Author: newsdesk

  • Game of Thrones’ third episode breaks all-time viewing record but is the lowest ranked one

    Game of Thrones’ third episode breaks all-time viewing record but is the lowest ranked one

    HBO’s Game of Thrones, episode 3, The Long Night may have broken records for being the most-watched episode in the series, it is ironically also the lowest ranked of this season. The episode was also the longest in series history at 1 hour, 22 minutes.

    Sunday’s big-battle episode, the third of the final season, drew approximately 17.8 million viewers either live on the network, streamed, on-demand or in a rerun that aired later that night, the Nielsen company said.

    That made it the week’s most-watched show cable or broadcast and the most-watched one-day event ever in HBO’s four decades of existence, topping the Game of Thrones season eight premiere, which had 17.4 million viewers.

    The numbers for Sunday’s episode are likely to grow considerably after delayed and repeat viewings. HBO said 38 million people have now watched the season eight premiere.

    The May 19 series finale is expected to break all records.

    However, interestingly, the episode scored 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. This score, taken from 87 reviews, is the lowest on record since season five, and the third lowest score in the history of the epic fantasy series. 78 percent may be considered to be a respectable score, but GoT episodes get an average 94 percent.

    The worst rated Game of Thrones episode of all time was episode six from season five, Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, which scored 54 percent.

  • Instagram is ready to roll out a test that hides “Like” counts

    Instagram is ready to roll out a test that hides “Like” counts

    Would we feel less envious and competitive if Instagram didn’t tell us how many Likes a post received? That’s the idea behind Instagram now hiding Like counts. Only the person who posted a photo will be able to see the number of likes it received. Instagram is not testing this at the moment but it will start doing this with users in Canada next week. It is not clear if Instagram plans to test this out in other places. But if it leads to more positive effects on the app, it wouldn’t be surprising to see an expansion of it.

    Instagram critics have pointed to it as one aspect that contributes to the negative effects on mental health. Like counts can be a source of social pressure, particularly for younger users. hiding likes count could potentially make Instagram a little healthier.

  • Obamas to produce seven Netflix Originals

    Obamas to produce seven Netflix Originals

    Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground Productions, has finally shared some information on the shows, films, and documentaries it has been working on in conjunction with Netflix since their partnership with the streaming company was announced last May.

    The series, documentaries, and films will be released on the streaming service over the next several years.

    The slate of upcoming content includes a drama called Bloom, a series set in the post-World War II fashion world in New York City, which explores barriers faced by women and people of colour. Another series, Overlooked, is an adaptation of the New York Times’ obituary column, which tells the “stories of remarkable people whose deaths were not reported by the newspaper.”

    The production house will also produce a series for preschoolers called Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents which will “take young children and their families around the globe on an adventure that tells us the story of food.” During her time as first lady, Michelle Obama advocated for healthy eating habits for children.

    The company also is adapting Pulitzer Prize-winning book Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight about the celebrated abolitionist.

    Speaking about the upcoming productions, Obama said, “We believe each of these productions won’t just entertain but will educate, connect and inspire us all.”