early 2000s, but we know it was read on NPR's "Car Talk" radio program on March 31, 2001, though we don't know what sparked the show's producers to choose to include a four-year-old meme in that particular installment.

Silveira claims it was featured in a "Tonight Show" monologue, but the internet has turned up no proof of that.

So now it's 2004, and a new internet sensation was gaining popularity: YTMND.com. The acronym stands for "You're The Man Now, Dog" — a quote from the movie "Finding Forrester."

In this bizarre moment from the movie, Sean Connery’s ornery character barks the line at his black protégé.

A man named Max Goldberg heard the quote in the movie’s first trailer, and "immediately recognized the power of the catchphrase." He purchased the domain and went to work.

The original page features a tiled photo of Sean Connery and WordArt-era text, with a sound loop of the ludicrous quote, and to this day the site remains home for a perfect formula for internet humor: static image + text + sound = unlimited possibility.

The rules seemed simple. Choose a photo, pair it with audio that enhances the level of weird humor, and give it a catchy URL.

So how does this involve "Safety Not Guaranteed"? OK, stay with us.

People loved "You're The Man Now, Dog." Remember that trope from a few years ago, "Shit ______ say"? It was kind of like that. With YTMND, other people began creating inspired spin-offs, hosted on their own sites, but with the same formulaic approach to get the same punch line. Goldberg began archiving all of the spin-off sites in another section of the original YTMND URL, giving all of the inspired meme-makers ultimate visibility on his already major platform.

So on October 27, 2005, user "AxlBonBach" created an inspired YTMND site titled "Safety Not Guaranteed." Using the URL www.timetraveler.ytmnd.com, he Photoshopped a serious-looking man with a mullet next to the ad, and chose "Push it to the Limit" — the popular montage song from "Scarface" — as the audio.

People loved it. "LMAO," one user wrote. "This is bound to be an instant classic."

While "Safety Not Guaranteed" as it appeared on YTMND was many folks' first time seeing the ad, some users criticized the post, claiming that it was plagiarized or simply old news (they had supposedly seen the ad on Jay Leno).

AxlBonBach paid no mind to the critics. He'd never claimed he created the ad itself, and the site continued to flood with fans of "Safety Not Guaranteed."

Don LaFontaine gets involved

The popular YTMND formula paid off for the classified ad. The added mullet-man and jazzed-up soundtrack had successfully spawned an army of replicas and iterations, bringing us to January 2006, when a user who went by "Scrow" claimed he had found a Civil War-era photo in his attic that looked eerily similar to the time-traveling mullet-man.

He made his own YTMND site to publicize his findings (pictured), which breathed new life into the nearly 10-year-old "Safety Not Guaranteed" classified ad.

From there, a user named "Blackadders2" emailed Don LaFontaine, the iconic voice actor who had recorded more than 5,000 film trailers, asking him to create a movie-trailer style reading of the ad.

LaFontaine came through, and once again another YTMND site was made featuring an iteration of "Safety Not Guaranteed," this time with a sloppily Photoshopped image of LaFontaine's face over the mullet photo and the newly recorded trailer as the audio sample.

YTMND users were stunned and impressed, many of them convinced the voice they were hearing was not LaFontaine's.

Blackadders2 replied to comments calmly, maintaining he had simply emailed the guy and hoped that he'd play along.

When LaFontaine died in September 2008, that particular YTMND page resurfaced and amassed tons of traffic. A new generation of internet users visiting the site after LaFontaine's death had never seen it, nor had they heard of the "Safety Not Guaranteed" meme.

Around that time a screenwriter named Derek Connolly saw the Don LaFontaine version of the "Safety Not Guaranteed" meme and was inspired to write a script for a movie. He, like most everyone who became a fan of the meme through YTMND, didn't know the ad's backstory. He told IndieWire he "immediately wondered if it was real."

Regardless, Connolly wrote the script for "Safety Not Guaranteed" in 2010, and a man named Colin Trevorrow was signed on to direct the film.

Neither had ever heard of John Silveira.

Silveira writes again

It's important to remember that throughout the 13 years the meme had taken on a life of its own, Silveira had stayed silent on his role as the creator. And he also didn't know anyone was writing a script based on the ad. So it seemed serendipitous when Silveira chose to write the story of the "Safety Not Guaranteed" ad as he knew it for Backwoods Home Magazine in 2010.

This was the first time he publicly declared he was the author of the ad.

Silveira, amused by the whole thing, explains the story.

He goes through the issue of the unfilled space and the responses he got. The only mention that YTMND and the "meme-ification" receive is this statement: "Some guy with a bad mullet has run the ad with his picture as if it's his."

From there, Trevorrow — who has already committed to directing the "Safety Not Guaranteed" movie and who has already lined up producers, financiers, and the actors — comes across Silveira's tell-all on Backwoods Home Magazine. It's unclear as to how. Unless Trevorrow is an avid reader of Backwoods Home Magazine, the idea that he happened to stumble upon the article is unlikely, so maybe they had alerts out for the phrase "Safety Not Guaranteed" or similar.

Regardless, Trevorrow is blown away. He needed to call Silveira, who, remember, has no idea this movie is in the works.

Trevorrow recalled that moment in a 2012 Wall Street Journal essay:

We could have simply changed the words in the original ad, moved a few sentences around to create a cheap knock-off of the real thing. But I wouldn’t do it. Not just because it would be a cynical and inauthentic move — but because the source material was flawless.

Trevorrow calls up Backwoods Home and is put through to Silveira. It wasn't long before the two of them met for a meal and got to know each other better.

Trevorrow described Silveira as very different from the "Mullet Man: [Silveira isn't] acid-washed jeans tucked into action hero boots, whittling something lethal with a hunting knife while telling me in no uncertain terms to go to hell."

Instead, he met a gray-bearded poet from Oregon with a soft voice.

The two bonded over their ideas of who the fictional man behind the ad would be.

Silveira, after all, had written it as part of a sci-fi novel. They both agreed, "He’d be a real man, one who has experienced true loss and pain. He’d be erratic, possibly brilliant, and full of contradictions—an outcast who hates being misunderstood while simultaneously not giving a damn. He’d be a survivalist and a poet. And, yes, he’d bring his own weapons."

The movie was made, and in 2012 it made its debut at Sundance Film Festival. At the premiere, Silveira was introduced and received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Loyal YTMND users remembered the life of the "Safety Not Guaranteed" meme before it became "Safety Not Guaranteed" the movie, and discussion was rampant online about this next-level meme installation, truly, the finale it deserved after so many of its iterations appeared on the internet over the past 15 years.

Before "Safety Not Guaranteed" the movie became mainstream (it lived on Netflix for a while), the trailer was posted to Reddit, where a majority of the comments made references to the meme's pre-Hollywood life: mullets, "Push it to the Limit," and YTMND.

The movie did all right. Roger Egbert gave it three and a half stars out of four. Trevorrow is now directing "Jurassic World," the highly anticipated movie that's expected to be a blockbuster this summer.

And as for Silveira? He still writes for Backwoods Home Magazine, publishing articles about climate change, the Second Amendment, and the benefits of homeschooling.

Silveira summed up the life of his ad, the tiny one used to fill some space one night in September 1997: "What lies in the future? ... for all the writing I've done, they are probably the only words I've written that will outlive me."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 Tricks Advertisers Use To Make You Buy Their Products

There is a ton of pressure on screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

Marvel Studios on Thursday announced the writing duo will be responsible for penning the third "Avengers" film, "Infinity War," which is actually a two-parter that's split over 2018 and 2019.

Markus and McFeely also wrote the first two "Captain America" films, which both earned positive reviews across the board. But they're also writing next year's "Captain America: Civil War," which just started filming this week.

Between these three films — "Civil War" in 2016 and "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018 and 2019 — Markus and McFeely have their hands full.

No pressure, right?

With this month's release of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Marvel now claims the most lucrative movie franchise of all time.

Even more impressive: By the time "Avengers: Infinity War" releases in 2019, Marvel's three-phase plan for its cinematic universe will have taken a 10-year road spanning 21 different films.

Many of these films include tie-ins or subtle hints to other Marvel movies, but the "Avengers" movies are responsible for showcasing as many superheroes as humanly possible. Next year's "Civil War" is guaranteed to have a similarly epic feel: It will star two of the series' biggest stars — Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans as Iron Man and Captain America, respectively — and the storyline is famous for including nearly every Marvel character under the sun, including Spider-Man, who finally has the green light to appear in Marvel films.

"Civil War" will undoubtedly be a huge draw for Marvel fans, so it's up to Markus and McFeely to pull off a film that does justice to one of the best story arcs in the comic books. In the comics, a tragedy at an elementary school forces the government to enact a law that requires all superheroes register their real identities; more than any other Marvel film, this plotline is heavily political and asks big, difficult questions. It will be up to Markus and McFeely to make sure this polarizing story is both entertaining and provocative for massive audiences. 

But their work doesn't stop in 2016.

As soon as that film wraps, the writing duo will turn to the daunting task of a two-part "Avengers" movie.

Just ask Joss Whedon: People have incredibly high expectations for the "Avengers" franchise. They want big action montages, funny and clever dialogue throughout, and tons of references to past and future films. They want to see all their favorite actors get plenty of time to shine individually. A ton of money and star power goes into these "Avengers" films, and the story and dialogue needs to be equally strong.

But "Infinity War" isn't just another "Avengers" movie. This particular two-parter is the culmination of over 10 years of nonstop story building, character arcs and tie-ins. This is the biggest moment for all these characters — maybe they'll live, or maybe they'll die. But it's all about these two movies.

"Phase 3" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to Marvel, signifies the end of the journey that began in 2008. For the most successful film franchise of all time, this is a ginormous task for two writers. Even though Markus and McFeely have a strong pedigree of penning great films — and their work keeps getting better, it seems, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" was delightful — the Marvel cinematic universe ultimately rests on the shoulders of these two men.

Of course, Markus and McFeely won't be alone in these endeavors. They'll have the help of Anthony and Joe Russo, who helmed "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and will direct "Civil War" and the "Avengers" two-parter. But there's still a ton of work to be done before Marvel's Phase 3 wraps up, and it will be up to these two writers to weave together all of these colorful characters and story arcs introduced over the last 10 years into a cohesive tapestry for "Infinity War": A similar task would be writing a movie that includes every person who appeared in the "Colbert Report" finale.

“Chris and Steve have been an integral part of the Marvel family since the early days of Phase 1," Marvel president and producer Kevin Feige said in a press release. "Their work speaks for itself. We couldn’t be more excited to have them with us to help guide the Avengers through their biggest story yet.”

SEE ALSO: 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' is a masterful film that asks big questions

Join the conversation about this story »

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Sorry, Frank Underwood: You've finally met your match. And it's delicious.

Netflix debuted a new original series this past weekend, and you should start watching it immediately.

It's called "Chef's Table," and it's from the director behind the gorgeous and inspiring 2012 sushi documentary, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." 

Look at this crazy beautiful snippet of the opening, set to the "Winter" concerto of Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons":

The first of six nearly hour-long episodes stars an enigmatic and charming Italian chef named Massimo Bottura. He owns and operates the third most popular restaurant in the world, Osteria Francescana.

Like the creator's previous work, "Chef's Table" is rife with slow-moving close-ups of food that make you want to jump into the screen. Try to restrain yourself.

Each episode showcases a single chef, from Bottura in Italy to Niki Nakayama in Los Angeles. Regardless of the food style, the show celebrates both the chef and their incredible creations. There's a thrilling – yes, thrilling – montage of representational dishes at the end of each episode. Like much of the show, it's set to vibrant classical music.

There's no gimmick, no "reality" or contest hook. "Chef's Table" is a love letter to great chefs and the food they create; it's an inspirational look at truly inspirational people.

When you're done marathoning "Chef's Table," check out creator David Gelb's previous work in "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." It's also on Netflix! Try your best to not immediately indulge in very expensive sushi.

Here's a trailer for "Chef's Table" straight from Netflix that you can watch in high-resolution, thus enabling the full food porn experience. Enjoy.

SEE ALSO: A wildly popular food site will now text restaurant recommendations directly to you

AND: 20 mouthwatering pictures of Cuba's local cuisine

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NOW WATCH: How To Take Beautiful Photos Of Your Food For Instagram

One of the best parts of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," hands down, is the big reveal of a new superhero, Vision.

We won't spoil much about the character if you haven't seen the film, but the droid, masterfully played by Marvel veteran Paul Bettany, steals just about every scene in which he appears.

You couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. 

So it's incredible to imagine that moments before the 43-year-old actor was offered the role, a producer told him he'd never get another gig in Hollywood.

During an interview with Business Insider, Bettany broke down how he first found out about playing Vision, and how the news couldn't have come at a better moment.

"I’d actually just had a meeting with a producer who had told me I was never going to work again and I stepped out into Hollywood and I sat on the sidewalk with my feet in the gutter and I thought ‘F--- me,'" Bettany told Business Insider.

What happened next was unexpected.

"My phone rang and it was Joss Whedon and he said, ‘Do you want to play the Vision in the next ‘Avengers’ movie?’" Bettany continued. "And, I said yes. And I sort of looked up to heaven and thought karma’s very quick these days ... and [I] flipped the building behind me the finger.”

"It happened just like that. I sat down and my phone rang. Very funny. But you know if I had a dollar for every time somebody told me my career was over, my career could be over," he chuckled.

The English actor said he wasn't familiar with the character when offered the role.

"No, not at all," he said. "It was a very different world in the ‘70s when I grew up. I guess they [Avengers] were around, but we really had our own comics and stuff like the Eagle with Dan Dare and the Mekon and stuff like that. Really, what we knew was from TV shows ... We knew Batman, and we knew Spider-Man, and we knew Superman."

Bettany did end up getting a bunch of comics on the character to read up on Vision. This is the second role Bettany has played in a Marvel film after a recurring role since 2008 as Tony Stark's A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S.

"Everybody I would talk to knows the characters and read comics as kids, and we just didn’t," Bettany said. "But also you’re working with sort of the professors of the Marvel world so if you ever have a question ... [Marvel president] Kevin Feige and [executive producer] Jeremy Latcham, [director] Joss Whedon ... they’re like encyclopedias."

SEE ALSO: Marvel broke its own movie rule to let Paul Bettany play a new superhero in "Avengers: Age of Ultron"

AND: 9 characters who have been able to lift Thor's hammer

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's Why Stan Lee Says You Should Never Do Something Just For Money

Keanu Reeves’s love of motorcycles runs deep—so deep that not only has he not abandoned bikes after several painful mishaps on Los Angeles roads, the 50-year-old actor still prefers to ride on two wheels through L.A. traffic than drive in a car.

Harnessing that passion, Reeves persuaded the custom-bike builder Gard Hollinger to become his co-conspirator on Arch Motorcycles, a low-volume manufacturer whose first product is the Arch KRGT-1.

Crafted at Arch’s Hawthorne, Calif., headquarters—located just blocks away from Elon Musk’s Space-X facility—the $78,000 KRGT-1 is a ground-up design incorporating extensive use of CNC billet-aluminum construction and an array of premium details.

Wheels are constructed entirely of carbon fiber by BST, the elegantly minimalist electronic instrument panel comes from MotoGadget, and the power plant is a hulking 2,032 cc S&S Cycle unit, mated to a Baker 6-speed transmission. Virtually all body surfaces are shot-peened and anodized for a sleek, slightly textured metallic finish that very high quality and almost futuristic.

During a daylong ride with Reeves in the rolling hills of Malibu, Calif., the KRGT-1 projected a charismatic (though not flashy) presence on the road, not unlike the megawatt personality of its company founder. Though the bike’s long wheelbase means its handling will not be confused with a nimble sport bike, the KRGT-1 manages to maintain high levels of controllability and stability when pitched into corners. The S&S V-twin pulls strongly from nearly any engine speed, and the chassis feels supple and compliant over bumps.

We sat down with Reeves for insight into his company and its first product.

Robb Report: How did you decide what kind of motorcycle the KRGT-1 would be, and how it would be set up?

Keanu Reeves: When I first met Gard [Hollinger], and once we decided to do something together, we started with the idea of being able to go for a long ride. And then it was, “Well, then, how do you ride? And what do you want out of a ride?”

RR: Can it carry luggage?

KR: A backpack—and emotional luggage. But you try to get away from emotional baggage when you ride, which kind of lets everything drop away. It’s a cruiser and it performs. That’s where the intention came from, just the riding experience. It’s so fantastic.

RR: How are you addressing personalization?

KR: We’ve been trying to find not only an aesthetic seat, but a functional seat. Today, all of the bikes have different, subtle seat technologies. With cutouts, some are just bench seats and some have back pads in them. Whatever the customer wants with the seats we can do. And there are certain anodized colors and different finishes we can do. The bike can also be ergonomically customized.

RR: As a celebrity, how are you positioning yourself in relation to the company?

KR: I don’t necessarily want to be in front of the bike and say, “Hi. I’m Keanu Reeves. You might have seen me in this movie, but I also sell motorcycles.” [Laughs.] I don’t want to quite be that guy . . . I’m invested financially, but before that I’m also invested personally. I hope that people enjoy the bike enough that we can sell enough of them to keep going. I think we’ll always have the KRGT-1, but I’m really curious to see what we come up with for the next model.

SEE ALSO: I want the sexy old Tesla back

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NOW WATCH: A day in the life of a fashion blogger with an eye for China

Super Mario is headed to your phone sooner than you think. Nintendo's first mobile title, in partnership with the Japanese mobile game development company DeNA, is set to arrive before the end of this year.

Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata told investors as much during a presentation in Japan on Friday — the translation is provided here by Nintendo.

The company plans to expand its mobile offering slowly: one game in 2015 and another four by March 2017. If that sounds conservative, that's because it is — Nintendo is taking a careful approach to the mobile market. Iwata characterized the approach as such:

You may think it is a small number, but when we aim to make each title a hit, and because we want to thoroughly operate every one of them for a significant amount of time after their releases, this is not a small number at all and should demonstrate our serious commitment to the smart device business.

This approach is antithetical to the mobile market, which commoditizes games and rewards low prices over quality. That's not to say Nintendo is taking the wrong approach, but the company is certainly operating in opposition to the way much of the mobile market works.

If you know Nintendo, though, it's not a surprise at all. Nintendo has long maintained a focus on quality over quantity. In the early 1980s, when the original Nintendo Entertainment System was first gaining traction in Japan and the US, Nintendo employed a strict licensing system with game developers.

The system forced game developers to submit games to Nintendo ahead of retail launch to ensure they were up to the company's (often ambiguous, though certainly high) standards. More than just ensuring Nintendo's games were up to snuff, the system actively prevented a market crash — something Nintendo feared after Atari's crash-and-burn just a few years earlier.

Nintendo's mobile approach is similar — rather than play the market's game, the company does its own thing. "We are going to carefully select appropriate IP and titles for our smart device deployment," Iwata said. "If we were simply to port software that already has a track record on a dedicated game system, it would not match the play styles of smart devices, and the appropriate business models are different between the two, so we would not anticipate a great result."

In plainer terms? Don't expect to play Nintendo's most popular console games on your mobile phone anytime soon, and don't expect a flood of them either. As Iwata put it: "If we did not aim to achieve a significant result, it would be meaningless for us to do it at all."

SEE ALSO: Japan's Nintendo, DeNA announce gaming, capital tie-up

AND: Meet the Japanese gaming giant that's going to save Nintendo

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NOW WATCH: 11 Video Games From The 1980s That Are Better Than Games Today

Tina Fey made a memorable final appearance on the "Late Show With David Letterman" on Thursday night.

Ahead of the late-night-show host's final show on May 2o, Fey decided to literally give Letterman the clothes off her back.

"Because this is my last time wearing a fancy dress on a talk show, and conforming to gender norms out of respect for you, my gift to you is that I want to give you the dress."

"You can unzip it," she told Letterman.

Then this happened:

Fey explained that she only wears dresses "out of respect" for Letterman.

"I’m not gonna put on a dress for Jimmy [Fallon]. That’s creepy. He’s like my brother." She added: “special underwear for James Corden? Not gonna happen."

"Can I hug you in this?" Fey asked after she stripped down.

"Bye America!"

"This is what we do for you," Fey concluded.

"God bless you, my dear," replied Letterman. "Thank you so much."

Letterman, 68, will host his final show on May 20.

He recently told Rolling Stone that it's been hard for him to keep up with the viral content produced by his competition, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.

"If you look around at the other people doing it and look at me, it's almost like a pair of shoes you haven't worn in a hundred years," he said. "'Gee, I think we can probably get rid of these.' I still enjoy what I'm doing, but I think what I'm doing is not what you want at 11:30 anymore."

"I hear about things going viral and I think, 'How do you do that?'" Letterman continued. "I think I'm the blockage in the plumbing."

Letterman will say farewell to his show after 22 years at CBS with the help of a cadre of big stars, including Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah Winfrey, and one of the Obamas. Even former nemesis Jay Leno has been invited, according to the magazine, though he has yet to say whether he will make an appearance.

Comedy Central's former "Colbert Report" host, Stephen Colbert, will take over "Late Show" on September 8.

SEE ALSO: David Letterman says viral videos by Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon drove him out of late-night TV

Join the conversation about this story »

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Summer used to be a barren landscape for TV. It was when most shows would take a break. Now, there is more on television than ever before, and a lot of popular shows will be coming back this summer.

With streaming, cable, and broadcast, it's hard to know when shows are coming back on the air — especially when you can binge watch many of them whenever you want. To help, here's a list of when your favorite shows will be returning, and new favorites will be airing, this summer:

Friday, May 8
"Gracie and Frankie," entire first season available, Netflix

Wednesday, May 13
"Moone Boy," all six episodes from the third and final season available, Hulu

Thursday, May 14
"Maron," season three premiere, IFC, 10:00 p.m.
"Wayward Pines," series premiere, FOX, 9:00 p.m.

Monday, May 18
"The Bachelorette," season 11 premiere, ABC, 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 20 
"MasterChef," season six premiere, Fox, 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 21
"Beauty and the Beast," season three premiere, CW, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 24
"Rich Kids of Beverly Hills," season three premiere, E!, 10:00 p.m.

Monday, May 25
"American Ninja Warrior," season seven premiere, NBC, 8:00 p.m.
"The Island," series premiere of the Bear Grylls-hosted show, NBC, 10 p.m.

Tuesday, May 26
"America's Got Talent," season 10 premiere, NBC, 8:00 p.m.
"Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" returns for the first time since 2009, FOX, 8:00 p.m.
"Knife Fight," season three premiere, Esquire, 10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 27
"Bullseye," series premiere, FOX, 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 28
"Aquarius," series premiere, NBC, 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 31
"Halt and Catch Fire," season two premiere, AMC, 10:00 p.m.

Monday, June 1
"So You Think You Can Dance," season 12 premiere, FOX, 8:00 p.m.
"The Whispers," series premiere, ABC, 10 p.m.

Tuesday, June 2 
"Pretty Little Liars," season five premiere, ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.
"Royal Pains," season seven premiere, USA, 10:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 4
"Hannibal," season three premiere, NBC, 10:00 p.m.

Friday, June 5
"Sense8," series premiere, Netflix, 12:01 a.m.

Saturday June 6
"Power," season two premiere, Starz, 9:00 p.m.

Monday, June 8
"The Fosters," season three premiere, ABC Family, 8:00 p.m.

Friday, June 12
"Defiance," season three premiere, SyFy, 8:00 p.m.
"Dark Matter," series premiere, SyFy, 10:00 p.m.
"Orange is the New Black," all of season three available, Netflix, 12:01 a.m. (PT)

Tuesday, June 16
"Rizzoli & Isles," season six premiere, TNT, 9:00 p.m.
"Tyrant," season two premiere, FX, 10:00 p.m.
"Proof," series premiere, TNT, 10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 17
"Deutschland 83," series premiere of first German-language series ever broadcast on American television, Sundance, 11:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 18
"The Astronaut's Wives Club," series premiere, ABC, 8:00 p.m.
"Mistresses," two hour season three premiere, ABC, 9 p.m.

Friday, June 19
"Killjoys," series premiere, SyFy, 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 21
"Celebrity Family Feud," returning after seven years off the air, ABC, 8 p.m.
"BattleBots," cancelled by Comedy Central in 2002, ABC, 9 p.m.
"True Detective," HBO, season two premiere, 9:00 p.m.
"Poldark," series premiere, PBS, 9:00 p.m.
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force," final season premiere, Adult Swim, 10:00 p.m. 
"The Brink," series premiere, HBO, 10:00 p.m. 
"Ballers," series premiere, HBO, 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 23
"Another Period," series premiere, Comedy Central, Time TBD

Wednesday, June 24
"Big Brother," season 17 premiere, CBS, 8:00 p.m. 
"Suits," season five premiere, USA, 9:00 p.m.
"Mr. Robot," series premiere, USA, 10:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 25
"Graceland," season three premiere, USA, 10:00 p.m.
"Under the Dome," season three premiere, CBS, 9:00 p.m.
"Rookie Blue," season six premiere, ABC, 10 p.m.

Monday, June 29
"Teen Wolf," season five premiere, MTV, 10:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 30
"Scream," series premiere, MTV, 10 p.m. 

Wednesday, July 1
"Extant," season two premiere, CBS, 10:00 p.m.

Tuesday, July 7
"Hollywood Game Night," season three premiere, NBC, 10 p.m.

Wednesday, July 8
"Key & Peele," season five premiere, Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 12
"Ray Donovan," season three premiere, Showtime, 9:00 p.m.
"Masters of Sex," season three premiere, Showtime, 10:00 p.m.
"The Strain," season two premiere, FX, 10:00 p.m.

Monday, July 13
"Running Wild," series premiere, NBC, 10:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 16
"Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll," series premiere, FX, 10 p.m.
"Married," season two premiere, FX, 10:30 p.m.

Friday, July 17
"Wet Hot American Summer," all of season one available, Netflix, 12:01 a.m. 

Sunday, July 19
"Welcome to Sweden," season two premiere, NBC, 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 22
"Last Comic Standing," two-hour season premiere, NBC, 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 26
"Manhattan," season two premiere, WGN, 10:00 p.m.

Friday, July 31
"Strike Back," fourth and final season premiere, Cinemax, 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 2

"Bachelor In Paradise," two-hour season two premiere, ABC, 8 p.m.

Monday, August 3
"Penn & Teller: Fool Us," season two premiere after CW saved it from cancellation from ITV, CW, 8 p.m.
"Significant Mother," series premiere, CW, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 4
"Playing House," USA, season two premiere, 10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 5
"America's Next Top Model," cycle 22, CW, 8:00 p.m.
"Mr. Robinson," series premiere, NBC, 9:00 p.m.
"The Carmichael Show," series premiere, NBC, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, August 25
"Public Morals," series premiere of new crime drama from Edward Burns, TNT, 10:00 p.m.

Monday, August 31
"Awkward," season five premiere, MTV, 9:00 p.m.
"Faking It," mid-season two premiere, MTV, 9:30 p.m.

TBD
"Fear the Walking Dead," late summer, AMC
"You're the Worst," expected to return this summer, FXX

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It's almost Mother's Day and what better way to celebrate than by accosting young children on the streets and demanding they choose who they love more: mommy or daddy?

Jimmy Kimmel sent a video team to talk to families with little kids. Once the parents heard the question their kids were being asked, they looked visibly uncomfortable.

This little kid was asked which parent he loved more, and he seemed to think on the question for a second before ultimately pointing to his mom.

"Mommy!" one little guy shouted into the mic. When he was asked why mommy, he simply shouted "Daddy!"

His parents laughed, but poor dad! Kind of like being picked last for gym.

A bunch of kids answered "both," but were prompted by the interviewer to choose.

"You only have one life preserver!" he informed them.

"My mom," the kids ultimately decided.

"Would you trade your dad for Spiderman?" he asked one young boy.

"OK!" he eagerly replied.

Actually, most kids declared "mommy" to a bunch of dejected-looking fathers. Better luck in June, when it's your day, guys!

Here's the full video (h/t The Wrap):

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